I have huge respect for Stephen Hawkins also (How can we not), though I am still not convinced by the big bang theory.

The name of my first physics text book at school was “Nat-phil-O”

The first thing explained to us in class was the meaning of the name; “Natural Philosophy, Ordinary Level”.

For some reason that stuck in my mind, maybe more than any of the subject material which followed.

So I’ve always thought of physics as a kind of philosophy.

I guess Stephen must have started with a totally different book!