PHIL 1090 Perspectives on Western Culture I/Perspectives I
Freshmen only This course addresses the enduring and foundational questions of life through critical engagement with some of the intellectual, moral, and spiritual sources of the present age. The first semester will focus on the religions, philosophies and theologies of the pre-modern world, and especially the philosophical and theological traditions of early Western culture. Students will be asked to read and reflect on the works of Plato, Aristotle, the Bible, Augustine, Aquinas, and more.
Course overview
- Department
- Philosophy
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Every Fall
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- Philosophy
Requirements fulfilled
- Theology: Theology Core, Option B — 12-credit sequence (either sequence) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- 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
- 4.22 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.39 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 3
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Andrew Barrette | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 43 of 49 |
| Fall 2025 | David Storey | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 41 of 49 |
| Fall 2025 | Eileen Sweeney | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 7–9 hrs/week | 15 of 25 |
| Fall 2025 | Gregory Floyd | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 19 of 23 |
| Fall 2025 | Kelsey Boor Mulcahey | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 31 of 41 |
| Fall 2025 | Kerry Cronin | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 19 of 23 |
| Fall 2025 | Michael Frost | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 21 of 25 |
| Fall 2025 | Paul Mcnellis | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 7–9 hrs/week | 19 of 20 |
| Fall 2025 | Ronald Tacelli | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 23 of 26 |
| Fall 2025 | Sean Haefner | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 25 |
| Fall 2025 | Timothy Muldoon | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 39 of 48 |
| Fall 2022 | Andrew Barrette | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 23 |
| Fall 2022 | Antonia Atanassova | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 43 of 49 |
| Fall 2022 | Brian Braman | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 18 of 25 |
| Fall 2022 | Christopher Berger | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 | — | 19 of 24 |
| Fall 2022 | Christopher Constas | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 7–9 hrs/week | 20 of 24 |
| Fall 2022 | Deborah Dechiara-Quenzer | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 45 of 50 |
| Fall 2022 | Giovanni Pietro Basile | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 23 of 23 |
| Fall 2022 | Jeffrey Bloechl | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 24 of 25 |
| Fall 2022 | Kerry Cronin | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 7–9 hrs/week | 18 of 19 |
| Fall 2022 | Michael Frost | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 22 of 24 |
| Fall 2022 | Paul Mcnellis | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 7–9 hrs/week | 18 of 19 |
| Fall 2022 | Ronald Tacelli | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 24 of 25 |
| Fall 2022 | Stephen Hudson | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 22 of 26 |
| Fall 2022 | Timothy Muldoon | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 41 of 50 |
| Fall 2021 | Andrew Barrette | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | — | 17 of 24 |
| Fall 2021 | Andrew Prevot | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 12 of 17 |
| Fall 2021 | Antonia Atanassova | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 7–9 hrs/week | 25 of 46 |
| Fall 2021 | Brian Braman | 4.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 7–9 hrs/week | 12 of 23 |
| Fall 2021 | Chanelle Robinson | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 12 of 17 |
| Fall 2021 | Christopher Berger | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 7–9 hrs/week | 3 of 7 |
| Fall 2021 | Christopher Constas | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 7–9 hrs/week | 27 of 46 |
| Fall 2021 | David Storey | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 20 |
| Fall 2021 | Deborah Dechiara-Quenzer | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 28 of 43 |
| Fall 2021 | Giovanni Pietro Basile | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 25 |
| Fall 2021 | Jason Donnelly | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 23 of 49 |
| Fall 2021 | Jeffrey Bloechl | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 16 of 25 |
| Fall 2021 | Julia Legas | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 21 |
| Fall 2021 | Karen Howard | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 7–9 hrs/week | 27 of 50 |
| Fall 2021 | Katherine Kimball | 3.9 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | — | 14 of 23 |
Data freshness
Instructors
- Andrew Barrette
- Andrew Prevot
- Antonia Atanassova
- Austin Williams
- Brian Braman
- Chanelle Robinson
- Christopher Berger
- Christopher Constas
- Clayton Snell
- David Storey
- Deborah Dechiara-Quenzer
- Eileen Sweeney
- Giovanni Pietro Basile
- Gregory Floyd
- Jared Highlen
- Jason Donnelly
- Jeffrey Bloechl
- Jordan Parro
- Julia Legas
- Karen Howard
- Katherine Kimball
- Kelsey Boor Mulcahey
- Kerry Cronin
- Louis Petillo
- Mary Beth Gordon
- Michael Frost
- Nicholas V Bloechl
- Paul Mcnellis
- Pheme Perkins
- Robert Elliot
- Roberto De La Noval
- Ronald Tacelli
- Sarah Byers
- Sarah Livick-Moses
- Sean Haefner
- Stephen Hudson
- Timothy Muldoon
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 05
- 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 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 37
- Section 38
- Section 39
- Section 40
- Section 43
- Section 44
- Section 45
- Section 46
- Section 47
- Section 48
- Section 49
- Section 50
- Section 51
- Section 52
- Section 53
- Section 54
- Section 55
- Section 56
- Section 57
- Section 58
- Section 59
- Section 60
- Section 63
- Section 64