PHIL 2060

This class was kind of interesting, but lectures got boring sometimes. I like the fact that the philosophy aspect of this class was equally intertwined with the legal issues. Ben Richards is a fair grader, and his bowties are really great!

I don't know what the other student is talking about, but Jason Craig was one of the most helpful TAs I've had! He's incredibly fair in his grading and helps out whenever you need it. This class is really interesting and not too difficult. Got an A.

Simmons is a great lecturer and a funny guy. I'd be wary of taking the class if you're not good at essays though, because he forces his TA's to grade tests very VERY harshly.

Simmons is fairly entertaining in lecture but there are definitely times where it is extremely boring. He's pretty monotone so unless you're really into the material, falling asleep is a definite possibility. The tests (all essay response and short answer style) are graded harder than those in any other classes I've taken. At the end of the semester after being discouraged by two average paper grades (I usually get excellent grades on my papers), I didn't put much, if any, effort into studying for the final and still did better on it than I did on the midterm...

Grade is completely determined by your TA (the one I had is gone now) as they will be the one grading everything.

Never taken a philosophy class before this one, and I enjoyed it. Simmons is a great lecturer, though the material may get a bit dry sometimes. I'll be honest, I did about 20% of the readings and didn't study too hard and got a B. However, there seemed to be a big difference (really big) between a B+ and an A-. So if you want the grade, go to lecture, take good notes, be active in discussion, and go to Simmons's office hours to discuss your papers. If you're okay with a B, you can probably just go listen to lectures and be mildly involved in discussion.

Nick Frank is a great TA, really try to get him if possible. Professor Simmons is awesome, his stories are often personal and hilarious. Be prepared for some "inappropriate" comments-there's a whole unit on pornography law-it's all very entertaining but not for the uber socially conservative. Great professor, interesting and challenging class, and you learn so much fascinating information that applies to everyone.

Simmons is hysterical and his lectures are entertaining, especially during the pornography unit. He has little side comments that are absolutely hilarious. Matthew Adams is also the nicest TA I have ever had in the philosophy department, very willing to help you with papers and accepting of all points of view in discussion. The exams are graded harshly but in general it is not difficult to get a high B/low A in the class. An interest in law is definitely required!

The class was...fine. We covered criminal law (liability, punishment, etc). The material was interesting, but pretty simplistic. Definitely a good introduction to Philosophy for future Phil or PPL majors. 2 6 page papers worth 30% each and a midterm and final worth about 20% each.

Simmons is hilarious and incredibly knowledgeable. His lectures can get pretty dry, but it's worth toughing out the occasional boredom. I definitely learned a lot from this class and I felt that my writing also improved. I'd recommend this class for sure.

This was a really good class to any pre-law people out there, so I really enjoyed it. We covered justifications of punishments for negligence, recklessness, strict liability, good samaritan laws, capital punishment, and morality. It is not too difficult to get a B/B+ in (I got a B+ without doing any reading) so long as you take good lecture notes and study for the exams which are derived solely from Simmons' lectures. He is a good professor and clearly knows his stuff and certainly makes you think about the subject matter outside the classroom. Overall, a good class, and if you are pre-law definitely take it!