Professor Sayre-McCord is excellent! He makes sometimes difficult and heavy material understandable and interesting. He's engaging, witty, and funny. His class and his teaching inspired me to pursue a degree in Philosophy.

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sayre-mccord is an amazing teacher and really sparked my interest in philosophy.

VERY good teacher, explained most things well, some unclarity when it comes to the papers, but he makes the topic VERY interesting!

Prof. Sayre-McCord is the best lecturer I've ever seen. He gives a probing and subtle discussion of difficult material. This class is an excellent learning experience. (Anyone who thinks he talks in circles or repeats for a lecture what could be said in a sentence clearly misunderstood a lot, and I don't think that was Dr. Sayre-McCord's fault.)

cool guy, makes it easier to understand and more fun

He's a great guy, and really amusing in lecture, but he does teach Philosophy, and that's confusing to begin with. He often repeats himself in lecture, but it's just to reinforce teh concepts. He's a little tough in the grading, but he knows his stuff.

Really enjoyed this class even though I was not looking forward to taking it at all. The material was really interesting.

One of the greatest professors I have had. He truely wants you to learn the material and that your grade should reflect this. he is willing to help. He is so objective and interested in his topic and the he makes the lectures very interesting.

Very nice! Explains difficult material in a way that is understandable. Everything in the readings are reviewed in class.Do well on the multiple choice, its a small portion of your grade that should be easy.GO TO THE REVIEW SESSIONS, they are extremely helpful on the papers. Sometimes shifts percentages on individual basis to help you.

this class was pretty hard..but geoff's a good guy. the TAs are really helpful, review sessions are a must. this class makes you think a lot and you really have to work for a good grade. the class is alright though

Even though this class was challenging, it made you think. It's a philosophy class, it's not going to be easy. The material was interesting but at some times felt like we were ready too much into it. Class is very repetitive and is easy to loose concentration if you're on facebook or something. GO TO THE REVIEW SESSIONS. Shoot for a B+

really great guy and extremely smart. I totally recommend this class :)

A real class in which you actually have to think. The professor is great, head of the department and knows what he's talking about. You can learn a ton and walk out with at least a B- if you really invest thought into the lectures.

Incredible professor. Gives engaging lectures and challenges you to go beyond a cursory knowledge of the material. Be prepared to spend a lot of time studying for tests and working on assignments, though. In his own words, "This is an introductory class, not an easy one."

While Sayre-McCord is a very good professor and can help you understand the material well, going to lecture is usually a waste of time with 20 minutes of useful instruction and 30 minutes of pointless questions. His class is very hard if you want an A but quite easy to get a B in. Having a high interest in philosophy makes this course a lot easier.

Geoff is one of my favorite professors at UNC. His class is a challenge for sure, but he is a great guy and very understanding. You MUST do the readings and think about the material as well as attend the recitations, which are mandatory. I had Anya Farrenikova as a TA and she was great, but a hard grader. Try hard and ask lots of questions.

Geoff is a fantastic teacher! I absolutely loved his Intro to Ethics class and would definitely recommend it as an introduction to philosophy. He makes the material fun and interesting and is a captivating lecturer.

Geoff was a good lecturer, however, he does not grade the work, the TA's do. I don't think my TA was a very fair grader, but hopefully the others are. The class was interesting and forced you to think. I would recommend Geoff for any PHIL class, just watch out for TAs that tell you the wrong information like mine! Good Luck!

AMAZING, engaging, fun

Not an easy A, but you should make a B if you try. 2 Multiple choice tests (easy), 1 essay exam (hard) and two 2500 word + essays. He is a great teacher, but the subject itself is hard and takes a while to comprehend. I would recommend it to fill Philosophy approach.

I would take this class all over again if I could. He teaches the material in a very clear way and made me love philosophy as a science major. The TA's can also make or break this class. John Lawless was an amazing TA, but I heard some of the others weren't as good.

Fantastic lecturer. Great sense of humor, very clear, and obvious mastery in being able to teach such a difficult course. Your success depends on primarily you, but having a good TA noticeably helps.

Geoff is so great. I loved this class. He honestly cares that you love the material as much as he does. His lectures are very clear. Reading is mandatory or you wont know what the flip is going on in lectures. This class made me want to be a Phil major! I love geoff.

Professor Geoff is the best professor that i met. He is extremely smart and nice. He makes the material easy to understand; He tries to make students truly think. However, he tries to make students get as high score as possible. If you do well in tests and not well in paper, he would increase the percentage of tests.

Geoff is the man. He is a brilliant professor and knows his material like nobody else. He will definitely challenge you to think critically, so showing up to lecture is extremely important. Keep up with the readings and don't be afraid to ask questions. Recitations are kind of pointless but you need to go to them. Pretty cool class.

Great class, gets you thinking. Do not expect it to be easy. Lectures are really helpful because he summarizes somewhat difficult readings. Provides a lot of help sessions to ensure success, great guy.

He was engaging and his powerpoints were very helpful in understanding the readings. It is a hard subject and there is a lot of work, so I wouldn't take this class just to fulfill the phil requirement.

Charismatic lecturer, always willing to help. Not the easiest class, but well worth the work.

Its a lot of work but pretty worth it.

A very fair instructor. He seems to genuinely care for the success and well being of his students. Very willing to discuss questions and student's views, and not condescending in the least. A very approachable professor. I really enjoyed his enthusiastic lectures and dedication to his subject.

Engaging class. He talks about the readings during lectures, but he expects you to read and make your own interpretations to use and defend in your essays. It takes a bit to understand what is desired and essays are graded harshly, but TAs give constructive feedback to improve with each essay. There are few grades so doing well on each is key.

Geoff is a great lecturer and really good guy. He's willing to spend time talking to you outside of class if you go to him. The class is thought provoking, but tough to get an A because the grades are primarily large papers. This is not just an easy gen-ed filler. The readings are pretty complex, so reach out to Geoff and TAs. (He has good TAs)

Professor Sayre-McCord is amazing at what he does and the lectures are very interesting. He does a good job at explaining things in simple terms and uses real life applications. However, the papers are graded very harshly. There are a few quizzes from the readings throughout the semester but not many other grades

Geoff's lectures are excellent and make complicated philosophical theories easy to understand. Coming to class is a must if you expect to do well. If you're just looking to fill the gen-ed requirement, there are probably easier classes, but if you're looking for an intellectually fulfilling philosophy course, this is the one to take.

Geoff lectures really well and is an excellent person in general, but the class itself is hard only because of how harshly the essays are graded. Do not take this class if you are just hoping to fulfill your philosophy gen-ed.

Geoff is the man. His clearly loves teaching and getting students to learn and it shows in his lectures. Lots of work required, but review sessions are held before every major assignment

Geoff is a great teacher. He really cares about his students, makes his lectures interesting and funny, and is just a really good speaker. His papers and non-multiple choice tests are VERY difficult, however. You definitively have to read if you want to know what's going on, and the readings are hard. Despite this, I really enjoyed his class.

favorite class this semester! few, but slightly hard assignments, however, he tries very hard to give everyone the highest grade possible by making your best scores weigh more. amazing lecturer that was very good at clearing up the difficult readings. great person, very accessible and friendly outside of class. I will be taking another class w/ him

A witty and authentic professor, Sayre-McCord made lectures dynamic and readings fascinating. However, his flair for the dramatic occasionally affected the objective material of the lesson, leading to concepts being unnecessarily difficult. Regardless, his intelligence, humor, and passion for philosophy make him an invaluable asset to UNC staff.

Geoff is an amazing lecturer, very passionate. There are quite a few textbooks but the reading is not excessive and often quite easy. A few large papers that are graded strictly but if you go to review sessions and office hours to fully understand the concepts you will be fine. Take this class!

Geoff is an amazing lecturer, very passionate. There are quite a few textbooks but the reading is not excessive and often quite easy. A few large papers that are graded strictly but if you go to review sessions and office hours to fully understand the concepts you will be fine. Take this class!

He does give great lectures, but attendance isnt required. Still suggest you go to some. You could probably get by by just going to recitations. There was a night or two that required late nights for studying. Overall I got a B- and never went to class. Amazing man. Quizzes are difficult.

Geoff is a really cool guy, and you could tell he was very passionate about the class. However, I often got lost during his lectures and found the readings to be boring. I put more effort into those papers than any other assignment I've ever done and still only pulled out low A's on them. Interesting class, but don't take for an easy PH credit!

I respect professor Sayre-McCord so much and he has been my favorite lecturer at UNC so far. The material is extremely difficult and he has very high expectations, but I absolutely loved the class. I definitely recommend taking a class with him if you get the chance

He clearly is very knowledgeable about the material and cares a ton about making sure students understand as much as possible. However, the class is large so there is not any one-on-one unless you go to office hours, and even the TAs are confused sometimes. The material is difficult, and he assigns papers over both fall and thanksgiving break.

Professor Sayre-McCord is an amazing lecturer and person and is very interesting. The readings are very manageable. I liked that PHIL160 had a final paper instead of a typical final exam and that working with peers was encouraged.

Dr. Sayre-McCord is very passionate about his material. He loves to talk about it. But, it gets to a point where he gets confusing regarding what he actually wants you to get out of a lecture. This class is also deceptively easy. You'll think you're doing fine by doing everything you should be, but then get roasted on a paper.

Professor Sayre-McCord is an amazing person. He's extremely intelligent and entertaining in lectures, and he loves to joke around with students. He offers extra credit opportunities and is very approachable and caring towards students. If I could take this class again, I would. You have to work for your grade, but it's totally worth it. He rocks.

Geoff is the best. His lectures are interesting and he really works to get to know his students and help them succeed. However, philosophy is a lot of work, specifically reading, and I feel like the grading for papers was dependent on which TA you got. He goes over all the reading in class, although sometimes the slides were hard to follow.

I really liked his class, but I took it online and it was lectures pretty much everyday for the whole class. But, he is super funny and there are plenty of opportunities to ask for help or clarification outside of class.

This class was by far the hardest class I have ever taken, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning the material. It was different and made me think. However, if this is your first PHIL class then beware.. it may be an intro BUT it is quite challenging. 50% of your grade are 2 large and very complex papers then the rest is smaller tests and assignments.

Best class I've taken and a solid choice. If you are looking for an easy A, please don't bother yourself. But if you are ready to grow as a person and intellectual, do and must take this class. My advice: the extra credit is a must, which directly adds 2% to your course grade. A for this class is 94. TA does the grading. Do well on papers. Take it!

Best class I've taken and a solid choice. If you are looking for an easy A, please don't bother yourself. But if you are ready to grow as a person and intellectual, do and must take this class. My advice: the extra credit is a must, which directly adds 2% to your course grade. A for this class is 94. TA does the grading. Do well on papers. Take it!

Geoff is amazing. He goes over time in lectures really often because he gets sucked into peoples' questions. If you take this class GO TO THE REVIEW SESSIONS. Even if you don't have a specific question it helps so much to listen to more discussion, especially before exams and the midterm/final essays. Super interesting but not an easy A.

The content of this class is confusing, so going in I was terrified. But Geoff's is the best lecturer I've experienced, and I was thrilled that that he allowed me to go into each paper with clear understanding; I could write them based on the lectures alone if I needed to skip reading. He's super accessible outside of class/always in office hours.

Geoff is a great person, and gives enjoyable lectures. He is awesome about answering questions in class, even with over 100 people in the lecture hall, and does his best to make jokes and tell stories. However, this class was the bane of my existence and receiving an A was IMPOSSIBLE. If you like philosophy, he is your guy but be prepared to write

Despite a running time of 2 and a half hours once a week, Geoff filled each lecture with thoughtful conversation, humorous observations, and thorough literary analysis. The hardest and most thought-provoking philosophy course I've taken at UNC, yet I would do it again with Sayre-McCord

I loved this class and found it very interesting. However, this was the hardest class of my semester. It is not only challenging, but extremely lecture heavy. But, Professor Geoff is an AMAZING professor and human being. He makes lectures interesting, keeps you awake, and on your toes. Not an easy A whatsoever. Missing lecture puts you behind.

Class was so hard but Prof. did his best to make it manageable. Super personable and funny, sometimes a little disorganized but it was fine. Philosophy isn't my thing, but really liked the guy--very smart and obviously cares for his students and wanted to talk with us all. Fav. professor so far.

Professor Geoff was the best lecturer I've ever had. He walks around the lecture hall and engages the students every class. There is a ton of analytical reading, but the TAs are helpful.

Great professor, incredibly caring, & hilarious. Despite lots of fun tangents & confusing concepts, Geoff & the TAs are incredibly helpful to encourage comprehension of topics by hosting multiple study sessions prior to due dates & tests. Lots of reading & writing= a few all-nighters due to tough grading. Still a great class that I'd take again!

Geoff is one of my favorite people, and just great to talk to. Classes can be kind of hit or miss. Sometimes the discussions are fascinating, sometimes it's just bad hot take after bad hot take and it's hard to sit through. Honestly, class would be better if Geoff lectured more, because he's just that great.

Geoff is most definitely the most passionate professor I have ever had. That being said, he makes the class challenging. Be ready to read, analyze, and apply all concepts in a discussion-based format. However, by investing in the material, this class is extremely rewarding intellectually. Give it a shot!

Look, this is not an easy class. Anyone can, with enough thought and effort, do well in this class. You do not need any background in philosophy. Please do not be tempted to skip reading assignments.

PHIL160 with Dr. Sayre-McCord was the hardest but most rewarding class I've taken at UNC. Lectures are so interesting and thought-provoking but assignments are very demanding. It is possible to do well with thought and effort, especially if philosophy interests you. I also never really read required books, most material was covered in lecture.

Geoff is FANTASTIC, genuinely one of my favorite professors ever. He's super engaging and expects you to also engage with the material. Grading is tough but fair- you really just have to figure out how to write what he's looking for. Go to the review sessions and ask questions and you'll be good to go. Would HIGHLY recommend. if you're interested.

Geoff is one of the most amazing people ever; this does not mean he's a perfect professor. Often his desire to give each student individual attention will interfere with his ability to attend to the whole class. Any one-on-one conversation with him will push you to think more deeply. You owe it to yourself to take a class with him if you can.

I wouldn't say it is an intro-level phil class for COMPLETE beginner. But if you at least have read some phil related books before or have some sense on how philosopher think you will be fine! Content is hard but not unmanagable. I would also suggest people who considering taking this class have a previous experience in writing humanities essay.

Fantastic lectures. Main things were 2 MCQ midterms and 2 phil papers. Expectations could be confusing at first, but go to review sessions and talk to him, it really helps! The 2nd test and 2nd midterm was weighed more if done better, so don't worry if the first one didn't turn out well. Would recommend if interested in ethics.

The lectures were interesting, but sometimes hard to follow. He also doesn't let you use any kind of technology during class, so notes have to be handwritten. Every time we had a paper to write, he wouldn't release the prompt until the week it was due, so we would be given like 4 days to write 2,000 words. He assigned homework over the weekend too.

Geoff is a great lecturer, and he does a great job of making it clear why the topics he is bringing up are relevant to the student. However, this is definitely not an intro level class, and even the TAs disagree sometimes. You are graded on a few things. It is also hard to understand the grade weights. Asking for feedback really makes a difference!

Unnecessarily difficult. I only got an A because my TA was amazing and if yours isn't, it's very difficult to understand the course. Interesting class but tests and papers are confusing and little guidance is given by Geoff. Prompt is withheld and then you're given three days to write 1,500+ words. TAs aren't allowed to give scores above 95 either.

Professor Sayre-McCord is obviously brilliant and a great person, but I have to agree with the previous comments that this class is NOT for beginners. I'm a philosophy major, and even I had trouble with it. The grading policies are not clear, it is hard to stay engaged, and review sessions DO NOT help (TAs will give different answers)

Geoff's class is highly engaging, but quite challenging. The readings can be dense, and the grading rubrics aren't always clear. Unstuck ai helped me prepare for exams, alongside review sessions. Worth taking if you're up for the challenge.