[Serious] Generally speaking, is philosophy a worthwhile subject of study?

[highdimensionman]

throwing a bit more philosophy into the debate to improve open mindedness and perspective

I've heard a few things like this, but I don't know enough about physics to understand specifics. Can you tell us a few examples of what could be relevant?

A while back I did see an article (not technical at all) suggesting that given recent discoveries about quantum physics, it would make sense to take seriously again Aristotelian ideas about act vs. potency, and think of potentialities as really existing things. (If that sounds confused, it's my fault, since I don't know enough to describe it effectively.) 

It's interesting to me that the generation of really famous physicists -- the household names -- was far more educated in and open to philosophy than many of the current crop. Einstein cited influence from Schopenhauer, Heisenberg claimed that physics shows Plato was right, and wrote an entire book on physics and philosophy.

Well many physics theorists are trying to find a mathematical seed like property that could with enough seeding behave much like reality other theorists are trying to see how bundled up dimensional seeds can harmonise to a 4D space time like what we exist in. As of yet no one has found that good a fit. A new approach call constructor theory focuses more on building from and mapping whats possible. All of these areas are pushing the very limits of our current general axioms or underpinning assumptions of truth. In time we will likely have to model far more possibilities and investigate more axioms to see if we can get more clarity regarding the fabric of reality. Physics therefore needs more philosophy right now to prepare minds for the future challenges of science exploration and discovery.