Alexander Williams | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Alexander Williams PHIL360 Anonymous 05/16/2023	Don't let the grading policy described in the other reviews stop you from taking this class. The big curve at the end is explained from the very beginning, and re-explained after each major assignment. Your numerical grade throughout the semester isn't a direct reflection of what it'll be in the end, post-curve, but it's a good indication of how you're doing overall, and you can easily estimate how the curve will affect your final grade. The tests/quizzes do require some careful studying to get the phrasing/details right, but I managed to get As by doing around an hour of review the night before each with no real issue. The readings are dense and tough to wrap your head around, but as long as you go to class, take notes, and stay engaged, it all mostly makes sense. It's not hard to stay focused either; he's a fun guy and has lots of interesting stories. He's really generous with makeups/extensions if you communicate (I overslept and completely missed a midterm and he let me make it up with no penalty and no judgement). If you're not used to taking philosophy classes, the content and assignments can take some getting used to, but it's all doable.
Alexander Williams PHIL360 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/04/2023	He's an interesting and pretty funny professor. I would not recommend this class unless you are genuinely curious or interested in linguistics. It will give you a good foundation of the important thoughts, but it is a pretty boring class and he mostly just lectures and you listen. Tests were difficult and you have a midterm paper and final paper, as well as final exam. Class is curved and I believe he said an 80+ is generally considered an A. Attendance in this class is a must if you want to know whats going on.
Alexander Williams PHIL360 Anonymous 05/21/2022	Other reviewers are mostly correct, though I would argue he is not at all a harsh grader. Material is tough, dense, and must be worked through continually before you can fully understand it. I would highly recommend this class to philosophy majors (or to those highly interested), but not to those outside. Assignments are difficult, but not at all impossible if you study and come to class. Coming to class is the most important thing – he breaks down the readings (which again, are tough) very well and makes sure to provide time for questions, though he can answer them better. Massive curve at the end of the course based on the average grade, coupled with the somewhat lenient grading makes it easy to get an A or B. Take this class if you are very much interested in philosophy and you will not have a problem.
Alexander Williams PHIL360 Expecting a C+ Anonymous 05/12/2022	Williams is a wonderful teacher but a very harsh grader. His grades are broken down into 6 mini quizzes (totaling 30%) that follow each of the units, which are slight if he provides his notes, if not they're hard asf. I think that he grades somewhat harshly on papers, however, I am not particularly skilled in writing so take that with a grain. You have 1 short paper worth 5% and the final paper worth 15%. Up until this point pretty slight class, what makes this class difficult and caught me off guard is that quizzes are worth 45%, there are only two. I have scored above the average on every assignment, including both quizzes, but the short paper and 1 mini quiz (which were both still close to the average) yet I am still expecting a C. I have yet to be in a humanities class that curves but I have also yet to be in one that actually averages a C so Idk take at your own caution. In short: Extremely nice and engaging teacher but quizzes are ass and tank your grade, class average for this prof is probably around a B- or C+
Alexander Williams PHIL360 Anonymous 05/11/2022	If you're not a philosophy major, you will probably not enjoy this class. Lots of reading really dense, mostly uninteresting, difficult to understand pieces of writing that are later explained in class, sometimes well and sometimes confusingly. Tests are extremely difficult to get through, because the questions are worded confusingly in order to avoid ambiguity and they're 90% short answer essays. If you're someone who likes to ask questions in class, prepare to be answered with a curt, "No", or cut off in the middle of your question. I also have no idea what grade I'll get, because your numeric grade apparently means nothing, according to the syllabus. Overall, do not recommend if you're considering this class for personal interest. If it's a major requirement, take good notes (even though he claims to offer lecture notes -- they're never released on time) and try your best to find the material interesting.

Alexander Williams
PHIL360

Anonymous
05/16/2023

Don't let the grading policy described in the other reviews stop you from taking this class. The big curve at the end is explained from the very beginning, and re-explained after each major assignment. Your numerical grade throughout the semester isn't a direct reflection of what it'll be in the end, post-curve, but it's a good indication of how you're doing overall, and you can easily estimate how the curve will affect your final grade. The tests/quizzes do require some careful studying to get the phrasing/details right, but I managed to get As by doing around an hour of review the night before each with no real issue. The readings are dense and tough to wrap your head around, but as long as you go to class, take notes, and stay engaged, it all mostly makes sense. It's not hard to stay focused either; he's a fun guy and has lots of interesting stories. He's really generous with makeups/extensions if you communicate (I overslept and completely missed a midterm and he let me make it up with no penalty and no judgement). If you're not used to taking philosophy classes, the content and assignments can take some getting used to, but it's all doable.

Alexander Williams
PHIL360

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
05/04/2023

He's an interesting and pretty funny professor. I would not recommend this class unless you are genuinely curious or interested in linguistics. It will give you a good foundation of the important thoughts, but it is a pretty boring class and he mostly just lectures and you listen. Tests were difficult and you have a midterm paper and final paper, as well as final exam. Class is curved and I believe he said an 80+ is generally considered an A. Attendance in this class is a must if you want to know whats going on.

Alexander Williams
PHIL360

Anonymous
05/21/2022

Other reviewers are mostly correct, though I would argue he is not at all a harsh grader. Material is tough, dense, and must be worked through continually before you can fully understand it. I would highly recommend this class to philosophy majors (or to those highly interested), but not to those outside. Assignments are difficult, but not at all impossible if you study and come to class. Coming to class is the most important thing – he breaks down the readings (which again, are tough) very well and makes sure to provide time for questions, though he can answer them better. Massive curve at the end of the course based on the average grade, coupled with the somewhat lenient grading makes it easy to get an A or B. Take this class if you are very much interested in philosophy and you will not have a problem.

Alexander Williams
PHIL360

Expecting a C+
Anonymous
05/12/2022

Williams is a wonderful teacher but a very harsh grader. His grades are broken down into 6 mini quizzes (totaling 30%) that follow each of the units, which are slight if he provides his notes, if not they're hard asf. I think that he grades somewhat harshly on papers, however, I am not particularly skilled in writing so take that with a grain. You have 1 short paper worth 5% and the final paper worth 15%. Up until this point pretty slight class, what makes this class difficult and caught me off guard is that quizzes are worth 45%, there are only two. I have scored above the average on every assignment, including both quizzes, but the short paper and 1 mini quiz (which were both still close to the average) yet I am still expecting a C. I have yet to be in a humanities class that curves but I have also yet to be in one that actually averages a C so Idk take at your own caution. In short: Extremely nice and engaging teacher but quizzes are ass and tank your grade, class average for this prof is probably around a B- or C+

Alexander Williams
PHIL360

Anonymous
05/11/2022

If you're not a philosophy major, you will probably not enjoy this class. Lots of reading really dense, mostly uninteresting, difficult to understand pieces of writing that are later explained in class, sometimes well and sometimes confusingly. Tests are extremely difficult to get through, because the questions are worded confusingly in order to avoid ambiguity and they're 90% short answer essays. If you're someone who likes to ask questions in class, prepare to be answered with a curt, "No", or cut off in the middle of your question. I also have no idea what grade I'll get, because your numeric grade apparently means nothing, according to the syllabus. Overall, do not recommend if you're considering this class for personal interest. If it's a major requirement, take good notes (even though he claims to offer lecture notes -- they're never released on time) and try your best to find the material interesting.