Thomas McKay - Syracuse University

Professor: Thomas McKay

Department: TBD

College: Syracuse University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He was, without a doubt, the worst professor I ever had. He was condescending and lazy. He wouldn't show up to office hours and seemed to be improvising his lectures.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He goes away too fast sometimes and gives too much homework. I have to spend at least 15 hours on the course. I work hard and end up with an A, but still I think it is not comparable to the effort that I have put. The TA is useless. He does not even know the material better than I do.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: P
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

TERRIBLE PROFESSOR. Does not explain stuff clearly, not patient with student's questions. Just an overall horrible class and professor

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• 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:

Overall he is a pretty good professor. The class can get hard and he goes way too fast at times, but if you just tell him he will always slow down and explain things thoroughly. If you ask him he will give you the help you need. The TA's also know their stuff and give you some tricks to make it easier.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• 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:

Cute old guy! Love this Professor. The tests are straightforward! The book he writes is very clear. Also he is nice to student even those who are not nice to him!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

his class just terrible and unnecessary, I don't know why I have to learn this. You have to spend lots of time to understand it, and the most important is that after you spend so much time, you will find out you learn nothing!!!just wasting your time

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• 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:

His tangents are unnecessary and time confusing, he spends a lot of class time explaining things that don't need to be explained. The TAs do the real teaching, but once you understand the concepts in the course, it's very fun and interesting.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• 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:

This professor is very approachable, but his class is very confusing. Several people in the class constantly say it is the hardest class they have ever taken. Mckay moves way to fast and adds confusing side notes to his lecture. Unless this class/ professor is required, avoid it.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• 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:

he was just great!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

uhhh... if you don't already understand existential quantification and all that craziness, run away now. if you're willing to learn you'll be fine. but if you're like the majority of the class, you'll be lost the entire semester. mckay just goes through everything so quick and expects you to catch on that very minute. you want david lu as your TA.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The book he wrote (aka your textbook) is completely worthless and is not helpful whatsoever.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This class is a piece of cake. You don't need to go to the lectures unless you don't understand something from the book. If you go to lecture don't bother buying the book because its all the same- he wrote it... Nice guy, very helpful, and the TA is always there to clarify, too.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHIL651
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I think he's the best logic lecturer that I've ever met. (I've taken at least 4 logic courses.) What do you expect from a logic class? Can it be exciting? I'm skeptical. He was very skillful in explaining concepts and skills. It was amazing that I could learn several modal logic systems just in a weeks.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

AvB, CvD............ MCKAY makes no sense, and he tries to crack the most retarded jokes ever. Firs test is easy, second is difficult, 3&4 are damn near impossible. the only saving grace of the class is that the book we used is his book, so study that if you dont get the lectures. Oh and pray for the one TA who can speak english

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY251
• 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:

Pretty boring over-all.... i dont get anything out of the class cause what he teaches in class is what comes ou of his book

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Unless you really REALLY want to major in philosophy, do not take Logic with McKay.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Horribly boring. You get the impression he doesn't want to be teaching.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHI251
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHI171
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

you don't really have to go to the lecture. all the material covered on the exams are right in his book.