1.9
Quality3.9
Difficulty16%
Would Retake194
Reviews16%
Would Retake
194
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
194 total ratings5
13
4
17
3
24
2
52
1
88
What Students Say
“This teacher is a disgrace to jmu faculty, he fails everyone just because he doesn't like you, you can quote him word for word on tests and he will give you an F and say it was because it didn't make sense”
GPHIL101 - 1.0 rating“do you like listening to constant rambling about goats”
GPIL101 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
93%
Textbook Required
47%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.16 avg changeRatings by Course
PHILO101
5.0
(1)GPHIL120
4.0
(1)GPHIL100
2.7
(3)PHIL
2.5
(2)GPHIL
2.2
(5)Difficulty by Course
100
5.0
PHIL100
5.0
GPHIL1
5.0
GHPIL101
4.4
PHIL
4.0
Reviews (193)
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Its very hard to comprehend what he is saying
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three essay tests...moody grader
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He preaches too much to the class, which is not a good style for teaching phil
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very boring
Interesting fellow. Not a good teacher though.
he said me and him didn't "harmonize"
"The worst teacher on earth"
nobody ever knows what this man is talking about....good luck
just rewrite the notes as your essay answers, that is what he wants to see
a great guy, walked away with a good foundation in phil
the worst prof. i have EVER had. He has no clue how to teach i hate him
He's an unfair test grader. I dropped the class cause I disliked him so much.
This guy is really esy al long as you write exactly what he says on exams
QUIT YOUR ****ING! IT'S AN EASY CLASS, YOU'RE JUST DUMB!
He is the most boring guy ever!!! But no homework
class is fine but he is impossible to please on the essay tests . . . STAY AWAY
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Talks at about 1/9th the speed of the human thought process...Get out if you can
Do Not read these whiner's ratings. Debrot is a great professor. I enjoyed it!
He is difficult but I really enjoyed his class. Gotta be prepared to work
This class is easy. He explains the material really well.
horrible.
he loves listening to himself talk.
2nd worst teacher ever.
Won't allow you to fix test grades, but will work with you to learn
The most pompus, pretentious, close-minded person I have ever encountered in my life. STAY AWAY.
although states to let people speak about their own opinions and such, but is actually pretty determined on his own points of view. pretty hard tests that asks very specific questions in essay forms, pretty impossible to get an 'A' in his class.
He was fine...Just study the notes for the tests...
He's boring, but the tests are easy. I didn't pay attention in class, and just looked over my notes and got an A-. You people are stupid.
some of the concepts are tough, but I got a B he is a good teacher- very interesting, and willing to help!
Boring Lectures, Hard Exams
this class is one of the worst ever. He encourages people to speak up in class, and when they do, he makes them look like idiots every time.
Good guy, boring lectures, essays tests.
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his moustache and rosey cheeks drove me crazy! This guy's hot!
can we say okay one more time with just a little more attitude prof. debrot??? Simply put the guys a jerk,tells pointless stories,grades hard,is ruthless on attendence,& grades on how much u talk in class, but never calls on u so forget tha
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Most unclear about what he wants. Asks for participation but doesn't know who you are, so your grade comes from? grades your essays on who knows what? awful
he is so unclear-contradicts himself with every comment he makes; encourages participation but has no idea who you are. AVOID
Hate the atmosphere, feels like a jail. He stutters, and when he talks he makes everything sound complicated so you don't understand it just because he doesn't understand himself either.
AHHHHHHH!!!!! That basically sums it all up. It's not imposible to get a good grade. Just do the reading and listen in class. Class participation counts (as to how much no one knows). Very hard to tell what info he is looking for in his tests.
the worst professor I've ever had... EVERYONE HAS TO WITHDRAW (unless they drop before the deadline)
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He is very hard to follow and his criteria for grading tests is a mystery. Speak up in class so, he will remember your name...it helps a lot.
UGH!!! Can you say HORRID!!! This guy has no idea about anything. His tests are essay and he seems to have no way of grading. I read all the material and never missed the boring clas, studies my butt off and failed!!!!! Who does that. DONT TAKE HIM!
Where do they find people like this? Eccentric doesn't even begin to describe this guy. Do not take unless you enjoy writing good essays directly from your notes and getting a C-.
The WORST prof I have had in four years here.
Sweet God - Do not let this boring old man ruin Philosophy for you. and beleive me, you don't want to be subject to this guys really ****ed up grading system.
this is funny i had the guy about 4 years ago....he is nuts...i mean nuts....no idea how to grade...everything is philosophy to him..i think socrates or plato signed his lease to live!!!! If u do bad on a test he wants you to go to his office to talkto hi
Well, I got an A, and studied for about 3 hours before each exam. The only reason someone should NOT go w/ Debrot is too willing to answer questions that are truly non-sensical and asked by people who either don't pay attention or got in to JMU on legacy.
this man insults your intelligence. Dont take unless you want a grade that you dont deserve!
He is a resonable guy. There are no surpries on the essay questions, and if you listen and talk in class you will do fine.
Horrible! Ridiculous! He doesn't give you your grades back. Very uncomfortable class setting. Don't volunteer in discussion because he'll tell you you're wrong. Yet participation is worth 30% of your grade.
Class was extremely boring and also rather hard to follow. Did not present the material in an interesting way at all. Essay exams were difficult, probably easy grader if you argue about your grades though. I didn't argue and i wish i had.
The average student does not get the required 8 hours of sleep each night. So really, taking this class is beneficial to your health. I challenge you to stay awake. I know I didn't.
Literally the WORST professor I've ever had
i got an A in this class because i took notes on the readings and lectures. tells you want he wants you to write in test essays, only thing is that he always HAS to be right. he's too loud, is very unclear, and rather unhelpful.
he is hard to follow, boring and has an annoying way of talking. i recommend not taking his class late in the day either.
By far the worst professor I have had so far in college. He puts a lot of emphasis on class parcticipation, but yet when you try to say something, he immediately interrupts and tells you that everything you say is wrong. DO NOT TAKE HIM UNLESS YOU MUST!
Absolutely ridiculous. Do not take this class if you ever intend to get any philosophical content from it. Just take it to repeat what he says (which happens to be close-minded) and you'll get the A you want.
HORRIBLE!! I dropped the class today because I felt there was no hope for me! He makes no sense, and he doesn't seem to care. Unless you REALLY like philosophy, avoid Debrot. Everyone in my class complains about him, it's not just me. Take my advice! It's really that bad.
this class really does suck. I was really interested in learning about philosophy but he completely ruined that for me. he stresses class participation but cuts everyone off when they are talking or tells them they are wrong with questions that are purely opinion. His tests are ridiculous too.
Very difficult grader. I thought I would have received an A on the first test (B at the least), however I got a D. He is very difficult to understand and does not promote class discussion properly, which is critical because he factors it as a large percentage of your grade.
Nice guy but an awful professor
THIS CLASS IS TERRIBLE! I was told not to always listen to rate my professor but please listen to this...it is by far the worst class I have EVER taken.
by far the WORST prof EVER!!! i was interested in phil til i got in this class. i had to withdraw from the class bc he sucks sooo much!!!!! DONT TAKE HIM, PLEASE!!!!!
SUCKS!!!!AWFUL!!!!Thought I understood the material he lectured on and also thought i did good on the 1st test. I was wrong. Had to drop it like it was hot!! Avoid this man.
Go ahead and take it if you want your GPA to commit suicide.
This professor only will let you talk and take under consideration your thoughts if he agrees. He's not THAT bad, just boring. Says "alright" like 9127407323 times during his lecture. When he says he wants participation, he only means if you have an opinion that agrees with him.
This class is horrendous. I would never recommend him to anyone. Take this class if you want your GPA to plummit.
He has VERY high expectations!The test are all essay and the style of writing in which he wants you to write in is very different than what most people are used to. You come out of the lectures thinking that you understand everything but than fail the test.
ahh this guy is crazy, i wouldn't recommend it. the sad thing is that the person who said he says 'alright' like a milion times a class is right. and it's in a really annoying way too. participation counts, but he actually made me afraid to voice my opinions. tests suck too.
Thought this class and prof were what it should be. Since individual philosophers have to be understood before being able to be discussed at this level I thought that this course covered what an intro course should and that the prof represented what the philosophers themselves would have thought
AVOID!! This is the worst and most biased professor ever. Class is way to hard for GenEd. Did very badly in class, and never quite understood why. Grading is unclear as well as what as expectations for class. DO NOT TAKE!
an amazing class! take it!
Wow, we have an exam upcoming and I havent a clue as to what it will be on. I have a feeling that he lives in his own world, because it is near impossible to connect with this man. Its sad to say, but after a month, I can tell I dont likethe course, or the professor.
worst class ever!! i never understood grading, class policies, or course information. oh, and i was forced to withdraw.
Debrot is a complete jerk. He picks out favorites within the first week and if he doesn't like you, welp, you're screwed. I attended every class and thought i understood everything but after it took a month to get our first test/only grade back and I got a D+ with no explanation...He's CRAZY, AVOID HIM!!!!
Um. Yeah. His class did suck, but it isent that bad in the grand scheme of things. Just show up, and take notes. Dont argue with him ..... and my grade raised greatly when I flirted with him. Take him aside and play the helpless female act .... works wonders. Only three tests, and no ****in HW .... could it be any easier?
Good lord, I am convinced there are like 2-3 people he likes to hear answers from. He doesnt do well when people do not agree with his viewpoint on a particular topic. If you get him, switch at all costs, you will be so glad you did.
omg...worst teacher of ALL TIME! classes are extremely long - I watch the second hand go around the clock! Wears the same shirt everyday...definitely gave me a "SORRY , F" on an essay. Yes ladies and gentlemen... a sorry.... comma....F!!! **** him man!
Frank seems mean at first, but after you get past the very beginning he gets a lot nicer. He is really really smart and although the class is boring, it's pretty easy since he says exactly what you need to know for the tests over and over. No homework, 2 tests and a final and that's it. Pretty much the way an into phil class should be.
Extremely bright man, just not cut out for teaching. Has trouble conveying his thoughts into the lectures. You can tell that he knows the material very well, but cant seem to get it accross to the students, and it shows in their grades. Avoid him, but its doable should you have him.
awesome teacher... really crazy! not difficult to get an A
Debrot says a whole lot of words without communicating any ideas. He talks around a subject and is quite boring. But he is easy, so I guess that's not too bad.
Debrot is a very intelligent man, however he can never bring a topic down to a discussion level. He lacks the ability to effectively communicate his thoughts. His grading is about as unclear as can be, however by the end of the semester, it would seem as though his class was easy. Tests are the only thing your grade is calculated by.No attendance..
His lectures are boring but he says exactly what you need to know on the exams. Have to go to class, but only two tests and a final. Easy teacher if you just go to class.
This man was terrible. SO unclear, refuses to meet in person, so you have to call his house phone. When he grades the papers he just picks a letter out of a hat. Take another prof if you can!!
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My favorite teacher at JMU so far. It is easy, fun subject. Just go to class and enjoy it, because when you actually get a bad professor, this guy will seem like a gift from god. Easy fun class
He's a great guy. Generally interesting, but his lectures can get boring. The class is pretty easy though because he pretty much tells you what to study before every test. Come to class, fall asleep, and read the chapters and if you don't get atleast a B, you don't belong at JMU.
Take this class either if you are REALLY good at philosophy or if you want to become a better student. His class really isnt 101, he dives right into the deep stuff. All he does is lecture and give you text to read, and then gives you three essay tests which make up your grade. The structure of the class rarely suits any college student.
Debrot was not helpful at all. He was a little crazy, and he dismisses everyone elses opinion as wrong.
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In the beginning I participated every class sometimes multiple times. And it seemed like he liked what I said and usually agreed with it. I read the texts and prepared for the essay exam. I thought I knew it all. Felt comfortable writing it too. Thought I got a A. I get the grade back...C-!!! The grading doesn't make sense...neither does this prof!
Debrot was the worse professor I had this semester. He is very confusing and contradicting. If he does not agree with your opinion than you are wrong. His grading is absolutely impossible. Not to mention he is way too picky on his essays. Only 3 grades in his class. Do not take Debrot by the way half the class is gone after midterms.
Comments, questions, problems? This guy is hilarious, not on purpose but hilarious none the less. Take this with a friend go to every class and an A is easy. Never read any of the book or notes he gave out. I rated a little high just cause all these other idiots rated so low. Just regurgitate his lecture for essays and participate 6 times = A
worst prof. i've ever had. he's unclear in his explanations of the philosophers studied. only 3 tests, which are one essay question each and he's a strict grader. grades heavily on participation but doesn't remember who participates. i would not recommend him to my worst enemy.
i learned the most from doing seminars. make sure you participate. if he knows your name then youre good. go to his office hours and he'll completely explain everything to you (and it helps him recognize you). I somehow ended up with an A- in the class. regurgitate the lectures he gives into your essays and you'll do fine.
This professor is not too bad. All you have to do is re-tell him basically everything he told you in lectures. Has a review class before each test which helps. Mandatory attendence. Go to lectures, take very detailed notes and re-tell him those notes on the essay's and you will do fine.
Learned a lot from him but he certainly only appreciates the sound of his own voice. Three exams make up your whole grade and he grades them very harshly. He really cares about the wording of your writing so basically take down every little thing he says in class and regurgitate it back to him on the exam.
This class wasn't too bad. Make sure he knows your name, and feel free to call him at home, it may seem weird but that's where I got the most help!! Lectures can get a little boring, but make sure you copy everything down word for word, because that is what he wants in his answers on the exams. 2 written exams plus final.
Nice guy, will probably judge you if you say stupid things. Repeat his lectures in your essay, but note he does not like to give A's too often :( I ended with a B+ and it was kind of demeaning. Reading is easy, and unnecessary as long as you use spark notes, because all he really cares about is what he lectures you on! Take the class, it's decent:)
He's a nice guy and clearly loves what he teaches, he's just not an easy professor. Grades harshly on tests and classes can be quite boring.
Do not take this class..you will regret it!
Very frustrating class. The material is easy but I could never figure out how to write what he was looking for in papers. He focused on grammatical errors and irrelevant technicalities for in-class essays.
Nice guy but not cut out at all to be a professor. DO NO TAKE THIS CLASS! You will regret it.
Read the stuff. He repeats it all in lecture, but it'll help you remember. Some people get annoyed with how much he repeats himself, but it's what you'll remember on tests. Put everything he says in class into your essay and you'll do fine. I worked hard for a B+. Call him at home and he'll help you out immensely and give you secrets
DO NOT take this class. Awful profesor, never know what he wants from test questions. Grading is never consistent. Classes super boring.
DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER. He is arrogant, boring and repetitive. His grading is very inconsistent. It took him over a month to get our grade back on a test which was very hard. He advises all of his students to drop the class if they don't like their grade. HATED THIS CLASS. Save yourself the trouble and take any other teacher.
A girl gets a C- on a test and he tells her to drop the class infront of EVERYONE. Then he pulls me aside, with my A-, and tries to secretly tell me I need to participate more. WHAT THE! Other than strange situations like this, he's not that bad. If you know how to organize what he's saying and pulltogether concepts ur fine. attendance mandatory
Essays are straight out of the text. Sometimes his lectures are interesting, but most of the time, they can be unbearable. It's kind of unfair how he wants everyone to participate and your grade is affected if you don't. I would not recommend this professor. I honestly don't feel like I have learned anything.
Do NOT take this professor. Your grade will be lowered if you have taken Philosophy before because he can tell you are "bringing in outside knowledge." Thought that was a good thing? Not with this guy. Boring lectures, holds no office hours, don't try to argue with him, impossible to get a good grade. Absolutely awful class.
Quite a confusing class. He rambles a lot and goes on wild tangents. He advises you to just drop the class if you don't get what he's talking about. The key for the test are to just spit back at him what he lectures to the class. His grading is ver very nit picky.
Do NOT take this professor. Very harsh grader, pretty much believes his ideas are the only right ones, and that the rest of the class is ignorant. Lectures are incredibly boring and he takes a long time to get to the main points. If you want a good grade in a GenEd phil class, do not take this professor.
Horrible teacher to say the least. Three tests all year that are nearly impossible. Attendance is mandatory (2 absences) and he lowers your grade 1/3 for each other absence you have. I thought that i could handle him...but i was wrong. If you need a GPHIL gened i would highly recommend taking another teacher.
Look at what everyone else wrote for this guy. Not only is he an awful professor, he is incredibly bigoted for a philosophy course and his grading is nearly impossible. Do not take this guy. Wait another semester to take phil if you need to. He's not worth it.
He really isn't as terrible as everyone else is saying! He only gives one reading for homework each week, and he practically tells you everything that will be on the tests. Just listen and try to say at least one thing per class and you'll get at a high B or A. He repeats things a lot but it helps you remember and not have to study much :)
Attendance is mandatory, and the class was composed of three tests (two midterms and the final). While it was a challenging course, if you do the readings and engage in the class lectures you will be fine. The readings are easy (usually about 10-30 pages). Take good notes and ask questions. I learned a lot from him and got an A.
Professor Debrot is certainly not as bad as his ratings show. Yes, he is difficult, but if you take excellent notes, do the readings, and participate in class you should do fine. Calling him at his house is a must if you are confused about test material - be proactive and take advantage of this opportunity. Only grades are 3 exams.
Prior to taking this class I had a real interest in Philosophy, but Debrot cured me of that. His class is the most boring I have ever taken. He rambles a lot, and is very repetitive. Because of this, if you take good notes and listen, you should end up with at least a B!
Great professor. Attendance is mandatory because lectures are important. There were three grades (two midterms one final). Do the reading assignments! They are only 10-30 pages. Just come to class prepared and take part in discussions. I worked hard and got an A. It's challenging but fair, and I ended up learning a lot. He's always available for ?s
Absolutely do not recommend. He is very unclear about his requirements for essays and if you have a question, he doesn't have email or office hours so you would have to call him at home. I received all A's this semester except I ended up with a C+ in here, even after doing all the readings and putting in hours of studying.
He is horrible and failed me for my one midterm grade. HORRIBLE.
He only has 2 grades for the class: the midterm and the final. After failing the midterm, there was no point in going on
DO NOT TAKE HIM. He only gives two grades (midterm & final). I did all the readings, took notes on his lectures, wrote a comprehensive essay for the midterm and he failed me. He doesn't have an email and he doesn't have office hours. The only way to reach him is by calling his personal cell phone. SERIOUSLY DON'T TAKE HIM
I got thrown into this class as a freshman not having any say in what classes I wanted. Optimistic going in, bad idea. Debrot is the worst teacher. We started the year with 41 students and after the first midterm, half of them dropped. Like others said, there's only 3 grades and his grading is all subjective. REALLY have to work to get maybe a C.
Very easy class if you do the readings. midterm and final. I studied by guessing what questions he would ask on them. Memorization is useless he looks for analysis and creativity. No real way to tell what he will ask so you have to just study what he seems the most interested in, sadly.
This was the last GPHIL class open and I soon found out why no one else wanted to take it. I was able to get A's in every class this semester except for GPHIL, which I failed. If that doesn't say something about the coure, I don't know what does. If you have the option to take any other class, do it.
Not a great teacher at all. Very vague and a hard grader. Everything is either his opinion or you're wrong. Putting the grades aside, I did learn a lot about different philosophers and enjoyed some class discussions, but overall awful class. DO NOT TAKE
Debrot seems like a nice guy and he is but he tends to shoot down whatever a student says. I just don't say anything haha. But, he tells you what the tests are going to be on (class lectures). I never do the readings and I am sure I have a B+. He isn't too terrible but I wouldn't recommend him.
He is by far the worst teacher i have ever had in my life. No matter how hard you study or read the book he will fail you if he doesnt like you. This man is the worst person i have ever met do not take this teacher
I got an A in the class. Just take really good notes about EVERYTHING, do not say your opinion and keep quite in class unless you really know the answer and just come across really nice. this class is not impossible
Dr. Debrot is nothing like the ratings on this website make him out to be. He is kind and if you make an effort he is very accommodating. He doesn't believe in technology which is a bit frustrating since he doesn't have an email address. But overall if you put in the time, you will get a lot out of this class.
AVOiD AVOID AVOID. Doesn't have a textbook, your would think that his exams are easy until you get the grade. He makes this class seem like it's harder than a 300 course level. Most of the class withdrew and preferred receiving a "w"
This teacher is a disgrace to jmu faculty, he fails everyone just because he doesn't like you, you can quote him word for word on tests and he will give you an F and say it was because it didn't make sense...?
Debrot is not like his ratings. I got an A- in the class from taking really detailed notes. The topics are very interesting and he explains them well. One midterm and final that are in class essays which if you take good notes on you'll do well. I loved this class.
Awful, had to drop the class with a W because i got a D on the midterm. studied for hours and hours and understand everything about Socrates philosophy and everything on the midterm, but debrot thought i "didn't understand anything" and was "not even close". However, i could see how this professor could be a hit or miss, but more likely a miss.
He is the least accessible and least helpful professor I have ever met. He's a nice enough guy but there are only 3 grades in the class and he does not give A's. He doesn't have office hours or even an email address--you can only talk to him by calling his house phone.
Really unhelpful. Gave everyone in the class a D or C on our midterm because he didn't "know us well enough to give us a definitive grade." He's scatterbrained and lectures are hard to follow. I dropped after half a semester. I would try to avoid this class by all means necessary.
He is very passionate about philosophy and shows it in his lectures. However, his lectures are very confusing and all over the place. He gives 2 midterms and final, all short answeressays. They were all take home though. He's a very harsh grader, but the extra credit quizzes can save your grade. Avoid him if possible, but the class isn't deadly.
Honestly I learned very little in this class. I spent more time learning the material outside of class than in lecture. He is often difficult to here, and is not clear about criteria on tests. Would NOT take again.
I would like to meet the people that gave Dr. Debrot a positive review. This man is impossible to learn from. He gives you his phone number for questions .. weird .. You have seminars that you need to go to to talk more in depth about lecture. This class is so dumb and philosophy should be about the individual thinker. He's impossible to learn from
He doesn't make any sense at all and goes off on tangents. He always talks about how if something doesn't make sense for you then there is no hope at all for the class. I would never take it again
Went to class once a week and I have a B. Also, you will probably never understand what he's talking about, but there are very few grades and it's pretty straightforward. He's also pretty funny.
Please do yourself a favor and do NOT take this class. He is very hard to understand and follow, teaches his point of view and not the point of view of the philosopher, grades are very subjective and he kind of just gives you whatever he wants as a grade. I ended up with a C- and i got As in all of my other classes. Would NEVER take again!!!!
DO NOT TAKE HIM. Debrot makes absolutely no sense and his test questions are so vague that you don't even know what he's asking for. His lectures are long and difficult to follow, and he does a poor job of explaining readings that make no sense. I would not take this course and would avoid Debrot at all costs.
Debrot is one of the most vague, unhelpful, and disorganized professors I have ever had the displeasure of spending a semester with. His lectures seem largely nonsensical and more of a chance for him to rant than to teach anything. His tests are made up of his own opinions, not fact, and he appears to grade purely based on his mood. Do not take him
This class was the most disorgainzed and confusing one I have ever been in. He jumps around from concept to concept, expecting that everyone will understand the already complicated material. Tests are not equally graded and unclear at best. Does not explain nor help with class concepts or material. Avoid at all costs.
Does not enter any grades until the end of the semester. Doesn't give a clear grading scale on tests and tests are tough.
Worst professor I have ever had at JMU. Should not teach.
Dr. Debrot does not post grades on canvas and is a rather tough grader. There is no way to know what your grade is until the en dog the semester, but if you participate and go to class he will give you points for that. He is pretty old fashioned and would rather you call him on his house phone than email him.
No matter what, do not take this guy. The best thing you can do is try and replicate his opinion when answering test questions and hope that he agrees with everything you write. Do yourself a favor and find another teacher
Frank Debrot was the worst professor I've ever had. I did all the readings and didn't miss a single class and somehow still got nothing from the course. You never really know what to expect with him and his grading is completely nonsensical. Avoid this professor at all costs. You only have two or three graded assignments the entire semester.
This is the most unreasonable professor I have EVER had. He is the most unfair grader and his personal opinion is the only correct answer on exams. He well fail you for using outside sources (INCLUDING THE TEXTBOOK). He never completes his thoughts and excepts you to understand him. Do NOT take this class you WILL regret it.
Everyone here must be dumb as hell. He's my absolute favorite professor. He's so kind and cares SO much about helping you truly understand things. He makes you care about the subject. Tests are just a reflection of thought, so if you actually try to engage your mind in the topics & participate in class, it'll all be a breeze. He's also hysterical!
Just DONT take this man. This is a class that shouldn't be this hard, and Im angry that I'm even struggling. On his tests if you don't answer the questions to match his thinking, then its wrong: even if your answer is right. He has no idea how to convey his material successfully. 10/10 WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!
He's honestly great. Those who don't like him clearly just didn't put in the necessary effort. He goes out of his way to make himself available outside of class for questions, and LOVES when you talk to him. He'll make sure you understand the ideas and do well if you go to his office hours and call him. A genuine, honest man who loves philosophy!
worst teacher ever
THIS WAS THE WORST TEACHER I'VE EVER HAD. Decent person. TERRIBLE TEACHER. I'm a 3.9 GPA student and I CANNOT figure out how to pass this class. Exams are all short answer and I've quoted him verbatim and failed almost every exam I've had with him. My class is wondering why he is still allowed to teach. And the Final exam is worth 50% of your grade
Dropped his class halfway through the semester because he is the worst professor Ive ever had. He manages to bring up violence every single class and in the 2-3 months I was in his class we had 1 graded assignment and that was the midterm. It doesnt matter if youre right, it only matters if you agree with him. Avoid at all costs.
do you like listening to constant rambling about goats? if so then this is the class for you.
Hard to follow. Only lectures, no PowerPoints or anything. Few handouts. Not really any hw. Only 4 tests and that makes up your grade.
Don't have a personal problem with the guy its just his teaching style. No powerpoints are given, lecture only. Hard to pay attention in & take notes during every lecture. His lectures are very dense in information & hard to follow. If you're considering taking this class for a GenEd & have no interest in philosophy at all, do not take this class.
I have taken a philosophy class before and I absolutely failed. Attended 99% of the classes and even got an 80 on our first quiz. HE ABSOLUTELY FAILED ME ON EVERYTHING ELSE. I actually didn't know it was possible to get a grade in THE TEENS. His lectures are awful, and his notes are disorganized and almost in another language. SAVE YOURSELF THE F!
I took PHIL101 for a GenEd and it was the hardest class EVER. I attended every lecture (which were boring and repetitive) and study hours. If you didn't agree with Debrot, you were wrong. We only had 3 tests and then a final that was very vague. He didn't put any of our grades into Canvas so we had no idea if we were passing or not. I did not pass.
My GPA severely suffered. I have to retake GPHIL this summer bc I absolutely FAILED this class. Worst lecturer, vague grader, scatterbrained, if he gave handouts, they were vague and in ALL CAPS. This man could not be a worse professor if he tried. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM SAVE YOUR GPA AND DON'T TRY TO RISK IT Oh and the final is worth 50%
The class was all lecture and he tends to get off subject, but it's easy to pick out the important stuff. He teaches about multiple philosophers and said many times that you don't have to agree with what each philosopher says, you just have to understand it. If you can go by that saying and study, you can pass the class easily.
For anyone considering taking his classes the key to success is to talk to him as often as possible. Get to know him and the way he thinks then try to reflect that in your tests/quizzes. He genuinely want you to understand the material and will go out of his way to explain it to you.
Debrot is a great guy. His lectures may seem like they drag on for ages but he is knowledgeable about the field of philosophy and also a very adept philosopher himself. He likes it when you engage with him, and he enjoys most working with the students who are willing to try to think philosophically. Note: some of the concepts can be hard to grasp.
Basically, he is the most terrible professor I have ever taken. I took a philosophy class before and loved it and I absolutely dread class. His lectures are just him yelling randomly and I can't follow him. ever. Not using one word (specifically) on his short answer tests will make him take full credit off. My first C of college. Do not take him.
Professor Debrot is an overall nice person but as a Professor, terrible. He really puts his all into his lectures but takes the class too seriously for a gen ed. If your test answers are not worded the way he prefers to see, the answer is automatically wrong. Class is also extremely boring. Mostly readings for homework. Seriously do not take it.
Possibly the worst instructor i've ever had for anything. Grades very subjectively, gives no feedback on exams, and is horrible at imputing grades. The only way to reach him if you have a question is to call him, and is truly terrible at explaining things. I wouldn't recommend him to my worst enemy, do yourself a favor and FIND SOMEONE ELSE!!
I came to every class, took intense notes, called him (you can't email him), stayed after class, and studied hard for a B. You have to interact with him outside of class to even stand a chance. His lecture style is yelling & it's difficult to tell what is testable material. VERY specific grader. Way too hard for a GenEd and many students withdrew.
I would REALLY want to meet the people on this site that actually believe that this man is a good teacher. He doesn't have office hours, he gives like 3-4 assignments the entire semester, and the final is 50% of the semester grade. He's very lazy, and will cut corners by not reading test answers that are too long or make him "think too hard " .
The only good thing about this class is that he is a pretty nice guy, HOWEVER, I highly recommend never taking this course. Nothing is clear that he explains and if you ask for him to clarify he goes on a passionate yelling spree instead of actually clarifying. He gives no assignments other than like three tests which are short and very specific.
I took this class as a GenEd and wish now that I didn't. Debrot is a nice guy and you can tell he's very passionate about philosophy. However, he's an extremely tough grader, goes on screaming rants that make no sense, and has 0 office hours. There are no assignments only 3 tests that he grades extremely tough. Take someone else.
okay if I'm being honest every talks poorly of him as a professor and his tests are literally impossible but if you go to his office hours like four times you will get an A. I got a 60 on every test and met with him a few times and ended with an A... make yourself known in his class and outside of it and your set.
Debrot is the type of professor to mark something wrong on an exam, and correct your answer, yet your answer and his correction are basically exactly the same.
Worst professor ive ever taken! No assignments and he grades the test like a complete moron. His teaching style is the worst ive ever seen, he just yells at at the class. The man doesnt even have an email, you have to call his landline and talk to his wife before you have to talk to him. You also can only miss class twice, please dont take him!
Hes an extremely passionate teacher. But not in the conventional way. If you happen to have this professor just go into it with an open mind. He spits a lot of wisdom but is also quit jarring. He doesnt deserve a 0 rating on here, but not 5 either but thats only due to the fact that he may seem unapproachable. Hesmuch moreunderstanding inperson
If you're not prepared to go to all of his office hours, you're not going to pass. The man grades depending on his mood and not on accuracy. In fact, when he lectures he'll tell you one thing and then when you give him that answer on the test he will tell you its wrong. During the lecture, he yells, a lot. He's really just a mean old man.
Hard to understand during lectures. We were graded by 3 exams then the final, all of which were extremely cryptic. He grades very harshly, if you don't write exactly what he wants in an answer you do not receive credit. Remember that his goal for you of the semester is to learn how to think philosophically, not memorize things about philosophy.
I have never been so discouraged in a class. He makes no sense and grades on only 4 exams so you have no chance to redeem yourself. If you can take literally anyone else do it.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
93%
Textbook Required
47%
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