Below is the audio recording of Michael Friedman’s John Dewey Lecture, “Philosophy, Science, and History: A Personal Perspective,” given at the 2019 Pacific Division Meeting. The full text is available on the APA website (member sign-in is required) as well as on JSTOR.

The audio of the lecture is available here:

“Philosophy, Science, and History: A Personal Perspective” by Michael Friedman

Michael Friedman (April 2, 1947–March 24, 2025) was Suppes Professor of Philosophy of Science and Professor at Stanford University, where he had been on the faculty since 2000. He earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in 1973, and had also been a faculty member at Indiana University (1994–2002), University of Illinois Chicago (1982–1994), University of Pennsylvania (1975–1982), and Harvard University (1972–1975). He served as president of the Central Division in 1996–1997.

About this series: The Blog of the APA is pleased to publish the Presidential Addresses and John Dewey Lectures given at the Eastern, Central, and Pacific APA Division Meetings, which communicate the ideas and experiences that the renowned philosophers who delivered them felt are most important for people in the field to know. The Blog wishes to thank the APA leadership and Jeremy Cushing for their support and assistance in making these recordings available.