Bill Puka - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

Professor: Bill Puka

Department: Philosophy

College: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Class material is interesting and will make you think, but the grading scheme is awful. As others said, he admits upfront that he grades on length because "it's the only real way he can tell you're trying." Very much the opposite of the way I was taught to write. Not very responsive with grades and how to improve papers either.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2260
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had him for Moral Development. Class was all over the place, and the grade in the class is determined on two 20 page essays, in which your grade is really subjectively defined. The lecture was tedious because of its sporadic nature, and his gimmicks to appear "different" are obtrusive to learning. Take a 4000 Psych instead, it'll be easier.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2960
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Puka is a thoughtful man who really cares about what he teaches. I have taken classes by him for two years, and he certainly provides interesting ideas. His classes will change your viewpoints and life, if you let them. I would HIGHLY suggest taking his Ethics or Anarchy classes. (Note: There is a lot of reading.)

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2960
• 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:

One of the best professor I have ever met. He makes the subject crystal clear with a lot of humorous stories. And he's a very nice person.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MANY101
• 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:

Think 'personal growth'. His classes aren't to 'teach' and the grades are a necessary annoyance. I rarely read or took notes (though I wish I had), and sometimes I daydreamed during class; yet I consider them the most important I have taken. The papers weren't fluff, but opportunities to debate my own morality. In no small way, they changed my life

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYC2600
• 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:

Only take his courses if you know how to fluff a paper. His grades are mainly based on participation in class and how long of a paper you can write. So basically his grades are based on quantity, not quality (took this course w/ a friend and turned in the same paper, except one was fluffed a few pages, longer got the higher grade)

Rating # 7

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Along with Zenzen, the best professor that I've had at RPI. Extremely intelligent and passionate about what he is teaching. You'll learn alot, not only about philosophy, but about life in general. The only reason you wouldn't want to take his classes is if you're easily offended or hold unreasonable beliefs.

Rating # 8

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is one of the most brilliant professors Ive ever had the privilege to learn from. He is a truly good person, and a very good teacher.

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is definitely one of my favorite professors. He will explain something from 3 different perspectives. I second a previous reviewer's comments on his compassion. If you take a Psych class, make it one of his. Let me rephrase: take Bill's Psych class!

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Great class. The class periods are very entertaining and often he drops nuggets of information useful in interacting with the world (not just the field). Often people confuse his examples with pushing an opinion. They then argue the point as wrong and get frustrated - if you can't understand metaphorical and hypothetical speaking, you'll struggle.

Rating # 11

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Puka is the man! By far the best class I have ever taken!

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He has a lot of ideas however he refuses to listen to the classes points of view, interesting lectures if you don't happen to dissagree for the moment.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MANYCLASSES
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is the best teacher at RPI, and made my 4 years bearable.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

One of the best professors at RPI. This was one of the few courses I enjoyed at RPI. Highly recommended. The man is awesome!

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

A great philosophy professor. He has an excellent rapport with the class and his lectures are entertaining and funny. You have a lot of freedom in the class (we were free to make any syllabus we wanted).

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSYC2600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very good, funny, and entertaining. He doesn't assign much work but attendence is mandatory--the lectures are good enough to go anyway.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MORALDEV
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Take any class Puka teaches. He'll work with you, he's entertaining, and by far one of the smartest men on campus.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Awesome! Best professor I've had at RPI. He assigns a reasonable number of papers of reasonable length and lets you have a lot of freedom. His lectures are more like a cool talk show than lectures! Lots of reading assigned but if you miss some you're ok.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Really interesting professor. Also one of the most compssionate people I've met.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHIL430
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Awesome professor, illustrates every concept eloquently and extremely clearly. I recommend his Ethics class to anyone.