How an undergraduate education in philosophy has helped me in physics

Abstract

Unlike most of my colleagues in physics, I did not study the subject from my earliest high-school days. In fact, my education between the ages of 9 and 17 was concentrated in the area of classical languages (Latin and Greek), with essentially no exposure to any science subject; and when I entered university (Oxford) I followed what at least in those days was the path of least resistance, by studying for a degree in Literae Humaniores (“Greats”). This involved spending the first five trimesters on a continuing study of Latin and Greek languages and literature, then the last seven on an equal mix of “ancient” (Greek and Roman) history and philosophy, the philosophy side being much like what one would get were one to major the subject at a typical university in the English-speaking world (such as the National University of Singapore, except for the emphasis in the latter on Asian philosophy). (Abstract taken from first paragraph of document)