The professional paths of two Melbourne Grammar philosophy students — Jack Solomon (OM 2017) and Fergus Peace (OM 2011) — show just how different a career grounded in philosophy can be.
Both Jack and Fergus were Academic Heads of School (Dux) in their respective years who also earned Premier’s VCE awards for excellence in their studies.
They both went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford where they were both awarded the prestigious Henry Wilde Prize, which recognises Oxford’s top philosophy student in their final undergraduate year.
Since then, their paths have diverged, but as Jack and Fergus explain, their training in the philosophy classroom continues to underpin their chosen vocations.
Jack Solomon: Solving real-world problems with logic
“There’s more overlap between philosophy and app development than people think,” says Jack Solomon, who built his first app while at Wadhurst and, after completing a Master’s degree in Computer Science at Imperial College London, is now working at a tech start-up in Paris. “The formal logic that we employ in philosophical argumentation directly underpins computer circuitry. In both cases, you start off with what appears to be chaos, and you build towards something that is predictable and can be controlled.”
However, for Jack, the differences between philosophy and computer science were also important in shaping his choice of studies. “Philosophy is concerned with asking the ‘why’ questions about how the world should be. In computer science you don’t ask those questions so much,” he explains. “It’s more about taking a problem and a view of how things are, and then building a solution.”
Learning how to ask the right questions
Jack says his ability to think critically and analytically was instilled early at Melbourne Grammar, in both the philosophy classroom and on debating teams — an experience that led to his being ranked fifth best high school debater in the World Schools Debating Championships, and later eighth best speaker in the European University Debating Championships.
“Melbourne Grammar does a good job of letting you do the thinking,” Jack says. “The teachers value novel and creative suggestions, so you come away with the ability to question everything and think for yourself. That sets you up well for confronting problems from different angles.”
Developing a broader view
Looking towards the next step, Jack says that he hopes to use his philosophical training combined with his computer science knowledge to create something that changes people’s lives for the better.
“I want to be able to develop a piece of technology that people use and rely on every day,” he says. “Studying and working overseas has pushed that idea forward for me, because I’ve become especially aware of scale of the world.”
For now, Jack is enjoying his role in the early-stage start-up. “It’s very interesting seeing how a company is run – something I’d like to do one day,” he says. “And whatever I do, I think tech-based problem solving will be the focus.”
Fergus Peace: Analytical thinking, ethical outcomes
After studying a Master of Philosophy specialising in refugee policy, Fergus Peace says his journey has been about discovering the practical applications of philosophical thinking.
“By the end of my Masters I realised I was more interested in doing the work itself than just thinking about the theory underpinning it,” says Fergus, who is currently working as a Policy Officer at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. “I felt I learned really important skills and approaches through philosophy, and I wanted to see how my intellectual efforts could make a difference to other people.”
A focus on ethics and justice
Having worked in a number of roles with a humanitarian focus, including at the United Nations and at a think tank that aimed to create a more open migration policy for the UK, Fergus says his work has always been underpinned by the approaches he learned in the philosophy classroom.
“We’re always trying to break a problem apart and think carefully about the concepts we’re working with,” he says. “After studying ethical and political philosophy, I came to my roles in policy with that ethical lens in place. I’m always asking myself: Is this just? What would need to change about this to make it fairer?”
The space to explore ideas
Like Jack, Fergus built many of his argumentation skills on debating teams, and feels his Melbourne Grammar teachers were also instrumental in developing his ability to think critically about the world.
“The teachers enabled us to have discussions about the big issues, and there was time for that, rather than having to focus on what was next on the lesson plan,” he says. “They did a fantastic job of helping us not just understand philosophy as a subject, but develop a passion for it.”
As for his next step, Fergus says he will continue to pursue roles that have a focus on the ethical dimensions of philosophical thinking. “As I get older, I’m more interested in influencing actual policy,” he says. “I want to keep working in places where there’s a desire to create public policy informed by justice, not just efficiency.”
