4.1

Darin Gates

Philosophy - Brigham Young University

4.1
Quality
2.6
Difficulty
88%
Would Retake
132
Reviews
4.1
Quality
2.6
Difficulty
4.2
Helpful
4.0
Clarity

88%

Would Retake

132

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

68

4

38

3

18

2

4

1

4

What Students Say

Professor Gates is wonderful, genuinely cares about the students, and does what he can to help the students fully understand the concepts discussed in class and in the readings

PHIL213 - 5.0 rating

He is very personable and easy to approach

PHIL213 - 5.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

82%

Textbook Required

64%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 57 grades
Most common grades:
A (31)
A- (10)
A+ (7)
Grade Distribution
A(38)B(1)C(2)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(16)
Based on 60 reported grades
A: 31
A-: 10
A+: 7
B+: 6
Common Tags
Get ready to read (26)
Caring (14)
Inspirational (11)
Group projects (10)
Beware of pop quizzes (9)
Respected (8)
Clear grading criteria (5)
Lecture heavy (5)
Rating Trend

Stable

+0.05 avg change
Dec
Apr
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Oct
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

202213340

5.0

(1)

PHIL205R

5.0

(1)

PHIL311

5.0

(1)

KANT202H

5.0

(1)

PHIL340

5.0

(1)
+27 more courses
Difficulty by Course

FDHUM101

4.0

PHILOSOPHY110

4.0

PHIL202H

3.5

202213340

3.0

PHIL105H

3.0

Reviews (132)
5.0
2.0
PHIL205R
Apr 16, 2003

Professor Gates is a highly interactive teacher. He's personable and allows for great discussions. You will come away feeling like you've learned so much!

5.0
2.0
PHIL311
Sep 7, 2003

great guy greeat class very personable and helpful. was in a depeche mode like keyboardy rock band in his younger years. very cool teacher

4.0
3.0
PHIL105H
Oct 2, 2003

No Comments

5.0
2.0
KANT202H
Oct 2, 2003

Dr. Gates is an excellent teacher who cares whether you succeed or not. He is flexible and understanding of college workloads. While he is well educated and intelligent, he is very good at making you feel like your comments are valued.

5.0
4.0
PHIL213
Oct 7, 2003

Dr. Gates is an excellent teacher. The idiot who says he is borring is dead wrong. His class is always intriquing and meaningful---if you come to class, listen, and do the reading. He is able to explain very difficult material in a clear manner.

3.0
1.0
PHIL
Oct 2, 2003

I'm not sure what philosophy classes these other students have taken before but it takes much more than a Nice, Cool, guy to be able to teach philosophy in a meaningful way. His class was boring and unchallenging...but an easy A.

4.0
2.0
201202H
Nov 15, 2003

Positives: Good discussions, explains concepts well, considerate of students, makes class interesting. Fair amount of work, but pretty easy to get an A. Downsides: If you want a hard-core "academic," he's probably not your man. Habitually late f

5.0
2.0
PHIL340
Jun 16, 2004

Not the most challenging professor, but he is entertaining and he understands and explains the material extremely well. He takes a sincere interest in students and often goes beyond the call of duty to assist them.

5.0
2.0
PHILOSOPHY
Oct 9, 2004

Good man.

3.0
3.0
PHILH201
Grade: A+
Nov 5, 2004

good teacher but some of his test questions are pretty random. they're all free response, so its kind of difficult

5.0
1.0
RELA122
Nov 11, 2004

SUCH A GOOD GUY!! He's just getting into teaching religion, so he's a little unorganized... but makes up for it. He gives VERY comprehensive reviews for tests-- just do the readings and you'll be fine. Also- he always makes you feel like your opinion/pov matters.

4.0
2.0
RELA122
Nov 28, 2004

Brother Gates, while somewhat unorganized and computer illiterate, is a good guy and has a great interest in the gospel and helping students learn. No paper to write, though 1 page summaries are due after each reading. Tests are reasonable and he does try to get review material out before each test.

5.0
3.0
PHIL
Dec 6, 2004

Good guy, interesting lectures. Very straight forward class

5.0
3.0
202213340
Dec 14, 2004

Favorite Teacher at BYU. Focused on learning, not cramming and regergitating for tests. Makes you read and try to understand. Explains hard concepts well. Learns every student's name. Willing to be reasonable about strange circumstances that affect your class performance. such a nice guy

4.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY
Jan 5, 2005

great

5.0
2.0
PHIL105
Mar 27, 2005

Interesting man. Fun class.

2.0
2.0
PHIL202
Jun 15, 2005

Don't expect him to come to class prepared with an organized, coherent lecture. Also, don't expect to see any of your grades until the final exam--he waits until the last minute to do his grading. This class is pretty easy because he doesn't expect much, but it is hard in the sense that you have no idea what to expect on the exam or for homework.

3.0
4.0
PHIL202
Aug 10, 2005

The summaries due at the end of each reading are lame. And the reading is a lot. If you like philosopy, you'll like the class.

2.0
1.0
PHIL200
Nov 30, 2005

this class was a total waste of my time. he gave us a lot of reading to do which we were never tested over and usually never even discussed. also, attendence does not count for any of your grade, so why go and listen to a discussion that does nowhere? he is a great guy, but a very disorganized and ineffectual teacher. take a real phil class.

3.0
2.0
HONORS200
Nov 8, 2005

Don't take this class. Take a real philosophy class and take a real first-year writing class. It was so boring and I learned nothing. Great, nice guy but bad class.

1.0
3.0
BOOKOFMORMON
Jan 2, 2006

Was the most unorganized teacher I've ever had. He only knew the answers to the questions he was prepared to talk about. Other than that, you were on your own. He was a nice guy, very funny, but I'd never take a class from him again!

5.0
3.0
PHIL200
Apr 10, 2006

Professor Gates is a very good teacher and a great guy. You get out of the class what you put in. If you do the readings and come to class you will get a lot out of it.

5.0
3.0
202H
May 2, 2006

Okay...the bad news, he's a little random and spacey at times. The good news, he puts everything on blackboard, helps as much as he can, gives you everything you need to know for tests, is fair, entertaining, and the man's extremely attractive--always wears blue to compliment the eyes. Don't take if prone to distraction; otherwise enjoy.

4.0
1.0
PHIL200
Jul 23, 2006

I'm not even joking about the easiness factor, this class was pretty pleasant with the workload. Pretty disorganized teacher, but a good guy still the same. Material was fairly confusing, but if you want a good grade and one of the more neutral Philosophy professors at BYU, I reccommend him.

4.0
1.0
PHIL150H
Dec 5, 2006

Prof Gates is a really nice guy. He remains pretty opinionated and kind of teaches his opinions as the best choice, but listens to others. A lot of readings that you dont really need to do, but are interesting. The papers are pretty easy. He is pretty disorganaized in his lectures. Attendance is not manditory to do well in this class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL150
Jan 8, 2007

I really enjoyed this class. The readings (few that I did) were really interesting and brought up strong arguements. I learned to find other foundations for my opinions besides moral and religious beliefs.

5.0
3.0
PHIL200
Jan 11, 2007

One of the best professors I've had. He was a little unorganized, but that seemed due to faculty transition. He was more interested in everyone learning, rather than tests. A lot of writing, but it's not hard if you go to class. I'd take his class again anytime.

4.0
4.0
PHIL202
Apr 9, 2007

This class was interesting, but the tests require memorization of basically everything discussed in class. If you memorize well, go for it, but if not ... beware. It's all verbatim listing of philosophical arguments, etc. Prof. Gates is wonderful, though. And easy on the eye, which is refreshing.

4.0
4.0
PHIL213
Apr 11, 2007

Tests were memorization from the lectures. Write down what he says in review and memorize it - I learned this after a 74% on a test I felt prepared for. He was really disorganized - lost several of my assignments, didn't pay much attention grading tests. Nice guy, knowledgeable, but not very helpful to students.

4.0
3.0
PHIL202H
Aug 24, 2007

Professor Gates has a very affable personality, and his demeanor towards his students is great. He answers pretty much every question you have about the readings, so the only real task you are responsible for is putting forth your time in studying your notes. If you do that, you should have no problem getting a good grade.

4.0
2.0
PHIL150
Dec 31, 2007

Gates is sick. This is a way good class. Teaches you how to think. I would not buy the grammar book though. Expensive and i used it once for two minutes. Gates For President '08

3.0
3.0
PHIL202
Apr 9, 2008

Professor Gates is a good guy. He seems really laid back but he knows his stuff. The first test of the semester is KILLER but the subsequent test and final are MUCH easier. It can be a difficult topic to comprehend and he doesn't do a GREAT job at explaining it sometimes, but he will explain it better if you ask him to.

5.0
4.0
PHIL202H
May 1, 2008

Great Great Teacher. One of my favorites at BYU. Very nice guy with great insights. A little spacy at times, but what Philosophy professor isn't? Class was always engaging and interesting. Take a class from him if you get the chance

5.0
1.0
PHIL150
Apr 26, 2008

I was upset that I had to take English again for my major despite having passed the AP English test, but I loved this class. It was so fun to debate morality issues and I loved writing the papers. He just isn't the most accurate with his grammar knowledge. Big comma splice freak.

4.0
3.0
PHIL202
Nov 27, 2008

Professor Gates is a really cool guy. His teaching style is a bit spacy and the lectures are sometimes hard to get information out of. He does provide reviews for his tests which have basically everything you need to know. Just memorize the information on those and you'll be fine. I recommend this class though, and I don't care much for philosophy.

1.0
4.0
FDHUM101
Feb 10, 2010

This guy is the most useless teacher I have encountered. I bought the textbook, placed it on my shelf, and today I retrieved it to look up the ISBN. Not once have we used the book. If you want to learn about the humanities, play "The Longest Journey" by funcom. You learn far more from this than you would from this class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL413
Jun 20, 2010

This professor is fantastic. I have some health problems, and he has been very accommodating with my physical limitations. Very thorough exploration of the subject material, not just a superficial skimming.

3.0
2.0
PHIL202
Aug 25, 2010

Prof. Gates is a great guy. He tends to go off on some tangent, but not as much as most of the other philosophy professors I've had. As long as you memorize the study guides he gives you'll know everything you need to know for his tests.

4.0
2.0
PHIL202
Dec 14, 2010

A good teacher, but sometimes absent minded. Looks like Matt Damon. I enjoyed this class and learned a lot! Interesting lectures but sometimes hard to follow. Only saw our total grades once--not posted on Blackboard. 16 1-page reading summaries (basically pass/fail), 2 2-3 page papers, 2 midterms, and the final. For tests, study the review sheets!

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Dec 29, 2010

institutes great discussion. knowing the study guide is imperative to the tests. very accomodating to student's needs. a page summary was required every class for the assigned reading, but he basically gives a 100% if you did it. we barely used our textbooks.

4.0
3.0
PHIL150
Apr 11, 2011

Very nice professor, can be easily distracted at times but his tangents can also be very interesting. The class was slow at the beginning but got much better by the end of the semester. The assignments are reasonable, and I learned a lot about being able to argue my point and he helped me to improve my college writing a great deal.

5.0
3.0
PHIL150H
Apr 25, 2011

Dr. Gates is a very good teacher. It is true he has tangents, but he some how, nearly, always applies the tangent to the subject. Most of the class is graded on papers you write. He is a strict grader, but this forces you to learn how to write better. I definitely have become a better writer in many ways. I recommend Dr. Gates!

3.0
1.0
FDHUM6
Jul 20, 2011

Gates is an average teacher, nothing special. He likes the sound of his own voice and is not good about replying to e-mails and grading on time. He goes off on irrelevant tangents all the time which makes for a frustrating learning environment. If you really want to learn, pick a different professor.

5.0
2.0
PHIL150H
Dec 15, 2011

Professor Gates is a very insightful professor. He makes his opinions known, but also acknowledges other opinions and admires well-constructed arguments, no matter what they are arguing for. He made this class interesting and fun when it had the potential to be very dull!

3.0
4.0
PHIL213
Jun 21, 2012

Read from textbook in class. Grading standards are subjective and vague. Very slow to return graded material. I didn't know what my grade was till the end of the semester. There are better teachers in the Philosophy Department.

3.0
3.0
PHIL202
Aug 10, 2012

This was a good class. Other rating describe the professor well. Sometimes kind of side tracked but very nice. Willing to help if has time but it seemed like he never had much time. If you do all the readings everything makes much more sense. There is a fair amount to read though. I enjoyed the class when i understood.

4.0
4.0
PHIL202
Dec 10, 2012

Great guy, difficult class. There is a LOT of reading that you need to do before each class or else lectures will be completely over your head. If you approach him one-on-one he is SUPER helpful. He hands out a study guide for each exam. Try as hard as you can to memorize everything from it and regurgitate it back for the exams.

5.0
3.0
PHIL213ETHICS
Apr 23, 2013

Great professor. Really cares about students. I very rarely went to class but kept up on assignments and studied hard for tests and got an A-. Gates is awesome.

5.0
1.0
PHIL213
Jul 16, 2013

Professor Gates is a great guy. Very lenient on late assignments and absences. Gives very clear and concise study guides for each exam and class time is interesting and useful. Probably the easiest general required class that I took at BYU. Gave about 50% effort, got an A-. Highly recommended!

4.0
2.0
PHIL213
Dec 17, 2013

Gives a lot of reading, but he talks extensively about them in class, so you dont really need to read them. There are 6 1-page summaries over 6 readings, so those are really the only ones you need to read. Study for the tests and you should be good :)

5.0
2.0
PHIL201
Grade: A
Nov 1, 2013

Professor Gates is my favorite professor so far and his class will be the only one I'm sorry to leave. Very smart guy, knows his stuff and explains it very well, very engaging and makes the subject interesting, I highly recommend him! I will take any class of his I can. Very nice and easy to talk to and pretty lenient on assignments and readings.

5.0
2.0
PHIL201
Grade: A
Feb 26, 2014

Gates knows his stuff and loves the subject. He occasionally takes attendance. He goes over the reading, so there really isn't a need to read or even purchase the books. Even if you hate Philosophy, you'll enjoy his class. Tests are just like the SG's, so study hard and actually do the work!

5.0
2.0
PHIL150
Mar 28, 2014

This was pretty easy. You have to write only five papers, which is quite sparse for a writing class. He is kind of a comma and grammar Nazi though. I would take it from him again.

5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Apr 22, 2014

I took this class with no love for ethics--it just fit in my schedule. However, Dr. Gates does a GREAT job of making the material interesting. Classes aren't lectures, they're discussions. This course was shockingly engaging and I loved talking about the material. The tests are a little hard, but very doable. I highly recommend this class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL205G
Apr 24, 2014

Prof. Gates is an incredible teacher. He is very precise and engaged in his subject that he teaches. He also was very very helpful and personal. I highly recommend this teacher!

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
May 14, 2014

Professor Gates may be the best professor I have had at BYU. He is generally interested in his subject and well-versed in it. Class is super interesting since he doesn't just unload his knowledge on you--he encourages different views through class participation. He is kind, humble, and understanding. Wish I could take another class from him.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A+
May 14, 2014

I enjoyed every minute in Prof. Gates' class. He's incredibly helpful, clear, humble, and helped us apply the principles of ethics that we were learning in class to our own lives. The time flew by, and I wish I could take another class from him.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A+
May 14, 2014

Dr. Gates is awesome. He is very personable and easy to approach! I was not at all looking forward to this GE, but choose this class because it looked easy. I actually really enjoyed it! Very interesting discussions about moral dilemmas. His study guides prepare you perfectly for the tests! Insightful and not too big of a workload. Take it!

5.0
3.0
PHIL150
May 14, 2014

Professor Gates is a wonderful teacher with a remarkable sense of fairness and genuine respect for each of his students. Class discussions were always interesting and he took the time to explain concepts repeatedly as needed.

3.0
4.0
PHIL213
Grade: B+
May 15, 2014

Professor Gates is extremely nice and flexible but lectures are uninteresting. Lectures consisted of a lot of philosophical hypotheticals that didn't seem relevant or pertinent to real life situation or current events.

5.0
3.0
PHIL150
Grade: A
May 17, 2014

I loved this class so much! Professor Gates is a great professor that is very helpful. The class is challenging but a lot is learned. Definitely recommended if you want to become a better writer.

5.0
3.0
PHIL150
Grade: B+
May 19, 2014

Professor Gates is a very good professor. He genuinely cares for the students and helps them whenever he can. He respects other people's opinions even if they don't agree with his own. Philosophy 150 was a very good and insightful class. I would recommend Professor Gates.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jun 8, 2014

Professor Gates is wonderful, genuinely cares about the students, and does what he can to help the students fully understand the concepts discussed in class and in the readings. The course is very interesting and covers many areas of ethics. If you do the readings, attend class, and fill out/study the study guides, you'll do well in the class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Jun 16, 2014

Professor Gates is sincerely interested in and respectful to students. He is thoughtful about ethical and moral issues and well-versed in philosophy. He also connected the course content to the LDS gospel in a way that I really appreciated. I really enjoyed reading Bonds That Make Us Free and some of the essays on abortion and same-sex marriage.

1.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY110
Apr 15, 2015

Don't take this class if you aren't intrested in the subject. The readings are super hard and all he does is repeat them with no explanation. The whole class feels directionless and he gives the hardest tests and like everyone fails.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jun 27, 2014

Take him if you need this GE and don't care, or if you are sincerely interested. Great teacher and class. I NEVER did the readings except for summaries, and I skimmed readings for quizzes (which are open book). The study guide is fabulous. If you are interested in the material, I'm sure the readings will make the class even better. 50% effort = A

5.0
1.0
PHIL213
Apr 28, 2015

Professor Gates is an excellent professor. He cares about his students and their learning of the material. His tests are meant as learning experiences and really help to better internalize the material. Tests are very fair, especially since he provides a study guide and even goes through it during class time. Great experience, highly recommend

4.0
4.0
PHIL213
Grade: C
Jun 22, 2015

I found this class to be rather difficult, but it was also my first semester back in school after taking a break for three years to get away from school. Luckily, Professor Gates is very kind and will work with you if you need him to do so.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Jul 30, 2015

Dr. Gates is an awesome professor! He's willing to help and makes the classroom a great learning environment. There is quite a bit of reading, but that should be expected. He is always clear concerning assignments and provides study guides for tests. I would definitely recommend this class if Dr. Gates is teaching it!

5.0
2.0
PHIL110
Aug 18, 2015

Professor Gates is a super nice guy and really cares about all his students and their success. Although some concepts were hard to grasp, lectures were interesting and I really enjoyed his class. He is also an easy grader. He does tend to go off topic fairly easily though, just ask questions about the concepts and he will get right back on track.

4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Nov 6, 2015

Super nice guy. Sometimes he's a little unclear and sometimes he seems to drift off topic, but he's responsive to students and encourages participation.

4.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A+
Dec 18, 2015

There is some really great material in this class. Some of the lectures are really interesting and some a bit more dull. The reading analysis are pretty easy. Prepare for the final paper early. I wish I had time to go in and talk it over with Professor Gates before it was due. The tests are really easy if you memorize the study guide.

3.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Jan 4, 2016

He is very disorganized, the readings and powerpoints are scattered all over LS. He only used the PPs on occasion. There is a lot of reading but they are managable. Rarely if ever replied to emails and only actually returned one paper w/ feedback out of the five papers, but they were pretty easy. Took forever to grade tests. Doesn't round up!

5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Mar 11, 2016

Dr. Gates is one of my favorite professors in the Philosophy Department. He is very caring and approachable. I was sick for a few weeks of the semester, and he made accommodations for me to retake quizzes, homework, etc. He encourages you to voice your opinion, but as far as tests go, they are pretty much straight out of the book. Loved Gates!

4.0
3.0
BUSM390
Apr 15, 2016

Professor Gates is really smart on the subject of philosophy & ethics. This was his first semester teaching the Business Ethics class, so lectures felt pretty philosophy-heavy, but he got better at applying the principles to specific business cases as the semester went along. I think he'll only get better at teaching this class with time.

4.0
2.0
BUSM390
Grade: A
Apr 15, 2016

Prof Gates is a great guy! Goes on tangents a bit, the tangents are usually fun to listen too. He goes major into the philosophy of it all and I wish there was more connection to business. Not my fav class, but good guy.

5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jun 16, 2016
Would take again

I had a great experience in Ethics with Professor Gates. He's one of the best lecturers Ive had at BYU and really willing to help outside of class. One of those classes that I feel like I'll always look back on the content. He's a real expert in business ethics, so even if your not into philosophy try it out, and this stuff is useful no matter what

5.0
3.0
PHIL202
Aug 19, 2016
Would take again

I loved taking this class from Dr. Gates. He is a terrific conversational kind of lecturer. He facilitates great classroom discussion and his lectures allow for engaging input while remaining focused on the topic. Great class. Great Professor.

BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Amazing lectures
5.0
4.0
PHIL213
Aug 29, 2016
Would take again

This was by far the best class I've taken while attending BYU. He's very, very intelligent and well versed. While the exams were difficult, he was very courteous about helping his students improve. You MUST take this class.

Inspirational
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Amazing lectures
5.0
3.0
PHIL213ETHICS
Grade: A
Nov 3, 2016
Would take again

One of my favorite philosophy teachers ever at BYU! I was so happy to have him more than once. He's very nice, leads good class discussions and is organized. He expects you to learn and do your best. There is a good deal of reading and some homework, but it's not an overload.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Clear grading criteria
Amazing lectures
3.0
4.0
PHIL213
Mar 28, 2017
Would take again

I love Prof. Gates as a person. I don't love this subject. I took PHIL 213 as a GE requirement and I have no interest in the class whatsoever. That being said, prof. Gates is really funny. He takes the time to learn everyone's name and he really cares about his students. I just didn't like the class.

Get ready to read
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
4.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Apr 25, 2017
Would take again

Professor Gates, really cares about you learning the material. His tests are open response, but not overly difficult. He covers everything well in class and has good power-points. The final paper is 4 pages double spaces and you can choose your topic. I feel like I am a better person after taking his class and would recommend the class to anyone.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Apr 26, 2017
Would take again

Professor Gates was the best Philosophy teacher! He truly cares about his students and wants you to learn. There a couple one page papers you have to write, but you get credit if you put the effort in. One midterm, one final, a couple pop quizzes. He takes attendance, not for credit, but he likes to get to know his students. Take it from Gates!!

Respected
Clear grading criteria
Caring
4.0
3.0
CS404
Grade: A
May 20, 2017
Would take again

Dr. Gates is a great teacher--the material is interesting and feels relevant to what we'll face as computer scientists. There is a lot of reading, but the class if very manageable.

4.0
2.0
PHIL213ETHICS
Grade: A
Oct 8, 2017
Would take again

Darin Gates is focused, talks on his feet for his intro classes, but this is a great way to discover what he finds priority in the power points to do well on tests, and his acceptance of just straight logical-talk essays and work in his class is great. Its a lot of learning, and little of having to dig into a subjective teacher's psyche.

4.0
3.0
PHIL213ETHICS
Dec 22, 2017
Would take again

Dr. Gates has fun teaching style. I enjoyed his intro to ethics class and the way he made it fun and applicable to college students. We got to read "Bonds That Make Us Free" by Terry Warner. This book was a life changer. Inspiring class. Great concepts. Good teacher.

Inspirational
Caring
Would take again
5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Dec 24, 2017
Would take again

Professor Gates is intriguing and an easy grader. There is a lot of readings, but they are such good readings! Also, even if you don't do the readings, they are discussed thoroughly during class so you can get a solid understanding. He is a little scatter brained but that didn't interfere with my grade. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.

Get ready to read
Caring
GROUP PROJECTS
5.0
1.0
PHIL201
Grade: A+
Jan 3, 2018
Would take again

DARIN GATES IS AMAZING! I came into his class from the first day loving it, and I can't but smile in his classes. He understands special circumstances, and HE WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED! He always went the extra mile with his students! He cared to make a personal connections with me, and I'll always tell anyone who asks how much I love professor Gates!!

Respected
Get ready to read
5.0
3.0
PHIL200
Grade: B+
Mar 12, 2018
Would take again

I took PHIL200 Honors (and a religion class) with Prof. Gates, back in 2005. Was going through this randomly and wanted to say how great an instructor he was. I ran into him once while working at my job during school and he was very genuine and caring, we had a good conversation. Definitely take a course from him, I'm sure he's still just as good!

Inspirational
Caring
4.0
2.0
CS404
Grade: B
Apr 1, 2018
Would take again

Professor Gates is great. He really tries to connect with his students and is really clear when he explains concepts during his lecture. There was a group project which, like everyone else in the world, I am not a fan of, but it was relatively painless and I didn't have to rely on my group that much.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: B+
Apr 18, 2018
Would take again

Professor Gates is clear about the grading criteria, and ready to help you succeed in the class. Great lectures about ethics and it is obvious this guy knows his stuff. He is also entertaining, never really had boring lectures and we watched videos during class often which made it more entertaining. Would totally recommend this class to anyone.

Inspirational
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Clear grading criteria
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jun 18, 2018
Would take again

Dr. Gates is a real gem! I enjoyed showing up to hear his thoughts and also my peers. The readings are lengthy, but he discusses them in class. He is a chill grader and gives very detailed study guides for the tests. He loves seeing students in office hours to talk about material. Genuine with great stories. Def take your Letters GE from him.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Caring
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Jul 8, 2018
Would take again

I feel so lucky that I got to be taught by Professor Gates! He is a fantastically engaging speaker, and I thoroughly enjoyed his classes. Prof Gates made learning so exciting; I still reference things he taught us/things that happened in his class. I would highly recommend taking this class!

Respected
Get ready to read
Inspirational
5.0
3.0
PHIL110
Aug 18, 2018
Would take again

The class was rigorous in readings, while it wasn't a huge amount of reading the difficulty of the reading ranged from quick to understand to some material that required a lot of thinking to get through. The class was funny but I still always learned something whenever I was at class. I would take another class with him given the chance to do so.

Get ready to read
Inspirational
Caring
4.0
3.0
CS404
Dec 12, 2018
Would take again

Dr. Gates is a good teacher, but as of right now he is also the only option for CS 404. If you have taken PHIL 213 from him before, this class is EXACTLY the same but with an additional group project. Lectures are okay, he can sometimes get on a tangent. Penalties for not attending are not exactly clear. Still a fine class, tests aren't cakewalks.

Get ready to read
BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
GROUP PROJECTS
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Dec 18, 2018
Would take again

Professor Gates is a great teacher. His lectures are always enjoyable, with lots of real life examples and fun videos. There is opportunity for questions and discussion. He gives reasonable amount of time for assignments, and they aren't difficult. There were a couple of pop quizzes/online quizzes, but they are straightforward and he gives heads up

Respected
Caring
GROUP PROJECTS
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Dec 18, 2018
Would take again

Dr. Gates is an amazing person and prof. He really makes ethics applicable to each person and helps to show how it is something applicable to our lives. I feel like I will remember a lot of what I have learned for the rest of my life. There are several short papers and a group project. But, if you do the work it's easy to do well.

Gives good feedback
Get ready to read
Caring
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Jan 3, 2019
Would take again

Prof Gates is a good choice for your letters GE. Several papers that he grades easily (basically completion), but they are fun topics anyway so not hard to bang out. He's engaging and funny and makes effort to know his students personally. The tests are a little hard and require some memorization, but he does a good job of telling you what to study

5.0
2.0
PHIL205G
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 1, 2019
Would take again

He is a super nice guy. Can get behind on grading at times but he is a very lenient grader. Always enjoys reading our papers and usually gives them 100%. He has us spend about $35 for the semester on a couple books but nothing terrible. The second book we use is an easy read and not too boring.

Respected
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
5.0
3.0
MSB390
Grade: A
May 3, 2019
Would take again

I really enjoyed the lectures for this class. Everything we discussed was fascinating and we had good discussions. He is really fair and willing to work with you if you have any problem. The study guides, readings, and lectures are good representations of the exams. Overall he's a great professor and I enjoyed taking class from him.

Respected
Inspirational
Amazing lectures
5.0
3.0
PHIL110
Grade: A
Aug 27, 2019
Would take again

Great teacher, enjoyed the class. Interesting topics and discussion, related life to the things we were learning. The reading wasn't always clear, but he explains it in class very well. His tests are very fair, provides a study guide for the exams that are a good representation of it. A few quizzes and writing assignments that are graded easily.

Respected
Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
4.0
2.0
CS404
Grade: A+
Jan 9, 2020
Would take again

He's a nice teacher but lectures are sometimes slow and dry. I missed about a third of them and it didn't hurt my grade at all (his attendance policy isn't clear). The midterm and final are easy if you do the review guide and review slides, and attend a review session. They pretty much hand you the answers for the tests in them. Group project is ok

4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: B+
Feb 20, 2020
Would take again

Professor Gates is awesome! I learned a lot in his class, and you can tell he really cares about what he's teaching. Make sure to really study for his tests, because they are very free-response heavy. There's also a big group project at the end of the semester, but it honestly isn't a lot of work. Definitely recommend taking this class!

Get ready to read
Group projects
Caring
4.0
2.0
CS404
Grade: A
Apr 7, 2020
Would take again

Professor Gates its a really chill guy, papers aren't super interesting but they are graded very easily. Discussions can be pretty interesting. Wasn't my favorite class because I like CS not writing and philosophy, but the course wasn't bad and I'm glad I had Professor Gates as my teacher.

Beware of pop quizzes
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Apr 15, 2020
Would take again

I really liked Professor Gate's ethics class! For the most part your only homework is reading before class. Definitely need to study for the two exams but the TA is awesome and has really good review sessions. Definitely would take this class again!

Inspirational
Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
5.0
3.0
PHIL110
Grade: B+
May 9, 2020
Would take again

Took him during a summer term. I went through something really horrible to begin the term, so I flunked the first half. I went to talk to him about how I could approach the second portion of the term to get a decent grade. In short, he spent two hours per week with me in office hours to help me get a B+. What more can you ask out of a professor?

Accessible outside class
Participation matters
Inspirational
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Jun 14, 2020
Would take again

Great down to earth guy. His tests are a lot of memorization, but not application.

3.0
2.0
PHIL110
Jan 6, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I took this class during summer... It was okay, but I was a little disappointed because I learned more from the TA reviews than I did in class. His tests were pretty fair and the writing assignments weren't too bad, but the TAs also graded them.

4.0
4.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Jul 14, 2021
Would take again

So much reading!!! Ahhhhhh. The class was hardly posted on Learning Suite and it was so hard to figure out what was expected for assignments and tests. Besides that, Prof Gates is an awesome dude and I really enjoyed his teaching content. Nothing bad to say about him personally, just the organization of the class. I wish things were clearer on LS.

Get ready to read
Group projects
Lecture heavy
3.0
2.0
PHIL213
Aug 18, 2021
Would take again

The first half went well; problems occurred in the 2nd half as the materials focused more on application than theory (Plato's works are not covered). The reading load is okay, but Terry's book is a parody of Kant's moral philosophy, and the business guide is useless. A pretty chill guy who goes off on tangents but doesn't explain concepts clearly.

Get ready to read
Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
3.0
2.0
CS404
Grade: A
Dec 17, 2021
Would take again

Dr. Gates is a funny and laid back person, the kind you'd want to invite to a game night. He is a philosophy professor, not a CS one, though he has a passable technical knowledge. Class is straightforward and interesting enough. You only use the textbook for a few chapters for the last half of the class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Oct 24, 2022
Would take again

He's a great professor! Very approachable, respectful, and kind. The readings can be long, but nothing crazy, and there are a handful of papers to write. I'd recommend taking a class from him.

Get ready to read
Group projects
Caring
5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Dec 20, 2022
Would take again

I really enjoyed this class because of the professor. I learned a lot and it was very clear what was going to be on the exams. The quizzes and writing assignments were easy if you went to class. Readings were due every class. It was a very good experience overall.

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Lecture heavy
3.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Dec 20, 2022

Good guy and solid lectures with lots of class participation, but was pretty disorganized. Very slow grading. I didn't do as well as I hoped but that was on me as I didn't study for the midterm as much as I should've (but there weren't really any opportunities to correct that). He was consistently 5-10 minutes late to class which I guess is fine

Graded by few things
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jan 4, 2023
Would take again

He knows his stuff, and he's an easygoing, approachable guy. There were 4 short easy papers, graded generously, and a "group" project with a ppt presentation and a paper. The midterm and final were free-response heavy, and pretty hard. The info you need is given in class/on the review, you just really need to know it. I learned a lot, good content.

Amazing lectures
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Jan 8, 2023
Would take again

A couple pop quizes. daily readings but only really required for the pop quizzes. One group project but it was relatively easy. Lots of fun. very relatable professor who tells you exactly what he wants you to know for the test, which I respect.

Get ready to read
Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
5.0
2.0
CS404
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 30, 2023
Would take again

Professor Gates was amazing! I loved all the topics he managed to squeeze into this class as we got to focus on ethics and thoughts on morality. The main focus of the class was a group project that applied a ethical analysis of modern-day technology. There were only a couple of quizzes and a couple of essays which were all real short!

Group projects
Amazing lectures
Respected
2.0
2.0
PHIL201
Grade: A
Apr 14, 2023

The class wasn't too tough, but pretty disorganized. You teach yourself most of the stuff because he likes to talk about ethics in certain movies or other real-life cases without addressing the topics in-depth. Slow grading. Also, he was always late to class and usually didn't have a lesson plan.

4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: Not sure yet
Jun 10, 2023
Would take again

Very nice, lectures are good. Lots of difficult reading with difficult reading quizzes (some of them are pop quizzes). But he goes over the all the concepts that you need to know in class. Would give him a 5 but he was pretty disorganizes (accidentally made a quiz only 5 minutes long, didn't post instructions for assignments at times, etc.).

Get ready to read
Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
4.0
3.0
CS404
Grade: A
Nov 30, 2023
Would take again

There were some readings but if you skimmed them you were fine. Lots of lectures but the important stuff is clearly defined. Some memorizing different moral systems. Maybe 2 pop quizzes all semester (which showed up on LS so they werent even pop quizzes).

Get ready to read
Participation matters
Amazing lectures
5.0
3.0
PHIL110
Grade: A+
Dec 26, 2023
Would take again

Professor Gates is amazing. He knows a ton, loves what he does, and takes care of his students. Couldn't recommend more. Do the readings, use his powerpoints to study for the tests, and you'll have an A.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
Caring
3.0
2.0
PHIL110
Grade: A
Dec 28, 2023

I took this class for a GE credit but it was so confusing to me most of the time. Professor Gates would talk about all kinds of random things during lectures and it was hard to follow. The power points were not up to date, learning suite was not updated to our accurate schedule. He's a funny person and very nice but hard to follow in long lectures.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Apr 26, 2024
Would take again

I loved this class. He teaches in a way that for me, was hard to follow at first, but you have the PowerPoints and readings all available for you and if you make sure to study those you'll do great on the tests and papers. He was really funny, relaxed, and overall a great professor.

Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
3.0
5.0
PHIL110
Grade: A-
May 29, 2024

Before I say anything negative, I want to say Dr.Gates taught me a lot. I learned really quickly with his way of teaching. However, I think he puts too much weight on tests(50% of your grade), and there are only 2 tests per semester. The tests are hard too. You cannot just memorize everything on the study guide. Trust me, its not enough!

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
4.0
3.0
PHIL213
Grade: A-
Dec 9, 2024
Would take again

Prof. Gates teaches in a straight-forward way, with helpful lectures and clear expectations. The readings can be dense, but using resources like unstuck AI for study prep makes the course manageable. Overall, a rewarding class with an approachable instructor.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Dec 10, 2024
Would take again

Dr. Gates is a fantastic lecturer; the presentations and flow of class is really easy to follow and the grading criteria is clear. He cares about his students success and organizes assignments in a way that is both fun and intellectually stimulating.

Group projects
Beware of pop quizzes
1.0
2.0
CS404
Apr 28, 2025

The ethics weren't thoroughly explored, his understanding of computer science was poor, and we didn't really talk about applying it to business. The whole class felt shallow and not well prepared. He got really distracted during lectures and would ramble a lot. It's not hard, but the midterm and final are each worth 25% of your final grade.

5.0
2.0
PHIL213
Grade: A
Sep 10, 2025
Would take again

Fantastic professor. You can tell her really cares about his students. His lectures were very interesting. Overall, a fantastic class.

Get ready to read
Group projects
Amazing lectures
5.0
3.0
PHIL110
Grade: A
Oct 18, 2025
Would take again

Awesome guy! I love his lectures and he's fun to talk to. His classes are exactly as difficult as they should be!

Get ready to read
Inspirational
Caring
4.0
3.0
CS404
Grade: A-
Nov 4, 2025
Would take again

Professor Gates is highly intelligent and his lectures are super interesting. However, his class management style is fairly disorganized and hard-to-follow. You'll enjoy his class but be prepared to be very proactive in making sure you're on top of ever-changing due dates and surprise assignments.

Beware of pop quizzes
Caring
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
PHIL110
Grade: A
Dec 9, 2025
Would take again

He is a really cool professor, really into his stuff. Most of the assignments are easy if you pay attention or do the reading. The exams are a lot harder than the rest of the class. would take it again; he makes the material super interesting.

Get ready to read
Inspirational
Caring
2.0
5.0
PHIL213
Grade: C+
Dec 29, 2025

I strongly recommend any other teacher for PHIL. He is truly kind, but his requirements for projects/assignments were unclear and in class every student had to work together to get him to explain things better. His TA graded pretty poorly so it was possible to negotiate more points. His test questions would draw from niche class discussions.

Beware of pop quizzes
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

82%

Textbook Required

64%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 57 grades
Most common grades:
A (31)
A- (10)
A+ (7)
Grade Distribution
A(38)B(1)C(2)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(16)
Based on 60 reported grades
A: 31
A-: 10
A+: 7
B+: 6
Common Tags
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Caring (14)
Inspirational (11)
Group projects (10)
Beware of pop quizzes (9)
Respected (8)
Clear grading criteria (5)
Lecture heavy (5)
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