James Allen - University of Pittsburgh

Professor: James Allen

Department: TBD

College: University of Pittsburgh

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1060
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Allen is a professor who is a master of his discipline, but not necessarily a good teacher. If you are dedicated to ancient philosophy classics you might get along great, but his lectures assume you already are a dedicated student of these topics. I was interested in the topic, but lectures lacked a clear direction or structure.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1060
• 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:

no where near as smart as he thinks he is. very knowledable about ancient greek phil, but that's about it. bringing in ideas from outside greek phil is a no-no. unless you specialize in (and agree with) ancient greek phil, go with another professor.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1040
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Had him for Aristotle last Fall. Very quirky; I found listening to him mildly humorous. He tells you most everything you need to know for the papers in lecture. Taking excellent notes and citing the Ackrill translation in papers proved effective. Manageable class; I liked it.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you are not interested in philosophy or this is your first philosophy class, drop it now! He is too intellectual and and the material is too difficult for this to be for beginning philosophers. However, if you luck out and get a good TA, the class might not be too bad since the TAs do all the grading and seem to be able to do whatever they want.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0200
• 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:

Funny and his C.V. is impressive, but Prof. Allen lectures like a scatter plot. If you have him for class, I recommend staying current with the readings, disregard your lecture and recitation notes, and watch the lectures Yale posts on YouTube. Lastly, though Greek words are fascinating, such words are completely irrelevant for exams and class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0202
• 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:

The man is highly intelligent and really knows his stuff. But really hard to understand in lecture. Get a good T.A. and lecture is not a necessity. I hate to think how I would have fared without mine.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0200
• 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:

Occasionally funny. There is no need to go to class if you read. Absolutely NO communication with TAs, they seemed to be allowed to set their own standards. Expectations are never clear. No review sheet for an exam on a lot of material, he did not even suggest things to focus on as he had not written the exam when the class was over.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0200
• 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:

He is very good at talking about Philosophy, and makes it easy to relate to. He is effective in the classroom. However the structure of the class was non existent there were no clear expectations and only three grading opportunities the whole year. For the final everything is fair game, which makes it difficult to study for an abstract class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1040
• 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:

Very competent teacher, and funny to boot. Sometimes is a little incomprensible, but makes up for it with his interesting takes on the subject.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ARISSECT
• 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:

Great professor, blends a clear presentation of distinctions with the 'overall' difference they make. Some of the lectures were positively moving in their clarity on human problems. Additionally, will make you a better writer because of the rigor and clarity he expects. Highly recommended.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1040
• 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:

Very good and fun.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

he is a brilliant man but probably the most unskilled prof i've ever come across (it took him about five tries just to start printing enough handouts for the number of students). he wastes a LOT of class time, tends to babble on and on. waste of time to go to class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He was okay, I couldn't get past his phoney British accent. Certainly not the best philosophy lecturer at PItt.

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHIL200
• 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:

so funny. you don't need to go to the lectures but you should because he's amazing

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHIL200
• 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:

great lecturer, but you don't have to go as long as you read the books...the final is the only exam given (thats right, no midterms), so be sure you do all the readings because it counts for a lot

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL0010
• 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:

You know he's smart from the first time you hear him talk...great teacher, lecturer, and entertainer...doesn't try to be funny, but the way he thinks just makes you laugh and want to go to class...lectures are based entirely on the readings