Modern Philosophy. He loves the subject matter & you can tell! Very engaging & interesting lectures, & his illustrative drawings are THE BEST! Also, if you have questions or are confused, just ask & he'll get you on the right track. A bit of reading, but it's not bad, especially since his complementary lectures are very good & thorough.

Modern Philosophy. A good class if you just want a good grade and don't want to be challenged. This guy reiterates so much you don't need to do the readings or come to class. I had friends that never showed up and their grades were only a few points behind mine. Good guy, clearly into the subject matter, but we're not in junior high!

Existentialist. His lectures are very interesting and thought provoking. Always draws pictures and keeps things interesting. He encourages class participation. Every week he sends out an outline to cover basic topics covered. High recommend him.

Professor Cunning did very little lecturing. Instead, he guided class discussions and presented syntheses of these discussions at week's end. The unfortunate effect of this style is the danger of confusion that arises from unorganized class sessions.On the flip, his discussion style facilitated a stimulating classroom environment. Grading was fair.

Genius with energy! Cunning doesn't use huge terms, which bothered me at first. But he makes one actively think through philosophical problems, forcing them to be more than a term that sounds smart in a coffee shop. Also, if you like the big words and want to know more, he's completely willing to speak outside of class. Awesome!

Highly recommend, DUDES A BEAST!!!!!!!!

I wanted to love his class soo much. He always seemed nervous and his classes go very slowly, but they aren't hard at all and he's more than willing to help if you need it.

I recommend taking his class. The readings can sometimes be challenging, but if you go to his office he will be more then willing to help you. Overall, he is a great guy and is very open-minded.

Great professor, interesting material, very easy.

Professor Cunning is a great teacher. His class is slow moving but if you actually pay attention to what he is saying it is interesting. I had to sit up close in lecture to help myself not fall asleep and it worked. He loves when you come in to talk to him. He is super helpful. Exams are written short essays. He gives you them in advance.

You don't have to go to lecture, just discussion. Two essay tests, both very easy because he gives you a sample questions that end up being the actual test

Cunning was by far my favorite professor this semester. He's a very down to earth guy and puts harder concepts into simpler terms so they're a lot easier to understand. It takes him awhile to get going during lecture, but when he does you can tell he really has a true passion for teaching. He's always willing to help you out.

Cunning is one of my favorite professors in uiowa. He is helpful to the point that you think he is only working to help you, even though he is the chair of the department. He expanded my interests in philosophy which made me consider minoring it. Thanks, Cunning!

The Meaning of Life with David Cunning was by far the best class I have ever taken at the U of I. They lectures were interesting and were extremely easy to follow especially when you read the short assigned readings (which were also interesting). Homework prepares you for the tests. Prof. Cunning is best professor ever.

Professor Cunning knows what he's talking about and makes sure you do too. Philosophy can be a tough subject, but he really wants all of his students to succeed. He is very helpful if you go to office hours and makes himself clear during lectures, almost so much so that you don't even have to go. He posts a lot of good material on ICON as well.

I love Mr. Cunning! He is so smart, but super down to earth. He relates really well to students. He is an overall awesome teacher. Lectures can sometimes be boring, not so much because of him but because of the class material. I would definitely recommend him!

Professor Cunning is a great guy. He takes a lot of time to give a lot of examples and explain things in detail. Philosophy is sometimes confusing and hard to understand, but he does a great job on making sure that the information is understandable and easy to relate to!

Highly recommend Professor Cunning. He cares about his students, and he really does a great job explaining everything in detail.

Dr. Cunning is a great professor - He is extremely passionate and excited about what he is teaching. VERY easy gen ed class. I would recommend this class to anyone. Exams are not difficult as long as you pay attention in lecture.

An amazing professor, and a really great guy. It's evident that he's passionate about what he's teaching and cares about his student's success. I always enjoyed his lectures as they're straightforward and interesting. An easy gen-ed as long as you show up to class. You don't really need to do the readings as long as you take lecture notes!

Energetic, upbeat, and crystal clear! As long as you're awake, in class, and not checking up on Facebook and twitter every minute, you'll get a lot out of his classes.

Super super nice! Always there to help you out and is super passionate about his job. Very inspirational and knows his stuff.

The Meaning of Life was my first philosophy class and I enjoyed it a ton. Professor Cunning fills most lectures with interesting ideas. Homework is a few short responses a week and exams are easy to prepare for. If you listen in lecture you should be getting A's. The readings aren't essential but were fun for me. I didn't take notes and I did well

Professor Cunning was always clear on what was going to be on the test. You could get an A without doing the readings (and missing a few lectures). As long as you took take good notes, listen in discussion and review what he tells you for the tests it is easy to get an A.

Must go to lecture. He is very repetitive but it helps you learn material. Don't need to buy books.

He is the best lecturer I have ever had! This was my first phil class and he made it really fun and interesting (a great gen ed)! As long as you go to class and take good notes and study the night before the exam, you will easily get an A. (I also had an awesome TA.) This class barely gives homework except for 2-3 paragraph questions a week.

Great professor and you can tell he cares about his students. You can miss a few lectures because you go over them in your discussion. I didn't get the books because, again, we wen't over them in class. Great gen ed class.

(meaning of life)Everything you need to know if explained in lecture. His voice is very soothing so make sure you are awake or else you will fall asleep. even if you do he re-explains things a lot in the next lecture. taking notes is not necessary but helpful. three tests throughout the semester and 2 or three paragraphs every week. not cumulative.

Professor Cunning is so adorable! He genuinely cares about his students and somehow turns philosophy into practical advice for everyday life. His office hours are def worth going to. Attending lecture is a must. He repeats himself A LOT which is definitely good for memorizing the material. One of, if not THE, easiest class ive taken here at Iowa.

As a person who took an introductory Philosophy course 1000-level and and a graduate level philosophy course 4000-level, I can say that Cunning is the best professor I've ever had. if you get a chance to take a class with him, TAKE IT.

Funny and interesting

BEST professor. He explains everything in detail to be sure everyone understands. Cunning was the whole reason I decided to become a Philosophy major to get into Dental school instead of a boring science major. He's super enthusiastic and makes everything interesting. One down side: my TA was a hard grader, which was a disadvantage and sucked

Amazing professor. He kept me interested and I was happy and eager to attend class. However, he had MANY TAs and they sucked. Everything was based on their opinion of philosophy and it grew to be very frustrating.

Extremely invested and passionate about his teaching. Assigns a small reading for every class, but beats the concepts to death so much in class it makes reading more for an added level of clarity instead of first hand comprehension of the text. Cunning is very clear in what to expect for exams and thoroughly prepares students to succeed.

Take the Meaning of Life! The lectures are entertaining, and it is an easy A. David covers everything you need to know in lecture so don't waste money buying the books for the course. Just pay attention in lecture, and go to discussion and you will get an A in this class!

The difficulty of the class will depend a little on which TA you get because they grade the exams. Great guy, very passionate about what he teaches, and an interesting class. If you go to lectures and takes notes on what he says and his examples you'll get an A.

Cunning is extremely passionate about the course, but I found the material very boring and repetitive. Eventually, I stopped doing the readings and would just do assignments for other classes during lecture. I had a great TA that went over everything we actually needed to know, but if you have a bad TA Cunning goes over everything very extensivel

David is an extremely passionate professor for this subject, and is very invested. The lectures are often repetitive and boring depending on the reading, and also how you interpret it. The class largely depends on your TA, and whether or not they do a good job at reviewing the material, if not, David is very extensive in his lectures over review.

Professor Cunning is one of the best professors I've had at Iowa so far. He makes the class really interesting and you can tell he really cares about his students and making sure they do well. You don't even need to buy the books at all because he goes over everything you need to know in class. I would definitely recommend him as a professor!

He talks about Fight Club......I don't know anyone who thinks that's boring lol

The meaning of life is one of the easiest classes I have taken here. It is a lot of busy work but, as long as you do it and turn it in, you'll get an A! Also, if you take notes on the lecture outlines and then study those for the exams, they will be super easy!

Dr Cunning is great. If you're interested in philosophy at all, this is a great class. It's an easy gen ed and goes over many typical philosophers. I think that the book was helpful because it matches the class so well, but you really don't need it if you don't want it because he goes over everything in class.

Overall, the class was pretty interesting but could get boring at times. Even though the material is repetitive, the class is SO easy and great for a gen ed or an elective! However, the TAs basically determine your entire grade so if you have a hard TA then the class will not be very easy for you. Also DO NOT buy the books I never read them once!!!

I knew how smart he was when he mentioned How I Met Your Mother was one of his favorite shows!!

Excellent professor who is accessible outside of class

David is the sweetest man. He cares so much about his students and LOVES philosophy. The tests don't seem that hard but TA's grade them and I'm not sure what criterion they use so prepare well. But he gives you the info you need

Prof. Cunning is both a brilliant and kind man. He is a competent department chair and really works to make philosophy more interesting and accessible to students.

One of the best professors I have ever had! The class is so easy and a great gen ed! I wasn't interested at all in philosophy but this class made it so much more enjoyable. Prof. Cunning is a great professor and person who wants the absolute best for his students. 100% recommend this class and this professor.

DO NOT BUY THE BOOKS. You will not use them ever. I read for maybe the first 2-3 weeks and realized he repeats the entire reading in class. David really is a great lecturer and the course is a relatively easy one. Grade is made up of weekly study questions/video posts and 3 exams. An easy gen ed.

Super easy class, highly recommend for a Gen Ed. David is passionate about what he teaches and it shows. Do not purchase the books, he repeats the entire reading in lecture. Class is very easy and straightforward, just pay attention to the last 10 minutes of lecture and he'll repeat it all. Use his examples on exams and you'll be fine.

Professor Cunning is inspirational and his philosophy class is absolutely amazing. You learn a lot and he makes it easy to apply the material outside of class. The tests aren't terrible as far as short answer, making sure you can apply the material and come up with both examples and objections to the views is crucial.

The Meaning of Life was definitely an easy class, but I felt it to be quite interesting. Cunning definitely kept me entertained in lecture, and was passionate about what he lectured on. I would take a class with him again because i learned a lot about how I go about life and how I can grow to get more out of the life that I have.

I. love. this. class. I am currently taking it online and I still love it. Though I have never met David, his bubbly and kind personality comes through in his lecture videos. The information is clear and very interesting to listen to. What you learn in this class is also so beneficial for life and has honestly helped me to become more positive.

Dr. Cunning is a great professor who is very knowledgable in metaphysics and epistemology. My course mostly did moral philosophy, but he was pretty good at that aswell! Fairly easy grade as long as you pay attention during the long lectures and use info from the books on the tests.

Dr. Cunning is the sweetest! You can tell that he's really passionate about what he teaches. Super accessible outside of class, he LOVES talking with students! He reviews a lot of the reading material in lecture, so I didn't read them often. Tests are extended response, and the TAs grade them. Test questions are adapted from the study guides.

Professor Cunning is the sweetest professor I have had thus far. This class is not difficult at all there are 2 written exams, a final paper, and a final exam. If you attend discussions and review sessions, the TAs go over the questions and their answers so the class is an easy A. Highly recommend if you need a schedule filler.

Every lecture is explaining the reading that was due that day in a way that is easy to understand. So, if the reading leaves you confused, he clears it up in lecture. Very understanding, accommodating, funny, and warm. Participation in discussion is a big chunk of your grade. This was the class I got the most out of first semester.

I loved this class. You should definitely watch the lectures, but I never read any of the material. He usually goes over the readings in lecture. He is very caring and lenient and I never feel overloaded with work.

David is just a straight up genuine dude who's passionate about philosophy. You can tell that he loves what he talks about and that he cares for all of the students taking his class. I had no problem with exams; he provides study guides that greatly help guide you to what you need to be studying. Great professor, take a class with him if you can.

Professor Cunning is very nice and accessible. The lectures deliver the material well but the only reading you should get is Everyday Examples, everything else is just busy work. Lots of repetition so if you don't catch a definition the first time then he'll probably say it 2-3 more times. The real problem is the TAs--so choose well.

I really like his calming voice. He is easy to understand. But, "writing like a philosopher" is hard. You only are graded on 2 tests, 2 papers, and then the final. You need to need with your TA no matter what so you can get advice on how to structure your paper well.

I thought Davids lectures were very informative but the only thing you get graded on is your 4 exams, 2 papers, and a weekly discussion question (that's only worth 1 point). This makes it easy for your grade to drop fast.

He's such a sweetheart. There's one weekly discussion post that you have to do, his exams are really easy and the study guides ask all the questions that are on the exams, and you don't have to read because he annotates it in the lecture. But, you have to do well on all assignments to get an A because there's only few things graded.

I loved this professor. I could tell he genuinely cared about sharing his knowledge and made me want to learn more. With philosophy, it can be hard to understand, but he clarified everything perfectly.

The best professor I've ever had! He makes a lot of complex philisophical stuff seems super simple by relating it back to real life. On top of that he is super buff, and gave ME tips on how to get up my gains in the gym. I always look forward to hearing about basketball in his class, and he turned me onto philosophy. Good glass, would take it

Cunning was a great lecture that made it easy to follow and focus in class. The exams would consist of questions directly off of the study guide and were very straight forward. I slept through and missed one of my midterms and Cunning was very forgiving and gave me another chance to take the exam with no deduction. Would definitely recommend.

What a great professor. The class environment was respectful, and everyone felt comfortable with participation. Professor Cunning has a unique, humorous lecture style that embodies the philosophers we discuss. I am very happy that I took this class.

David Cunning is one of the kindest and most awesome professors on campus. Although his classes may handle really complex subjects, he is willing to take the time outside of class to make sure you understand it.

Textbooks aren't necessary, as his lectures are so detailed. Lectures can be repetitive but are super informative/helpful. He also releases a study guide before every test, and the questions are similar to what is on the exam. He is very accommodating for students and with office hours. If you put in some effort, you should receive a good grade.

Attendance is not required for Lecture. Discussion attendance is 10% of the grade. The rest of the grade is comprised of three tests. This class, is an easy b or b plus, however not an easy A. Don't take this if your premed or if your gpa really matters unless you genuinely enjoy philosophy or are majoring in it.

Professor Cunning is very sweet + wants to help. He tries to make lecture interesting - but it is so incredibly boring. You don't need to do the readings, just take notes in class. He gives you a study guide + test questions are exact or super similar to the study guide questions. The class is graded on 3 exams + 1 point for disc each week.

good very very good.

This is my second class with Professor Cunning and my first B and I was not even mad. He really wants every student to succeed and will go the extra length with you to make sure you do. He is truly one of the kindest professors on campus. Cunning deserves a cold pillow every night and matching socks everyday.

Amazing professor. A genuinely passionate guy, the first class where I look FORWARD to attending lecture. On top of his amazing teaching he is funny, cares, has cool scarfs, and played the WBB playoffs in his office that he invited us all to! Rather than reading off slides, he teaches like he's presenting a story that makes you want to learn more.

Good Professor. A little dry with his teaching style but knows his stuff.

This is this sweetest man I have ever met in my entire life. He actually enjoys teaching and makes lectures entertaining. There is a lot of required books but he goes over the material well enough in class so you don't need to buy them all. Discussion is really easy and exams are not hard. He's a peach; and I would take this class again.