PHIL 251Metaphysics and Epistemology
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Philosophy
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
This course examines issues in metaphysics (the theory of reality) and epistemology (the theory of knowledge). Students will engage with classic and contemporary texts that are important for understanding ongoing debates about the nature of our world and how we come to know about it. By entering into these debates, students will come to appreciate the value of careful and precise thinking about topics that are often engaged without much reflection, such as the nature of the material world, how the self is situated within that world, whether knowledge of world and self is possible, and what it would mean to attain such knowledge. Students will read and write about some of the most long-standing themes in philosophy - some dating back centuries - in order to appreciate the relevance of these modes of thought to our contemporary world.
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 081 | 3619 | 46 / 50 | Online or by arrangement |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3439 | 0 / 50 | TTh 11:30–12:50 |
| LEC 701 | 1305 | 43 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
76% liked it56% easy81% useful
From 17 ratings and 4 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
The concepts are interesting but it becomes a burden when there are so much to learn, to anyone who takes a lot of courses and thinks it's a bird course (like myself), dont take it. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TIME READING THEM!!!!
Too much reading and the grading is too hard. I am able to get 85+,90+ on my Coding/Math/Engineering courses but I'm afraid I can only get 70+ for this course.
NOT A BIRD COURSE.Dec 2022 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
loved this course even though i'm not majoring/minoring in phil! there's a lot of readings which may be difficult if you aren't super well versed in philosophical texts (like i was), but doreen fraser is an amazing prof and is super enthusiastic about the content and breaks it down really well!! format was a written assignment, 3 quizzes, and a final paper. attendance isn't graded either, but i found it incredibly helpful to show up to lectures. would recommend!!
May 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Great course for those interested in philosophy. Good survey of important opinions and philosophers in these fields. Prompts one to think deeply without being a difficult course. I really enjoyed the readings.
Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
The course content itself was quite interesting, but the readings got a bit monotonous and I feel that there should have been other types of assigned work (such as videos, for example). The assignments and quizzes were fine as long as you did the readings. The classes were quite boring and I ended up just working on other stuff during the lectures instead.
Mar 2020 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
13 posts and comments in 12 threads mention PHIL 251, July 2016 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.
Winter 2019
Any one taken a philosophy minor before 3 points, 6 comments
u/katsukichan: “… Tolkien &x200B; PHIL 221: Ethics &x200B; PHIL 251: Metaphysics and Epistemology &x200B; PHIL 265: The Existentialist Experience &x200B; PHIL 302: Topics in Feminist Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 324: Social and Political Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 328: Human Rights &x200B; PHIL 384: …”
PHIL 251 Online 3 points, 1 comment
u/PassivePhilosopher: “I'm thinking of taking PHIL 251: Metaphysics and Epistemology Online next term, was it a difficult course? I have 7ish hours a week, but I am hoping to get above an 85%, can it be done with that restraint? what do most students achieve in the course?”
How much do you pay for missed notes? 1 point, 8 comments
“I have an illness that stops me from taking good notes and being able to attend class a lot;i was too late to sign up for a note takerwith AS for this term. …”
u/lostsiberian: “which classes? maybe somebody here can help you out”
u/uwstudent14736: “… PHIL 251 and 284! I'm not sure if there are multiple profs for each course, but i think the the future assignments are specific to each prof - so i would love to find someone who may be in the same class. …”
Useful Online Course to take Recommendations 5 points, 4 comments
“Anyone take any useful or interesting courses online that they would recommend? Thinking about taking something (maybe CS 100) on my next co-op term.”
u/clumsysquirrel2: “… I also loved PHIL 251 - Metaphysics and Epistemology - online. It was a super interesting course, lots of critical thinking, and it actually challenged me to think about deep things like what knowledge is, what the origin of it is, etc. …”
u/sadcoop123456789: “Did PHIL 251 have a final exam?”
Fall 2018
Best PHIL course for someone new to Philosophy? 3 points, 11 comments
u/spacecadette007: “… I am stuck between PHIL 101, PHIL 145 (critical thinking) and PHIL 251 (Metaphysics & Epistemology) (these are the only ones that work with my schedule). I have 2 basic things that I want to get from the course: 1. …”
Fall 2017
Skipped a bunch of 251 lectures, am retarded, pls help. 0 points, 3 comments
“Hey dudes, I skipped a bunch of 251 lectures and know extremely little about single cycle and multicycle datapaths -- and also pipelining. …”
u/Heridun_Famdullahpur: “251”
[deleted]: “Phil 251”
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… 201W PHIL 202 PHIL 209W PHIL 215 PHIL 216 PHIL 220J PHIL 221 PHIL 226 PHIL 240 PHIL 247W PHIL 251 PHIL 256 PHIL 258 PHIL 265 PHIL 283 PHIL 284 PHIL 319J PHIL 320 PHIL 327 PHIL 329 PHIL 340 PHIL 356 PHIL 371 PHIL 420 PHIL 459 PHIL 482 PHIL 498 PHIL 670 PHIL 673 PHIL 675 PHIL 680A …”
Spring 2017
Post Your Spring Grades 4 points, 61 comments
“step up plebs, what did you guys take / get this term? i'll start cs341 - 63 cs350 - 73 cs349 - 81 psych307 - 80 earth121 - 69”
u/aapw: “CS 246 – 83 CS 245 – 61 STAT 231 – 85 MATH 239 – 75 waiting on PHIL 251”
PHIL 251 EASY OR HARD? 0 points, 7 comments
u/bardisviable: “Pls save me from myself”
3rd year CS course load 0 points, 5 comments
“As of right now I'm taking CS 341, CS 350, CS 360, and a SCI course. Would adding CS 349 (UI) be too much? I'm sure it's doable but I want to have an enjoyable term. …”
u/Gibstick: “Which philosophy course are you thinking of taking?”
u/verkacat: “PHIL 251 - Metaphysics and Epistemology”
How is the arts program here at waterloo? 3 points, 33 comments
“Im battling between this (due to the coop) and UOFT. Here i would be joining Arbus, at UOFT id be joining Arts and Science for the humanities.”
u/Frozen-Placenta: “Unless you are from the region, don't come all the way here for arts.”
u/Frozen-Placenta: “Phil 240, Phil 251, Clas 104”
Spring 2016
Phil 251 1 point, 1 comment
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them