Eric Schwitzgebel - University of California Riverside

Professor: Eric Schwitzgebel

Department: TBD

College: University of California Riverside

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This is professor is super caring about the material he teaches. The topic of evil is very heavy. He assigns about 30 page readings per class. 2 midterms and 3 hour final. He's a tough grader but understands when you have emergency, etc. Would completely take again. Awesome class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

lots of information thrown at you in the lectures but don't let it discourage you! he assigns long literature pieces for the course (you most likely will not finish) but he reviews each of them in class as a summary, but do not neglect the readings! they are on the tests; class assignments were pretty easy if you pay attention in lecture;

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL05
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This class was easily the most interesting course I have taken! It made it easy to read all the papers, but there are just a lot of papers. There were a few I did not have time to read. So if you pay attention close enough to the lectures and take GREAT notes you'll be okay.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

A fair bit of reading but lectures are extremely engaging and interesting - they aren't mandatory but I recommend showing up. Prof. Schwitzgebel is also one of the kindest professors I've ever met, and is willing to help with anything (even personal stuff), and is extremely approachable. I would love to take a class of his in the future.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

For someone that isn't too big on reading, this class was so hard for me. The amount of readings he gives a week is actually insane. However, this man is going to be the best professor you ever have. The material makes you WANT to read and show up to lecture. The most interesting class I've had so far.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL134
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

The amount of reading this professor gives is ridiculous It's like he thinks his is the only class you're taking. lectures are helpful but you need to stay on top of the reading in order to even comprehend what the lectures are about. Phil of Mind had 2 papers roughly 6 pages long and one long final.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL05EVIL
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This is my favorite professor here at UCR. I am a phil major, and he definitely was a big factor in me deciding that. He really opens your mind to a lot of things. He is amazing in lectures, and as long as you go to them as well as do the readings, you can easily get an A. Trust me, its not a "hard" class. Just read and show up to lecture.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL05EVIL
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Getting an A isn't that hard but you will have to read the articles. He is an amazing professor and is very passionate about philosophy (he is writing a book and shared it with the class and he is an amazing writer) His lectures are succinct and very interesting if you find philosophy cool, I had a great TA, this is the best class Ive taken at UCR.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This class was very interesting but it was a crazy amount of reading. You have to read and attend lecture if you want to pass. Overall it was a lot of work but Schwitzgebel is very passionate about philosophy so he explains the slides and goes into detail.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He is very passionate about what he teaches. He teaches the material well, but the problem occurs when you realize how much reading and work needs to be put into his class. He emphasizes that you need to WORK for the A. It will also be difficult if you are not interested in the material, as some can be very dense as they are written by philosophers

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I am a hardcore STEM major but this class was easily the most fascinating class I have taken. It requires a lot of effort but takes on an important and worthwhile question, one of my fave course at UCR. Just understand the readings in depth and everything will fall into place. ATTEND LECTURE!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Prof. Schwitzgebel is endearing and a fantastic philosopher/lecturer. If you are FULLY engaged, you do NOT have to spend hours and hours doing the readings. You DO have to at least skim the readings, attend as many lectures/discussions as possible to understand themes, and know author writing style. Your essays will also need to be very thorough.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Schwitzgebel is not a mean-spirited individual at all, but don't take his honors discussion. Discussions are not nearly as helpful as the ones with the TA's (save for one in particular), and though he does offer extra credit to his discussion, it is difficult to get. He grades rather harshly and at the start says an A is impossible to get

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL05EVIL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

the class is a ton of reading, so if you're going to leave the readings last minute be ready to spend HOURS reading them. He does post his powerpoint online, but they have the minimum amount of info so you gotta add extra information that he says in class so pay attention. Overall he does a really good job explaining the concepts in class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Don't take this class if you don't like to read. The class has two midterms, two essays, and a final, so everything is graded very heavily. His tests are extremely specific and he has a section on quote identification to make sure that you've really read all the material. If you're looking for an easy A I wouldn't recommend this course

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Schwitzgebel told us the first day that if you dont get a least a D on his final, you will not pass the class & hell fail you, regardless of other grading criteria. The reading for this class alone was ridiculous, considering the three other classes I had. If you like phil, take it. But as an intro course, he expects way too much.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The lectures are awesome. The professor is great. The course over-all needs a little work as as far as grading goes. 35% paper, 35 % final, 15 % paper, 15% midterm... The hand outs are so complicated that even Einstein would have difficulty comprehending it. There is a lot of reading. I did like the class over-all.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Schwitzgebel is a very amazing lecturer. The topics he talk about in his class, "EVIL", really make you question ethics and morality. I enjoyed his class immensely and would consider taking another one of his classes. There is a lot of reading to do, and the tests are very quote specific, but if you put the effort in, you will do great.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHIL005
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

There is so much reading. It is usually about 30 pages every other day. There is a book that you are supposed to have read half way in, and I would suggest starting on that from the beginning. You really have to pay attention to detail, because the material is thick. He does explain a good amount of the reading in class, but not all of it.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHI005
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is not a class you take to get an easy A, due to the emphasis on a multitude of readings but the fact is, it's 100% doable to ace his midterms and tests if you put the work in and visit your TA. He was an amazing professor, and I highly recommend this course if you're looking for an extensive in depth view of good and evil in human character.