Howard Isaacs - Hofstra University

Professor: Howard Isaacs

Department: TBD

College: Hofstra University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHI020
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Although this class can be very boring as its almost entirely lectures, pay attention, although the lectures seemingly seem unrelated and difficult to follow at the end when you have to write your paper, everything makes sense. Additionally, it is a lot of reading and you have to read to understand. The material is conceptually difficult

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

By far the hardest course I have taken at Hofstra. Professor Isaacs makes you read four books and write a 4-5 page paper on each. He is extremely critical and does not like to give out A's. There is no extra credit and if you miss a class, you will most definitely do bad on the paper since class discussions are paper topics.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

If you want to torture yourself then take this class. Im a junior and this is easily the worst class I have ever taken and professor Isaacs is easily the worst professor I have ever had. He makes you read 4 books and makes you write a paper on each of them and also gives a pop quiz every week. He absolutely sucks. I am warning you now...

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Without a doubt, was the worst professor I've had in my time at Hofstra. He opens up the first class by saying he tries to get students to drop the class so he won't have to grade as many papers. He openly laughs in the face of those who don't agree with him. It sounds like I'm bitter but I promise this is universal to all his students. Trash.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is the hardest Professor ever with the worst lectures ever. He stands at the front of the class and talks to you all class and if he asks a question and no one knows the answer he moves on without telling you. His papers are extremely difficult and he is a very harsh grader. Worst Professor Ive taken at Hofstra and Im a junior. Would avoid.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Terrible. The man seems like an ok guy but as a teacher for freshmen who don't even want to take the class he definitely doesn't make it easier. His classes are boring, his voice is monotone, and he makes you read like 5 books all of which you have to write a 5 page essay for. Maybe if he added some group work it would make it more interesting....

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHI010
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

If you want an easy class, this aint it chief. You gotta buy like 6 different books you will never read, and you change books every 2 weeks and get a nice 5 page paper assignments for each. Dude does random pop quizzes, I never even bought the certain book yet for the first 2. Also can't miss class or it hurts ur grade and its soooo fcking boring

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was not easy at all. However if you go to class and pay attention it is a doable class. But missing a class will show up in essay grades because a lot of what you need from the material to write an essay is gone over and emphasized in lectures. Overall a great professor and a lot to be learned but do not take this class without thought.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I loved Professor Isaacs! He's hilarious and his lectures were always interesting. However, this class was very difficult. There were pop quizzes almost every week, which were hard to pass even if you did do the readings. We also had to write 5 (5-page) papers, which were graded fairly toughly. There was no midterm and the final was take-home.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor was tough and gave a lot of pop quizzes. However, his essay topics were really tough as well and graded them toughly.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

beware of this class. Super unreasonable pop quizzes, incredibly boring class, and ridiculous paper prompts. Wrote probably five (5 page) pages, took at least ten quizzes, read five books, and on top of it all had to listen to his boring lecture on the weekly. I'd rather eat my own foot then take this class again

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS! An uncanny amount of reading, pop quizzes have the most ridiculous questions, paper topics are tough, class is a bore, and tests are graded incredibly hard. Honestly he's a nice guy but not worth taking his unrealistically hard class. Have to prepare an unrealistic amount for this class, not worth it.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Isaacs' unconventional teaching methods may require more effort on the student's part, however, his lectures are engaging and when met with questions, he always answers with enthusiasm. Attendance is a necessity. Most importantly, if you pay attention, take notes, and naturally excel at writing, it will result in a fairly easy, yet well-earned A.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Lots of papers. Quizzes I passed with flying colors, but I can see how they would be difficult to other students. He teaches PHI 014 in an unconventional way - most profs teach from a textbook and go over philosophers/philosophy in general, but Isaacs makes you read actual works from philosophers. Take another prof. Don't bother with this one.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHI014
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

When he says you will do 2 hours of homework for every hour in class, believe him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHI14
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The books you read in class suck, and in all honesty, even when he makes no sense just take notes on what he's saying and then write the same stuff in your essays and you'll do good in the class. Really nice, a bit eccentric, plays music and dresses his ties according to the book youre reading. quizzes are a lot of definitions, papers are average

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHIL
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the A!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHIL181
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Issacs is a great teacher. If philosophy has never been your thing take him! He makes everything very interesting and easy to understand. He's hilarious. Show up to class everyday and pay attention, he provides a note outline to follow, and read the books for the test! I'm taking him again for The Meaning of Life next Fall.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Loved the topic and the course. Very interesting. Thought he was wonderful.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHI14
• Grade Received: 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:

review with no run around. Professor advises this will not be an easy course for those that do not like to read. His lectures are confusing especially if you did not do the reading, strongly advise for it. His "pop" quizzes are brutal if you, again, don't do the reading. This is a sarcastic man, don't take it personal. & Essays. Essays. Essays.