What's the purpose of working in the foundations of physics?

That’s me. Photo by George Musser.
Yes, I need a haircut.

[Several people asked me for a transcript of my intro speech that I gave yesterday in Utrecht at the 19th UK and European conference on foundations of physics. So here it is.]

Thank you very much for the invitation to this 19th UK and European conference on Foundations of physics.

The topic of this conference combines everything that