Richard Johns - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Professor: Richard Johns

Department: Philosophy

College: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very difficult elective ever. I didnt learn anything from the lectures, pretty much taught myself the entire course... Very messy notes... He will help u during office hr but its unreasonable to go to office hrs 4+ a week for an elective!! The software is very annoying to use and annoying problem sets will frustrate u to hell.... avoid!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really annoying course... You really have to teach yourself in order to understand concepts. Johns doesnt cover materials thoroughly and the final was super hard! Not an easy elective.... Never taking phil courses in my entire life!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is an engaging prof and does a good job teaching. But if you dont really understand the material thoroughly, its incredibly difficult to do well in this course. The lectures clash with the text, if you dont get the lecture the book wont help. To an extent you need to be able to understand the nature of logic on your own without the profs lecture

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I HATED THIS COURSE WITH ALL MY PASSION!!!! Don't take this course if you think its gonna be ur gpa booster! ITS NOT! Course is full of bs...why the hell r we learning about cubes and triangles? I think I lost more hair out of stress trying to understand pointless proofs than I did for organic chem!! The most pointless elective ever!! AVOID!!!!!!!!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is so nice and shy that asking him questions feels like stomping on a field of daisies. Funny in a nerdy way and made Logic a breeze.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fair lecturer, makes minor mistakes once in a while but tolerable. The material is interesting, but you need to understand and interpret meanings of symbols (esp. quantifiers). My highest mark so far comes from this course.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Richard Johns was a fantastic teacher -- very clear, easy marking scheme. I hate logic, but the course was well-layed out and the man is entertaining and a good teacher.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I don't understand why some of the comments are so negative. Do the readings and problem sets and you'll do fine in the midterm and final (which is pretty much similar to the problem sets). Very helpful in/outside of class. ALWAYS answered all your emails. Care about students' learning and he showed great analogies & explanations.I'd recommend him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Worst prof ever! He didn't know how to teach at all! For the whole class he would just mumble to himself but doesn't actually teach the material. The final was impossible with lots of tricky questions. He also has a stupid rule where you have to pass the final to pass the course. Definitely not recommended. Take this course with another prof!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I have taken three courses with Richard Johns (phil 220, phil 240, and phil 321) and they were all very good. He is highly knowledgable, not only as regards philosophy, but in math and science as well. His choice of readings is always great, and his lectures are stimulating. If that weren't enough, he is a nice guy with a great sense of humor.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Though he seems like he's genuinely interested in the things he's talking about, it's often very difficult to figure out what exactly he wants to say. I find myself nodding off in his lecture very often, but it doesn't really matter, because I don't usually walk out feeling I've learned something anyway.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is very kind and tries his best but quite frankly one of the worst profs I've had. I went to almost all of his classes but most of the time I found them very vague and disorganized. Relatively easy to do in class though. (just wasn't a GPA booster for me)

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This guy is hilarious... mostly without meaning to be (I think, but sometimes it's hard to tell). That said, he is thorough in his lectures and very easy to talk to. You do have to take thorough notes however, he doesn't post them online. It is a logic class though so you get all kinds of smart-*** comments from people who think they're clever.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL240A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dr. Johns is an engaging & thoughtful lecturer and, from what I can tell, quite a good philosopher. That said, I was not overly impressed. Lectures lacked direction, rarely really addressing the assigned readings, instead following interesting but vaguely related topics, making it hard to write the essays or grasp the bigger epistemological picture

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Quintessential "logic" class, having an English prof writing on a black board old-school style. Fairly effective instructor, and is willing to explore deeper philosophical issues. Sexy too.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHIL220A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

this is one of those courses where I had no idea what i was doing but still managed to pull off an A. easy to get a good grade but its like wtf is going on? he's really cute and helpful though! nice accent.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHIL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

hahaha richie johns!!!! great sense of humour. nice guy to boot. sure it's a 2-term class, but he greatly improves come the 2nd term.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not a lot of people went for Johns, but I really liked him. I felt like I learned a fair amount, it wasn't all that hard, and the TA, Sonia, was the best TA I've ever had.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHIL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is the worst possible philosophy experience ever. I LOVED philosophy before entering this class... unfortunately this is a two-term class, meaning I have double the time with him. He gives no clarity nor are his class notes good. His webnotes are solid but he rarely gives them. If you really need help, go to your TA or form a study group!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHIL100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is the worst philosophy experience i ever had.