PHIL 1070 Philosophy of the Person I
This course introduces students to philosophical reflection and to its history through the presentation and discussion of the writings of major thinkers from ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary periods. The course is designed to show how fundamental and enduring questions about the universe and about human beings recur in different historical contexts. Emphasis is given to ethical themes, such as the nature of the human person, the foundation of human rights and corresponding responsibilities, and the problems of social justice.
Course overview
- Department
- Philosophy
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Spring
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Philosophy
Requirements fulfilled
- Philosophy: Two Core courses in Philosophy (6 credits): one of the approved Philosophy Core sequences (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- University Core: Philosophy (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.08 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.27 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 14
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Bartomeu Estelrich Barcelo | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 22 of 32 |
| Spring 2026 | Casey Grippo | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 22 of 33 |
| Spring 2026 | John Brittingham | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 25 of 32 |
| Spring 2026 | Margarita Fenn | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 19 of 27 |
| Fall 2025 | Alan Waters | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 47 of 52 |
| Fall 2025 | Christopher Berger | 2.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 48 of 61 |
| Fall 2025 | Daniel Howard | 4.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 20 |
| Fall 2025 | Francesco Gallotta | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 55 of 64 |
| Fall 2025 | Iziah Topete | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 32 |
| Fall 2025 | James Oldfield | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 53 of 63 |
| Fall 2025 | Jared Highlen | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 30 of 31 |
| Fall 2025 | Jeronimo Ayesta Lopez | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 32 of 37 |
| Fall 2025 | Jesse Lopes | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 67 of 80 |
| Fall 2025 | John Brittingham | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 29 of 31 |
| Fall 2025 | Juan Rivera Castro | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 45 of 60 |
| Fall 2025 | Julia Legas | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 46 of 62 |
| Fall 2025 | Ka Ho Li | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 25 of 31 |
| Fall 2025 | Margarita Fenn | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 46 of 61 |
| Fall 2025 | Maria Gallego Ortiz | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 37 |
| Fall 2025 | Martin Cohen | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 51 of 64 |
| Fall 2025 | Martin Maira Sotomayor | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 31 |
| Fall 2025 | Matthew Dill | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 55 of 63 |
| Fall 2025 | Peter Hanly | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 30 |
| Fall 2025 | Richard Atkins | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 1–3 hrs/week | 23 of 32 |
| Fall 2025 | Stanley Anozie | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 40 of 60 |
| Fall 2025 | Taylor Thomas | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 57 of 62 |
| Fall 2025 | Tone Svetelj | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 47 of 64 |
| Fall 2025 | Violetta Lato | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 30 of 32 |
| Fall 2025 | Wenshu Zheng | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 28 |
| Fall 2025 | William Woody | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 25 of 28 |
| Summer 2025 | Abbey Murphy | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | — | 4 of 8 |
| Summer 2025 | Daniel Howard | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 9 of 17 |
| Summer 2025 | Sean Haefner | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 18 |
| Summer 2025 | Violetta Lato | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.3 | — | 7 of 10 |
| Spring 2025 | Casey Grippo | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 32 |
| Spring 2025 | Daniel Maryanovich | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | — | 25 of 30 |
| Spring 2025 | John Brittingham | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 30 |
| Spring 2025 | Kelsey Boor Mulcahey | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 25 of 29 |
| Fall 2024 | Abbey Murphy | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 24 of 31 |
| Fall 2024 | Alan Waters | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 41 of 50 |
Data freshness
Instructors
- Abbey Murphy
- Alan Waters
- Andrew Barrette
- Andrew Song
- Anna Boessenkool
- Anne Davenport
- Austin Williams
- Bartomeu Estelrich Barcelo
- Casey Grippo
- Cherie Mcgill
- Christine Rojcewicz
- Christopher Berger
- Christopher Constas
- Clayton Snell
- Daniel Howard
- Daniel Maryanovich
- David Abergel
- Deborah Dechiara-Quenzer
- Elisa Magri
- Elliott Risch
- Emma Jerndal
- Francesco Gallotta
- Giovanni Pietro Basile
- Iziah Topete
- Jack Harris
- Jacoby A Carter
- James Kinkaid
- James Oldfield
- Jared Highlen
- Jeronimo Ayesta Lopez
- Jesse Deal Goodman
- Jesse Lopes
- Jiyuan Zhong
- Joaquin Bernardo Martinez Martinez
- John Bagby
- John Brittingham
- Joseph M Forte
- Juan Rivera Castro
- Julia Legas
- Jun Hee Han
- Ka Ho Li
- Ka Yu Hui
- Kelsey Boor Mulcahey
- Laura Santer
- Lucas Carroll
- Lydia Barry
- Madeline Brenchley
- Magnus Imber
- Margarita Fenn
- Maria Gallego Ortiz
- Martin Cohen
- Martin Maira Sotomayor
- Matthew Dill
- Maxwell Wade
- Michaila Peters
- Paul Van Rooy
- Peter Hanly
- Richard Atkins
- Robert Van Alstyne
- Sean Haefner
- Sina Rezaei
- Stanley Anozie
- Stephania Krokida
- Stephen Artner
- Stephen Hudson
- Stephen Mendelsohn
- Taylor Thomas
- Timothy Muldoon
- Tone Svetelj
- Tyler Viale
- Vanessa Rumble
- Vicente Munoz Reja Alonso
- Violetta Lato
- Wenshu Zheng
- William Hendel
- William Woody
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 06
- Section 07
- Section 08
- Section 09
- Section 10
- Section 11
- Section 12
- Section 13
- Section 14
- Section 15
- Section 16
- Section 17
- Section 18
- Section 19
- Section 20
- Section 21
- Section 22
- Section 23
- Section 24
- Section 25
- Section 26
- Section 27
- Section 28
- Section 29
- Section 30
- Section 31
- Section 32
- Section 33
- Section 34
- Section 35
- Section 36
- Section 37
- Section 39
- Section 40
- Section 41
- Section 42
- Section 43
- Section 44
- Section 45
- Section 46
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 05