Joseph Monast - Modesto Junior College

Professor: Joseph Monast

Department: TBD

College: Modesto Junior College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Fantastic teacher that knows his stuff. All you have to do is keep on the reading and take diligent notes in the course.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I had the privilege of taking philosophy with Dr. Monast. He is by far one of the hardest and best teachers I ever took in USA. He is clear, precise and very involved in students. he is going to take you to your ideas not force his ideas of worldview on you. If you want to reach your potential take him if you want ideas spoon fed than don't

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• 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:

Toughest class I've taken so far. A lot of reading and the material is boring, unless you like Allegory of the Cave and things of that matter. Exams are hard too.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHILO103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Monast is an awesome professor. He wants the students to pass and is very helpful but you have to be prepared to do work and read. Ask questions when you're not sure but he specific! Attendance makes a difference so go to class! Took him for philo 101 & 103 and passed both! Over all awesome teacher!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHILO103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Probably the hardest class I ever had to take. There is a lot of homework, and he really doesn't lecture on it, your only hope (if you don't want to be humiliated in front of the class) is to go to his office hours. The tests are short, but hard. He does tell you what types of problems there are going to be though

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHILO1031169
• 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:

DO NOT TAKE! HE IS BORING, UNCLEAR, AND TESTS ARE HARD. HOMEWORK EVERY NIGHT AND HE DOES NOT COLLECT IT MORE THAN HALF THE TIME AND GOES OVER IT BRIEFLY AND MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A QUESTION IS A BAD THING. I DO NOT RECCOMEND HIM.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC3321
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took his Symbolic Logic, he wasn't very helpful and varies a lot from the text so it is very difficult to gauge weather you are completing the assignments correctly. The class is also really difficult.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Skipped through Platonic philosophy very quickly, skimmed over Cartesian philosophy and focused on pragmatics...because he's a pragmatist. Heard Spektor is better after taking this course.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Well let me just say hes extremely intelligent and qualified. Plato/Socrates Descarte and William James 3 books. 4 tests 1st 20% 2nd 30% 3rd 20% final 30%. The Final is very difficult and requires a lot of research. I wouldn't recommend this class however i learned and a lot and has definitively made an impression on me.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• 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:

Dr. Monast is one of those teacher that you'll either really like him or hate his guts. It's true that he insults people in class, but it's more of a challenge than actual insult. Take lots of notes (everything he says, it will be on the test). And say caught up with the reading. The reading is hard. I'd recommend using the podcast version.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• 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:

he is a philosopher--he thinks and he wants you to, as well. people often say he has a closed mind, and is argumentative but he challenges your view (even when it coincides with his own) in order to help you think through your beliefs. in response to someone else's post: he accepts your opinion if it isn't mere opinion, i.e., you can support it.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Everyone here complaining must not have liked reading. All you have to do is read and/or pay attention to lectures and you will pass. There is no homework at all aside from the assigned reading. Only four test through the whole year. I didn't read once, but I took really good notes and was able to escape with a C+. Dr.Monast is very intelligent.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• 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:

if you want an easy A i wouldn't take the class, if you want to actually learn about Plato, Descarte, and William James then take it. He knows his philosophy and he expects you to learn it. He gets mad because no one reads the material and he'll end class early. I went off minimal reading but sparknoted and took good lecture notes and got a low A

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is super smart and knows his stuff. The only problem is that he refuses to be wrong. His tests are either super easy or super hard. The final was written and he grades written things harshly. He doesn't allow for much opinion. But if you want to learn the basics of philosophy, he is a good teacher to have.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHILOANCI
• 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:

HORRIBLE! would spend the whole class time lecturing about his life or making fun of students. he often belittled students and told them they were stupid. by far the rudest teacher i've ever taken at MJC and is not helpful at ALL. do yourself a favor and take spector or anelli.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• 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:

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Let me start off by saying Dr. Monast is a great professor. We took lecture notes every week then when the tests came part of it was from the notes and the rest was from the reading. It was really nice of him to give us some of the essay questions because without that I would have most likely failed.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• 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:

AVOID!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class wasn't too hard, as long as you read the material before class. If a lot of people in class don't read, he'll notice and sometimes make everyone leave the classroom. He goes over the material, and answers peoples' questions. The tests weren't hard, but the final was horrible. :( Just go to cram night and he'll help you out a lot.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHILO101
• 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:

He's a really nice teacher that does really care about students. If you want someone to hold your hand and walk you through everything, then his class isn't for you. I wish he would spend more time lecturing on material (he tends to tell a lot of stories), but overall I think he was a good professor and is willing to help if you need it. Read!!