PHIL 121Epistemology
A sustained look at central problems in epistemology. Topics might include the problem of other minds, the nature of justification and knowledge, skepticism of the external world, the nature and limits of human rationality, the problem of induction. (Formerly Knowledge and Rationality.)
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 100A or PHIL 100B or PHIL 100C or PHIL 100D.
- All students can enroll - prerequisite review is lifted in summer.
- From the Instructor: The course treats skepticism as a central, recurring thread and uses it to shape our approach to core epistemological questions.
Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.
When it runs
Winter 2027Open Winter 2027
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Tue Thu 11:40am–1:15pm | TBA | J. E. Ellis | Open 0/40 |
Summer 2026Open Summer 2026
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Tue Thu 1:00pm–4:30pm | McHenry Lib 1340 | C. Qu | Open 14/41 |
Winter 2026Open Winter 2026
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Tue Thu 1:30pm–3:05pm | R Carson Acad 252 | J. E. Ellis | Closed 41/40 |
Who teaches it
| Instructor | Rating | Difficulty | Would take again | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Ellis | 4.2 / 5 | 2.9 / 5 | 75% | 52 |
From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.
SlugAtlas is a student project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by UC Santa Cruz. Course data is a snapshot of the public class search; myUCSC is authoritative for enrolment.