PHIL 145Critical Thinking
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Philosophy
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 7 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 6 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
All of us are entitled to our own opinions, but not all opinions are equal. Just because we believe something, that doesn’t make it so. Opinions that are based on empirical evidence (when empirical evidence is needed) are better than ones that are not. Opinions that are based on good inferences are better than ones that are not. Critical thinking is about how to reason with evidence and how to develop good argumentative practices. Students will learn about different types of arguments, how to assess these arguments, and how to strengthen arguments by identifying and correcting common errors.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3761 | 86 / 90 | TTh 10:00–11:20 |
| LEC 081 | 4048 | 73 / 75 | Online or by arrangement |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3138 | 0 / 75 | MW 10:00–11:20 |
| LEC 002 | 7552 | 0 / 50 | TTh 13:00–14:20 |
| LEC 081 | 3861 | 0 / 45 | Online or by arrangement |
| LEC 701 | 1169 | 88 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| LEC 702 | 7967 | 8 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| LEC 703 | 1490 | 99 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names PHIL 145.
- PHIL145 | Anthony Zhang Course notes · anthony-zhang.me · posted on r/uwaterloo Jul 2020 Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
66% liked it73% easy71% useful
From 263 ratings and 68 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Bird material, but unbearably boring. Only looked at the course whenever an assignment was coming up, but the 30+ pages of readings you get per assignment could have been explained in 3 pages. This course is a neglected middle child who bothers you every 2 weeks. Not worth.
Nov 2021 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Arrogant, inconsiderate, and unreasonable. For a professor teaching argumentation, Zunic employs textbook fallacies against his own students. Assignment expectations are vague and understated, marks aggressively like he has a personal vendetta with his students, and will not, under any circumstance, yield to alternative justified reasoning. Everything besides his opinions is wrong and irrelevant in his eyes. For any student taking this course outside of their major as an elective, your intelligence will be shamed and disregarded in favor of the subjective flavor of "common sense" the professor employs. A near unwavering offline class consensus was reached on the disapproval of this…
May 2021 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
It's a class. The content is quite mundane, especially towards the end of the semester. There are numerous "required" ways to read weekly material, audio, textbook and lecture notes, and it just feels like way too much content when pages are filled from top to bottom with words. The assignments are straightforward, but very easy to not do well on given that you don't really get practice on how to do anything asked in them. Still not a bad class, just not as interesting as it seemed.
Dec 2021 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Not a bird course. The marking was very ambiguous and hard to get an 80+. However, the class requires no studying/memorization. If you are looking for an easy 70 without ever studying, this is the course for you.
Jul 2019 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Only five assignments but difficult readings. I didn't always understand everything but I think I'm a better thinker after the course.
Jul 2016 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
423 posts and comments in 295 threads mention PHIL 145, June 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
Easy course where I'll genuinely learn something - Winter 2025 17 points, 17 comments
“Hi, I'll be in 4B ECE and I've mapped out all my degree req's. I have one empty course slot. Anything you'd recommend? I want to be amazed, or learn something I didn't think of. …”
u/shrimpFriedRice49: “I used to fill my electives with philosophy courses. they are great if you are interested in such thinkings. I took phil145-critical thinking, 110b-ethics and values, 265-existencial experience. loved them all”
Spring 2024
No final online courses 4 points, 2 comments
“Anyone know of any online courses that have no final exams (not first year courses)? Would be amazing if its a science course (CHEM, BIOL, PHYS) but ik that's near impossible...i just really need GPA …”
u/Purple-Bandicoot1393: “Don't do PHIL 145. Online with a final exam irl.”
First-year math courses selection 1 point, 8 comments
“I was not sure how to select courses for my first term, and I missed all the webinars because I was working all summer. …”
u/SuperCookies_: “Your courses for first year should look like this 1. CS 115/135/145 (generally people take 135 if they have programming experience, 145 is the advanced version of it. …”
u/SuperCookies_: “I took Phil 145 Critical thinking in my first term with Greg Andres. Nice prof, okayish course. It was not a typical philosophy course as in we did lot study Kant plato or something we talked about logical fallacies and how to frame arguments and stuff like that. …”
easy online courses at uw 11 points, 15 comments
“i'm a math major and I was planning out my courses for the rest of my undergrad, and I need 2 easy online courses that I can take over a co-op. …”
u/arvin132: “Phil 145 The content is very enjoyable and assignments are fair and easy There is an in person final though.”
PHIL 145 4 points, 0 comments
u/EstimateFriendly4708: “Does anyone know of a Phil 145 discord server or group chat on any other platform?”
Philosophy courses that focus on logic or arguments? 4 points, 6 comments
“Title! For arguments, looking for courses that touch on formation, interpretation, or analysis of them. Thank you :)”
u/batson2002: “phil145 is the non math version of math135 as mentioned, it covers exactly what you’re looking for”
u/johnnybravoshoe: “phil145”
u/ononomaetopoeia: “phil 145”
u/Zealousideal_Tap_569: “phil 145, but be warned it is the most horrendously boring philosophy course to ever exist”
Winter 2024
In person exams for online courses 3 points, 8 comments
u/Skyfriendkarim: “… pick 4 electives from the following 5 options: bet 210, bet 350, clas 202, engl 108D, and phil 145. while looking at the important dates calendar I noticed that the dates august 09-august17 are reserved for in person exam days for online courses. …”
How difficult are philosophy courses really? 17 points, 6 comments
“I’m suuuuuuuuper interested in the subject (especially that of metaphysics and existentialism) but I’m not a very strong writer. …”
u/Average4B: “It could be fun if you're good at logical thinking. PHIL 145 felt like Math 135 but easier and no math. Not a bird course though. You need to be careful with what you write and think things through.”
Should I take STAT230 online? (W24, 1B Math Student) 3 points, 3 comments
u/Over-Worldliness-579: “My 1B courses: CS136, MATH136, MATH138, ENGL119, PHIL145 I might want to change PHIL145 to STAT230 (online) with Don McLeish. I took data management in high school and data sci is a major I might want to declare. …”
Fall 2023
TA Positions 1 point, 1 comment
u/lkzxnvclmsv: “… I will be in my third year and its for PHIL145 (critical thinking) which had a TA when I took it. I feel like I'm qualified as I received a 99% in the course and have formal logic training. Is there any way I could even get the position or is it only for grad students? …”
is a 59 on my first math 137 quiz okay 1 point, 57 comments
“give me encouragement”
u/stoomble: “i got a 43 on it and im confident for todays quiz, its not worth a lot and like what my phil 145 prof said yesterday (paraphrasing) "it doesnt matter. …”
Spring 2023
What is your 'wtf moment' story at uw 1 point, 33 comments
“I'll go first. I did a course in PSYCH 2 terms ago, and one day, we had this in-person activity we had to do. That day, I noticed this guy whom I had never seen before in the class. …”
u/wildgurularry: “… When I was in my third or fourth year I decided to take PHIL 145: Critical Thinking as a fun elective. The prof for the course that year was visiting from India. He had a PhD in mathematics. 1. …”
u/jadedwolf12: “I'm so curious, how did he manage to relate Galois theory to PHIL 145 lmao”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
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