R. Jay Wallace - University of California Berkeley

Professor: R. Jay Wallace

Department: TBD

College: University of California Berkeley

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Wallace teaches off his slides and posts them after class. I skipped class often and only reviewed notes whenever we had papers or tests. These are usually all "take-home" exams so it was fairly simple. It felt more as an online class than anything. GSI's have control over grades, mine was cool. Wallace is understanding and caring too.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHILOS2
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor is friendly and smart, but lectures aren't entirely that enjoyable. Sometimes I wish they seemed more structured. Also, the GSI's basically determine your grade, and I felt that this course was extremely difficult to do well in.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHILOS2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I took Philo2 as a breadth course, and I left considering philosophy as a major! The course is a great introduction to the world of philosophy -- it encourages you to ponder meaningful questions and is incredibly interesting! Wallace is a very organized lecturer, and although you 100% don't need to go to lecture, you should just for his energy.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ETHICS104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the most charming, encouraging, and intelligent professors I have ever had. Take his class--you will not regret it!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ETHICS104
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

R. Jay Wallace is definitely one of the most inspiring professor I've had so far. He is a very funny guy and is as much involved in his lectures than he is for his students. However, mull over your question before asking it, he sometimes seem really annoyed by some reflections.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL104
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I worked so hard in this course and received a B+. Don't go into it thinking that Ethics is synonymous with simplicity (as far as philosophy goes). The GSI's are intensely tough graders but are there to help and will always provide feedback on where you went wrong. Professor Wallace is funny, approachable and very clear in his lectures.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ETHICS104
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A lot of information, but immensely clear.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A sharp philosopher, but his persistent (if subtle or even unintentional) condescension is off-putting. Can be either short/curt with students or caring, depending. Provides notes. Is helpful in class and encourages discussion. Would recommend for a basic survey of ethics if you already have some philosophy training--not otherwise.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• 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:

Boooooooooooring

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHIL104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

the material was very interesting, but frankly i think wallace is a rather mediocre teacher. he's very knowledgeable about the material, but he is sometimes very rude to his students, and the lectures are often quite difficult to understand. in his defense, it was a summer class, so perhaps things were a little rushed.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• 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:

Why spend an hour in class when u can read the slides and understand everything in 5 minutes? Because Prof. Wallace is very entertaining! His notes are fairly straightforward and if you get confused, you can simply ask questions during discussion section. Overall, an easy and interesting course.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

seems like a very sweet and nice guy. LOVE the powerpts, only need to a reader, which is only couple of pages a week, SWEET, 'cause i hate reading and i read slow. the powerpts say it all and the gsi are totally hot. easy grading, very straight forward. pretty easy to understand, if not just ask him. looks like richard gere except funnier.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY2
• 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:

He's very clear and concise. Powerpoints available for lectures. Interesting.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't understand anything that's going on in that class, and nothing he does will make it better.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

DUDE is funny. So far the class is pretty easy, topics are interesting, and dude is funny. But mostly, i sleep.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's really funny--the examples he gives are hysterical. He's not the clearest fellow in the world, but he definitely engaged my interest despite my confusion.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHIL2
• 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:

Very funny guy, and super interesting class. Learned a lot. Definitely a must-take.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL109
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Fairly clear, but didn't always cover the readings comprehensively. Funny, but sometimes rude. Assigned a LOT of reading.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHILOS2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Good lecturer, he kept the class interesting, gave interesting texts. A big fan of Value Pluralism...theme of his class. Contemporary texts made it very interesting.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY
• 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:

Wonderful lecturer, very entertaining. On your part is the readings, and understand them. Very easy class if work is done. Great personality, wouldn't be much of a moral philosophy teacher if he couldnt be moral himself :-D