Shaughan Lavine - University of Arizona

Professor: Shaughan Lavine

Department: Philosophy

College: University of Arizona

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No d2l. Only a website. Terrible handwriting when he writes notes on the board. But hes a very passionate speaker, and loves Philosophy. I would recommend the class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Easiest class ever. I haven't gone to the lecture days in months and still have an A in the class. Prof. Lavine is super weird but nice, just make sure to go to the discussion with ur TA- they're very helpful. 2 HW assignments a week- takes 5 mins each. Not a hard class. No tests, just midterm and final. Both open homework so SAVE UR HW!!!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The class is pretty straight forward do your homework and use the homework on the tests because they are the exact questions and answers. Easy A if you're not a degenerate.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH401B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He was not helpful and skipped the first chapter of the course. I was stuck on homework 1, and went to his office for help. He told me "some people will never understand this material, just keep looking at it." I stared at it for another week with no success. He's belittling and arrogant - maybe this comes with the turf of being a philosopher.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 401A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I had him for philosophy of language and the upper division symbolic logic. He's pedantic, which is necessary for a logic professor, and grades harshly. However, the curve is outrageous, and if you have to write a paper for him he will eviscerate it, and in so doing make you a better writer than you ever thought you could be.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH401B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy class at all, but if you work hard you will pass. Overall very glad I took the class. I learned a lot

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL401A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Extremely generous curve, easy class grade-wise for mathematics students with an interest in logic. Tests are open-note and follow the homework and other textbook examples closely, so prepare well. The material is rich and there is much more to learn than you will be tested on. What you get out of this class is really up to you. Work is all proofs

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL463
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This course was the hardest I've ever taken, but extremely rewarding. Very intense reading schedule, 3 papers/wk. All readings were original academic papers in the topic, highly technical and subtle. Grades were generous for those who persevered (about 1/5). Feedback on essays is brutally detailed and often slow-coming, but very helpful.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not for the lighthearted. If you actually want to learn Lavine is a rare find and he is undoubtedly brilliant, as is anyone with their own highly credible theory of infinity ("understanding The Infinite"). He is not easy, but if you actually want to learn, he is the man to see.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHIL300B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

philosophy of science 300. His lectures are pretty pointless to be honest, because they don't pertain to the material he is testing on. After about two weeks of lecture, I stopped going and just did the readings and came in for test and paper turn in days. Got an A easily. I would avoid him if possible though, a lot of better phil teachers at uofa

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The comment written on 4/8/08 was obviously written by Shaughan himself. While I don't doubt that he is an intelligent man, he lacks adequate teaching skills. His lectures were pointless, and he procrastinated more than the students, often posting paper topics too close to the paper deadlines, or returning drafts 10 hours before papers were due. :/

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHIL440
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

very interesting course. he presents it in a very easy-to-get way.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• 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:

Hands down, the worst class/professor UA has to offer. Class was a waste of time, and TA's were full of themselves making their grading standards way too high. Subject sucks, and so do the instructors. Basically, NEVER EVER take this class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL440
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor has worked for more than 20 years and knows his stuff

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHIL440
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you have difficulty with abstract thought and don't like to read, then avoid this class. While his discussions are often one-sided (i.e. he does most of the talking), he presents the material in a comprehensible manner and is generally open if you need clarification. If you enjoy serious bottom-of-the-iceberg philosophy, you'll enjoy this class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Class is easy.Only 2 papers worth 40% of the grade each!2 open book tests (mid & final) Although to do good on the papers you must have dome some reading in some chapters of the books. Attendance is not mandatory and neither is sectional attendance.Very interesting and useful topics except he presents them in the most boringly human way possible.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

It was SO boring, but SO EASY! Lavine is boring and unclear and rambles on, but it makes getting an A a cinch. I never went to lectures or discussion (attendance isn't required) and got an A. He just reads from the notes he posts online. Just do well on the two papers (each worth 40%) by having a TA look over them. Tests are open note and EASY! YAY

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the worst teachers that I have ever taken. The class itself is not difficult but it is incredibly dull. He read from his notes while he typed them up so it was hard to feel motivated to go to class when everything we did was on the class website. Some of the topics were interesting it just that he didn't present them adequately.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Class is very boring, but very easy. Notes are online. Exams are open note. Just do well on the two papers and you're guarenteed an A. Go to the TAs if you need help.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: TRAD104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pathetic waste of time. He types all the notes you will ever need and posts them online. Notes can be used during tests, including his own, so most people just printed and paraphrased. Essays do require some knowledge in some specific part of a book and are a big chunk of the grade. But lectures are boring as hell.