PHIL 1060
Present Moral Problems
An investigation of a range of contemporary moral issues and controversies that draws on philosophical ethics and culturewide moral considerations. Topics may include: racism, world hunger, war and terrorism, the distribution of income and wealth, gender discrimination, pornography, lesbian and gay rights, abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. The aim of the course is to present diverse points of view regarding these topics and to provide conceptual and theoretical tools that enable the student to make headway in thinking carefully and critically about the issues.
Instructors
Anne Baril, Eric Brown, Jason Gardner, Julia Driver, Kit Wellman, Martin Turner, Ronald Mallon, Sarit Smila, Taylor Cyr, William Bell
Reviews
Wellman has a unique ability to create a learning environment without stigma. This ability allowed us to interrogate our own beliefs on topics around which most of us grew up in echo chambers.
4/16/2026
super amazing person! not too much work in class too and pretty fun
4/4/2026
definitely a class that is easy to pass. she is very quirky and does often go off into tangents about topics. I found the subjects interesting, but usually the classes felt long and boring. The readings are also very long.
3/3/2026
Highly rated for a reason. PMP is a fun course everyone should take.
10/9/2025
Professor Brown's class was interesting and he is a very humorous lecturer. The class is largely discussion and participation is mandatory, so you must do the reading.
5/7/2025
He is soooo engaging and makes learning fun. However, personally, I felt as if this class I had to utilize memorization over actually learning about philosophy. You have to memorize like 8 different chapters for both the midterm and then the final, and it was just super stressful. If you do not have time to dedicate hours to this class, don't take
1/14/2025
2 or less hrs/week
professor baril is an AMAZING professor, highly recommend going to her office hours because she gives you feedback on the assignments + final paper so you have time to revise before submitting
12/28/2024
Quite possibly the greatest professor I've had but also the midterm and the final were the two most study-intensive tests I've ever taken. Worth it but be prepared to dedicate an entire week to studying for the two tests. The class itself is perfect and so entertaining. It was at 8:30 and I was genuinely excited for it.
12/23/2024
Kit is the best prof I've had at WashU, he is so so funny & made an 8:30am thoroughly entertaining. He is caring, charismatic, and Cool... his wacky thought experiments and random references are the GOATs. Critical assessment is vital to the course so come to class ready to tear apart the essays (and take notes early!). Cannot recommend Kit enough.
12/22/2024
2 or less hrs/week
chill, Baril tends to go over things a lot (like a lot) but other than that it's an interesting class
12/2/2024
I absolutely love Baril, she's such as sweetheart and is always ready to help her students. I also really enjoyed her class, i literally recommend it to everyone. Please take this class its so interesting.
11/13/2024
One of the sweetest and most approachable professors. Incredibly organized, passionate, and always willing to help. Lead interesting lectures. Mapping assignments can be tedious, but overall not too much work. I had a health emergency during finals and Baril was the most understanding of all my professors. Definitely cares about her students!
10/22/2024
Amazing professor. Class topics are quite interesting, and she encourages everyone to contribute. You can miss up to 3 classes, miss more and lose 15% of your total grade. Attendance is strict; nevertheless, she always learns the students names and is willing to meet outside of class. Email responses are somewhat slow. No exams or quizzes.
10/1/2024
2 or less hrs/week
honestly not a bad intro philosophy class, super basic introduction to applied ethics with some interesting subjects (just war, gender in society, etc.). our TA matthew was a pretty easy grader as well
7/7/2024
2 or less hrs/week
Not a problem course. The TAs grade the weekly writing kinda harshly but you can get feedback before submitting. Taking it pass/fail and doing well at beginning means you can skip the final project and stop going to class, which means you're done about 3 weeks early
5/21/2024
2 or less hrs/week
Lecture based class. The lectures are the exact same as required reading. No participation necessary. Essays graded very nicely (average was like a 95).
5/18/2024
Baril is a great teacher and the readings and learning checks are very rewarding as they often come up in other classes. The grading scale makes it easier for students to get a good grade. The final project is all up to you and besides the beginning module, the class is very interesting.
3/24/2024
I mean this guy is super cool and fun, but the grading is just too tough! I get the only B in my entire four years for this program! Guy does not tell your final exam so be ready to get amazed by your low af grade!
1/30/2024