Current instructor

Russ Shafer-Landau

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.52/5 from 52 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

PHIL241 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 1/5
Loved having Russ as a professor
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PHIL241 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
The greatest of all time
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241 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
AMAZING LECTURER! I loved this course, so engaging. Only critique is it is difficult to get an A, any receive ABs/Bs. I enjoyed the format of the exams; essay formats in-person, but giving ideas of what we would be writing about beforehand and was open to interpretation based on your opinions of different theories.
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PHIL241 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 1/5
Professor gave incredible lectures that made material very easy to understand. Didn't do a single reading and still got a high A. Super funny and very open to questions and discussions during and after class. The grade was decided mainly on our final exams (papers) but they were graded very leniently and weren't long at all (less than one page).
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PHIL241 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
outstanding passionate teacher
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241 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
Russ is fantastic, he makes lecture fun and worth coming to. My two critiques are that there are so many readings (as expected but just a lot), and the fact that it's really easy to get a B but super difficult to get an A. The in-class quizzes were so hard, but the papers were always graded with some grace. Very sweet guy though.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Russ Shafer-Landau

PHILOS 241

Introductory Ethics

3–4 credits

Introductory Ethics covers moral problems, ethical theory, moral skepticism, practical ethics, and the evaluation of social institutions.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Russ Shafer-Landau

Russ Shafer-Landau presented information in an interesting manner and did not force views down students' throats. He provided test questions in advance for students to study from, and one student noted that paying attention in lecture meant they did not need to do the readings.

Russ Shafer-LandauPaula Gottlieb

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026
PHILOS 549

Great Moral Philosophers

3 credits

GREAT MORAL PHILOSOPHERS covers major themes of moral philosophy from Plato and Aristotle to Bentham and Mill, with critical study of outstanding works.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.13 GPA, 30.4% A/AB (n=23 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.34 GPA, 57.9% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.42 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=24 letter grades).

Russ Shafer-LandauEmily Fletcher

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026
PHILOS 599

Directed Study

1–3 credits

Directed Study (PHILOS 599) is an independent study arranged with a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

James MessinaSteven Nadler+18 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sample

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027PHILOS 241Introductory Ethics
Spring 2027PHILOS 549Great Moral Philosophers
Spring 2027PHILOS 599Directed Study
Spring 2027PHILOS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2027PHILOS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2027PHILOS 699Directed Study
Spring 2027PHILOS 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2027PHILOS 999Independent Work
Fall 2026PHILOS 241Introductory Ethics
Fall 2026PHILOS 541Modern Ethical Theories
Fall 2026PHILOS 599Directed Study
Fall 2026PHILOS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026PHILOS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026PHILOS 699Directed Study
Fall 2026PHILOS 799Directed Study
Fall 2026PHILOS 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2026PHILOS 999Independent Work

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

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