Bernard Williams argues in several places that philosophy is in some deep way akin to history. This paper explores and defends the Williams thesis&mdash\;though in a way anathema to Williams himself. In particular\, I argue that an account of causal explanation suggested by David Lewis \;may be modified to bring out what is plausible and what is not in what Williams says. I end by pointing out a \;consequence of the Williams thesis so understood for the question of philosophical progress.
\nThe lecture is followed by a reception at the Department of Philosophy