# Philosophy



## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

So I'm required this semester to take an Introduction to Philosophy class, and I'm really about ready to drop it. It's horrible. For one, the textbook is so dense, none of us can understand any of it. I have a fairly wide vocabulary and pretty good reading/interpreting skills, and this book just gives me a headache and puts me to sleep. And my teacher is awful. He doesn't ever go by the book, he uses these power points, but even then he skips over a lot of slides or just briefly reads a sentence or two. The class is just mainly him rambling on about different tangents of philosophy, like wherever he feels like going with the conversation that day. It's not that the content itself is difficult to grasp, it's just so circular. Like there's an argument or idea, and like 10 different people's opinions on that idea. I get so confused trying to keep it all straight. There's a lot of information about different thinkers, that he never even mentioned, I'm pretty sure he skipped the slides altogether. I think if he doesn't know much about the topic, he just glosses over it .Will they be on the test though? I have no idea. I have my first test tomorrow, and I'm not alone in saying I am completely unprepared and have NO idea what to expect at all. I'm terrified that I'm going to get the test and just have no clue what to answer. I just have no clue how to even prepare. I hate this class with a burning passion.


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

I have a class similar. It doesn't sound QUITE as bad as yours though. If he DOES quiz you on that stuff, I would write a summary of your issues with the class, and get a signature from as MANY students as possible, and take it to a dean.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Well I'm about to start the test, here goes nothing. If this doesn't go over well it looks like ill be going to my advisor and see if I can still drop the class


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I graduated in philosophy so am willing to help. It sounds like perhaps you are learning theories and proponents of those theories? Such as Existentialism is the belief in creating meaning via free will, there are Existentialists like Camus and Sartre and so on that have their individual spin on the theory. It can get confusing and be a lot of information spewed out there, the easiest way will be to make notes that list philosopher under theory and try to remember what differentiates one from another. 

Generally, philosophy tests are to test your ability to comprehend theories and to assess them. More a test of mental skill versus memory.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

The test was just true false questions, some defining terms, and then two essay questions asking what you think about different theories/arguments. I found it very hard to elaborate on the essay questions. I think I failed this test :/


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I didn't expect the test to be like that. He copy pasted some true false questions off an internet site he gave us. It was all just stuff like "So and So Thought this....." true or false? I had such a hard time remembering who said what, it just felt like it was all overlapping


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I've had really difficult professors in the past for some of my classes as well. Once I had a professor in a three hour Monday Biology class, who maybe taught 30 minutes of Biology. The rest of class time was used to talk about his lawyer career. Since that day I've learned to look up my professors on rate my professor. It really helps. =P


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Obviously I can't guarantee this to be true for yours, but many professors are looking for critical original thought in the essays and weigh the exam mostly on that. Additionally, participation and papers tend to be the main weight of the grade. Even if you are uncomfortable doing so, always make a strong effort with participation as it makes a name for yourself - within the class it could lead to him bumping up a close letter, so a test C to a B or a final grade. Even excluding that, professors who know you will write recommendations (internships, jobs, and grad schools love this).


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Phantom said:


> I've had really difficult professors in the past for some of my classes as well. Once I had a professor in a three hour Monday Biology class, who maybe taught 30 minutes of Biology. The rest of class time was used to talk about his lawyer career. Since that day I've learned to look up my professors on rate my professor. It really helps. =P


He's not even on that site, I don't think he's technically an official teacher. He works at the hospital and is also running for county council, so I'm not sure what his qualifications are


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

In class participation is hard for me, I always struggle to find something to say. There's this kid in the class who ALWAYS has something to "add" to the discussions, but everything he says is really obvious or doesn't make any sense, and yet he just goes on and on. Even the teacher you can tell kind of laughs at it. Whenever someone says something, the teacher says "oh really" in a sarcastic tone. I think a lot of kids are kind of nervous to say anything because of how he responds, I'm definitely worried of saying something and having him refute what I say and making me feel like it was stupid


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## bloomington bob (Mar 25, 2014)

Try not to worry about what he thinks. As you say, what he says doesn't really contribute to the class, and the teacher doesn't think much of it. If he refutes what you say, it's likely his response it what's stupid, not what you are saying.


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## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

Ratemyprofessor.com is such a useful tool. If I can't find a teacher on it then I'll type their name into google and sometimes a ratemyprofessor page will come up. There's other sites too that are the same thing. The ratemyprofessor search bar is really picky and if you leave out even a middle intial it wont pull it up but google search is not picky at all so its sometimes easier to use that.


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## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

And you also have to be careful. Last semester I picked a professor because she was easy and I did get an A but she was such an awful teacher that I wanted to pull my hair out. All she did was talk about her accomplishments and give you A's for everything. It doesnt sound that bad but trust me she was awful. I dreaded going to her class.


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## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

And in Texas I know you have like 6 "Q" drops which means you can drop a class and not have it affect your gpa


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Oh I googled him, the reason he isn't on ratemyprofessor or any sites like that is because he's not even technically a professor. He works in behavioral medicine at the hospital apparently.....


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## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

Oh wow thats weird. Usually i dont pick professors that i cant find a review for online.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I didn't get to pick my professors unfortunately, all my classes were pre-assigned by the university for this semester


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## EmilyGPK (Jul 7, 2014)

Your goal is to pass the class and sometimes the best approach is to make a list of questions about how you can improve your performance, go to the lecturer during office hours, and ask for some guidance. That might be question like:" am unsure which if the material you deliver is core information that I might be tested on. Can you suggest ways to help me focus on the most important material?"


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

Lol I'd love to see his face if you sincerely asked him "Why do you feel talking to us like that is helpful?" after he gets all sarcastic.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

I don't think he's intentionally sarcastic, but his tone just sounds that way and it's very off putting


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

I am a big believer in going up to the teacher privately and telling them you are struggling to grasp the content. Explain your particular issues like you did here minus the 'you are bad at your job' criticism and he will help you. Whether or not it will actually be helpful is yet to be determined but at least you know you tried your best. If it doesn't work out and you still want to drop the class at that point, you can tell whoever is managing credits that you exhausted all your options when trying to understand the class and even spoke to the professor. Usually, if they see you are seriously struggling and made independent attempts to work it out, they will let you switch even if it is technically past the deadline. Of course some universities are more accommodating than others but it is worth a shot anyway if you are genuinely having a bad time.


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## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

ksaxton said:


> I didn't get to pick my professors unfortunately, all my classes were pre-assigned by the university for this semester


Ohh. I go to a community college right now so I pretty much do everything on my own. Hopefully you'll get more of a choice next semester.


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