Philosophy depends on discussion -- and it's helpful in learning any subject to take in information through more than one sensory modailty, e.g. hearing as well as vision (reading) -- so I encourage regular attendance as a basic element of active participation in my courses. But in cases of unavoidable absence, please contact another student for what you might have missed; there is no need to contact me personally, and the only time I need an excuse is for purposes of scheduling a make-up exam or to waiving the penalty for a late paper. Nor do I have time to give each class twice.

I do not count attendance in its own right, but it may be reflected in a student's grade, in the first instance as a necessary condition of scoring high on whatever portion of the grade (if any) is set aside for class participation on the syllabus. Also, at the end of some courses, grades are "curved" to the extent of granting an upward adjustment to students who have actually been participants in the course, at least to the extent of exhibiting faithful attendance (barring emergencies) and courteous attention to what others have to say. (Behavior that distracts either class members or myself, such as openly sleeping or wandering in and out of class at odd times, is frowned upon -- and sometimes commented upon.) Grades are not boosted specifically for attendance, but regular attendance is a necessary condition of getting much of a boost.