totally awesome! great lecturer, organized, i'm thankful i had him!

Great teacher. Very passionate. Fun class, but be prepared to argue.

Take home midterm, class is well organized and very helpful.

Great teacher, very opinionated and passionate, but makes you think. Never knew learning about Morality could be so interesting and so much fun. Very clear lectures, and willing to explain things to you if you are confused about a concept.

Best teacher i've had in yrs of college. You'll walk out of his classes going : WOW!

Clear, insightful, makes you think. Paper-assignments not hard.

Very clear, makes you think. Open/free discussion frequent, writing-assignments not hard.

Exceptional professor. Lectures are enlightening. Highly Recommended.

Great, open discussions. Assignments are interesting and fair. You'll do well if you do the reading and ask questions. Likeable guy.

Excellent teacher.

Good lecturer who encourages discussion. If you have an opinion different than his, I recommend being ready to fight for your opinion. He demands that you have a very very good reason for believing what you believe. Good teacher, but not the easiest.

Don't ask stupid questions, he gets really annoyed with that. And don't contradict him unless you know what you are talking about. He's kind of intmiidating but I loved his class. One of the best instructers Ive had in a long time.

He may seem as an arrogant, egotistic person at first, but as the semester gets through, he becomes a nicer person. Very comprehensive of personal situations; he even tell us about his personal life. Overall, great professor, fun lectures, and great guy.

I really really liked professor stramel. Lots of writing, but it is all prety easy. Very fair.

True, not much success in arguing with him. He will say if you make a valid argument, but he won't dwell on it. Good class to take; makes you think more about your line of argument and defense. Be attentive and study, ignore ill manner; you'll be fine.

Great teacher a bit hared in grading wont be an easy A if you messup just once. There are no seconed chances to bring your grade back up. But will teach you Phil like no one else. Knows his stuff.

I got an A but it was work but I don't read and put things off until the last second. Don't miss class at all. He's understanding and gives the class a lot of breaks- pretty cool. Good lecture+notes, lots of work-writing but not too hard He's a good teach

I took his joint class with Dr. Katherine. It was the most fun Ive had in class. Everyother week we got to watch a Different Star Trek episode then discus it in class. It was alot of fun and Ill take another one of his classes anytime.

Great guy. Makes psych interesting.

This is a fairly easy class. I didn't crack open the book once during the semester and I still passed easily. Stramel is a gay teacher, and he spend a lot of time on the subject.

Interesting class - worth taking no matter what your major is. Good at teaching the material but sometimes a bit intimidating.

I took him for the sex and sexuality class, and it was very interesting and fun with great discussions, though he is a bit tough grading the assignments, but definitely an interesting clas and nice teacher...just requires hard work (and no procrastination...my biggest problem =P)

Dr. Stramel is a great teacher. He may put some people off because he is intense. He doesnt preach in class but you can sometimes get a very clear view of his opinion. The class has great disscussions, so take it! If your one of those no it all, have to talk students, he will knock you down!

he is a fun, real teacher. you will have to work but you will learn. he is helpful and will give you time. everyone should take his sex and sexuality class because it is very enlightening.lots of reading, grades fairly, very knowledgable, tests are hard. i will take his class again.

The lectures were very interesting, b/c they sparked a discussion and when I took the class, it was a diverse mix of students. Prepare to work hard and have views challenged. It's good b/c you learn phil. basics -- logic, etc. while learning about contemporary moral conflicts.

PRETTY COOL TEACHER, NOT TOO HARD OF A CLASS IF U JUST DO THE ASSIGNMENTS. NO HW ASSIGNED EXPECT FOR THE TAKE HOME MIDTERMS. I REALLY LIKED THE LECTURES AND HE HAS A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR. GOOD CLASS IF U R INTERESTED IN GAY/LESBIAN ISSUES. IF YOU ARE NOT AN OPEN MINDED PERSON DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS

The Good:Nice, smart, and funny guy.Classes are very interesting, he is very passionate about the course.Mostly easy, with some challenging assignments. The Bad:Very stubborn and close-minded if anyone disagrees with him.Also, doesn't like girls!

Fascinating class! To homophobes: take a less thought-provoking and bias-challenging class. Dr Stramel is an excellent professor and a brilliant philospher with the education, experience, and intellect to develop and defend his positions on these issues. He encourages debate but can think circles around illogical know-it-alls. He has much to offer.

One of the most intellegent professors I have had. Great,interesting lectures & discussion. I did not have to agree with all his opnions, in order to appreciate the point he was trying to make. Class is not to hard. mainly composed of short essays. Oh & btw I'm a girl and he liked me very much so whoever said he didn't like girls is mistaken.

Great teacher. Clear & Concise. Be prepared to defend your opinions and think.

the class is really interesting but he's a pretty tough grader. take this class if you want to be challenged and learn a lot. the teacher is fun even though the topics are serious.

Very interesting teacher, he talked about a variety of topics; I learned a lot from him.

I took a class with prof. Stramel 6 years ago; looking back he taught me a great deal about how to think, form an arguement, respect my own thought process. Yes, he is demanding,and that is GOOD. He expects college level work, not 8th grd work as a lot of community colleges do. As for 'hot' - being that damn smart is hot as hell.

Awesome teacher! Funny as hell and brilliant at what he does. I hated philosophy before this class and he makes it enjoyable. Very fair teacher and easy to talk to you. He will help you if you don't understand something without making you feel like an idiot.

Very hard grader, worked really hard to get a B. Good teacher especially when it comes to homosexuality ethics. But again its a hard class.

Grades HARD!!! i worked very hard in his class for an A but he always managed to hand out Bs as each of my paper and effort improved. class is pretty interesting and u will learn..but not recommended for non philo major looking for an easy class. BTW the class is a focus on homosexuality...might be problematic for some.

Great Teacher! A lot of charisma, he is fair in grading - really wants you to understand, and willing to help. He is passionate about his work - it is great watching him unfold.

Dr. Stramel's tantamount to homemade meatloaf!! There was something about him that I found very charming, but at the same time he was like a dart about things. He is very smart and very opinionated, but he's also very fair and will unfold his lessons so that they're manageable. He is not a "hard grader" either! (Homlgren is a hard grader.) Stramel is open and will help you!

Great teacher - even though I got a B. I took his class in the summer and each day I walked away with new ways of thinking! How many professors have that effect? Not many in my experiance. To get an A just attend class, read, and participate plus do the assignments.

this professor is one of the best teahcers at smc, he expects you to think and be logical. the test are medium hard but if you studied then you'll be fine. he is a fair guy. there is a lot of reading in this class- so read. participate and he will appriciate you.

I was really interested in this ethical theory...in fact it was the only class I was looking forward to. Class was long, boring, and took up a LOT of time with papers. The good thing was the service learning component of the course.

One of the best, if not the best, teacher at SMC. He is extremely articulate and passionate about Philosophy. If you want to learn Philosophy, take him. There was 1 midterm, 4 papers and 1 final. Lots of reading, but extremely interesting. He really makes you think. I looked forward to his class. Does take role!

History of Early Philosophy. He's very knowledgeable but limits students in the amount of interested knowledge that is external to the classroom agenda. His tests are VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD. Essays, WRITE ABOUT EVERYTHING HE TALKS ABOUT. He's very much worth taking.

Stramel is a good instructor. Lots of in-class discussions and arguments. Enjoyed writing the papers. Although some of the topics I didn't agree with, that didn't make the class less informative. Can get some insight on morality and virtuous ethics, apart from differences in points of view in his class.

I promised him the chilli pepper so I gave it! LOL Stramel is one of the most awesome, down to earth teacher's @ SMC. Great lectures, notes are typed and ready for you. Very funny, papers are easy to write even if you dont get to read everything for it, his lectures give you ALOT of the info. PAY ATTENTION. He messes with your brain so you THINK!

He's really hard to approach. He's a good teacher, but he really hates being put on the spot, so don't test him. He expresses his opinions openly, so don't cross his opinions unless you have full faith in your own capablities to get an A w/out his good grace. Take him, he puts you to work, but worth taking his class.

I dunno what all these comments are about but professor stramel is great! it's such a great change of pace when the teacher actually enjoys or better yet is passionate about the subject they are teaching! If u attend class, and PAY ATTENTION anyone should easily pass it! Lectures are great, very comprehensive and easy to understand!

he tries to come across as firm but hes really good guy. extremely helpful and keeps the class interesting. no one falls asleep. he knows what hes talking about and keeps discussions relevant. i wish that i came to class more. i highly recommend taking a class with him, hardest class ive ever had. also never cut him off and be involved in class.

Stramel is a wonderful human being. He reinvested my faith in community college. An intelligent, funny, personable teacher who cares about the issues he presents. This class is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to be opened up to new, perhaps vouyeristic ideas and use your brain. Loved it.

His term paper is pretty challenging, but other than that, just show up to class and do the reading or at least skim it before class. He's passionate about his field, so discussions can be fun. And don't interrupt him, but interrupting is rude, anyway.

What a great class. I think this was my favorite class at SMC because Stramel really makes you think. It's challenging, but in a good way.

Had him for contemp. moral conflicts emphasis on homosexuality. Good teacher. NOT BIASED. smart guy. Not too much work, but a bit.. which must be done.

I LOVED this class. He is absolutely brilliant and really loves teaching. Makes Philosophy very interesting. Writing assignments can be difficult but he is a fairly easy grader. TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU LIKE PHILOSOPHY.

passionate. objective grader. gives outan outline of lectures. grades the papers easy- as long as you concentrate on the concepts youll do good. must take him hes great will get you into philosophy

Great class. It is challenging, but knowledge is rewarding. He is very passionate about his subject, very smart and willing to share his knowledge with his students. I absolutely enjoyed this course.

BEST TEACHER I'VE EVER HAD! Very passionate about teaching and all the different philosophies. Absolutely loved him but not so easy. Lots of writing (6 paper projects & 5 pg. service learning paper after community service. Keeps students interested! Read book & study his notes & pay attention you'll get an A!

Philosophy 5 Moral conflicts. Really great teacher. Gives you printed out copies of his notes, and lectures the whole class. Really makes you think, and is good at explaining. Can be biased sometimes, but overall is pretty fair. Loves people who speak up in class. Like 2 papers, and a quizzes here and there. Great class. :)

Interesting class taught by an interesting professor. Be prepared to read, think and write. Not a class for lazy people, but good discussion and informative lectures. Bit of an eccentric character. If you work hard, you can get an A.

wow. my favorite class this semester. He is so passionate about what he does that there is no way you cant love this class. it should be manditory to take this class with him upon enrolling at SMC. It really opened my eyes.

Moral conflicts- Stramel makes class interesting and engaging through class discussions. He is passionate about philosophy BUT he is quite biased and grades you based on whether he agrees with your opinions. I am an A student and he would mark me down for the strangest things, slashing points so that getting an A seemed ridiculous.

Stramel is very clear and straightfoward in his lectures and what he expects of you in the class/assignments. At first I was very intimidated by him and the class but I realized because he is very clear with instructions, his work is easier than expected. That's not to say the concepts are easy; it's called moral conflicts for a reason.

Stramel is a very good professor. Took him this past summer for philo 1. As an incoming freshman, my first class was amazing and it was because of him that made the class very interesting. Of course you have to do the readings and assignments and PARTICIPATE to get a good grade, but you get out as much as you put. Final was easy long essay.Got my A

VERY opinionated. Phil 5 is a very interesting class but you shouldn't take this class if you are anti gay. He makes it seem like his opinions are the only right ones. He is smart and gives good notes. I would recommend him.

I took the Ethics class and I really liked this professor. His lecture are interesting and he brings daily articles that relate to whatever we are talking about. Not that easy but very interesting !

I loved Stramel. I took his CMC class last summer, and I thought he made it an interesting experience with open discussions frequently. He obviously had his own opinions on issues, as it's his job as a philosopher, but seemed impartial to most of our comments. I thought he was an excellent teacher, and, honestly, never knew he was gay until now.

Good teacher. Great lecturer. I highly recommend him!

All the people who are giving the professor negative reviews are just illogical neo-cons who are upset they got owned by a logical thinking person. Go lick your wounds somewhere else. Good professor, interesting glass, is opinionated. If you are a crazy conservative don't take this class because you will get owned!

This is by no means an easy course. None of his courses are easy. You will need to write well and clear and back up your points. You need to be able to read difficult texts and explain what you've learned. He's clear but expects a lot. Good and interesting for the philosophy major. Reconsider if you find philosophy boring.

He is a really good teacher, you have some essays to do but they are really easy. I took his Ethics class and you are required to do 10 hours of volunteer work but it was not bad at all. I would recommend him

He teaches philosophers' views as if he is that philosopher. i.e. If you argue about something Plato said, he will challenge you directly with Plato's views as if he is Plato in order to get you to think. His lectures made no sense to me unless I did the readings. I thought every class was painful, but I did find it very valuable by the end.

TAKE HIM! He's super smart, funny and he's a great teacher who's more than happy to answer any questions. You can e-mail him anytime and he'll answer withing a day or two! so awesome...one of my favorite professors at SMC thus far.

Funny class. Although the essays were tiresome, I really enjoy it.

most of class time is consumed by idiots trying to argue with the professor in regards to philosophy. of course in the end they end up looking like morons. its good for laughs and giggles but come on let the guy lecture

A great teacher! All those critisizng him for being "opinionated" totally missed the point: in philosophy, esp. in Ethics you OUGHT to have an opinion and have good REASONS to hold it. So downgrading him for this is like bashing a mathematician who insists that 2+2=4 is a fact while refusing to "respect" your "opinion" that 2+2=5. Stramel rules!

Love this class, love this professor. He makes class really interesting by tying in news articles with topics we are going over. Paper project's are not too hard. Really great professor, very passionate about what he is talking about. I would definitely recommend his ethics class.

My favorite professor EVER. Not only is he exceedingly intelligent, but funny, clever, and kind. He is an incredible teacher! Very engaging and pleasant. I like ditching school, but I found myself not wanting to do so while taking his class. I felt like I'd be missing out if I didn't show. Take ethics with him!

Stramel is by far the best professor I've ever had! He is passionate about philosophy and makes difficult concepts crystal clear. Reading is recommended prior to class so you can help fuel class convos but tests are directly from his notes. Changing my minor to Philosophy because of him!!

His class is very interesting and useful. However, it is not easy at all. You should start to work on papers before hand so that you can ask him any questions you might have, because he is very strict scorer. In his ethic class, you are required to do 10-hour volunteer.

He is an interesting and funny man who really loves his cats. His class isnt too difficult if you pay attention. He provides you with everything you need. You are required to do 10 hours of volunteer work but it isnt that bad. Also there are a lot of papers so be prepared to write.

he is a very nice and helpful teacher. but he is a bit close-minded and will tell you off if you disagree with him in class, he grades you well if he likes you. he is a very interesting person.

Spoon feeds his students. No reading required. Dogmatic atheist. Philosopher who wishes he could wear a lab coat and call himself a scientist. Socrates said the height of ignorance is to claim to know what you do not. Presents his view as if fact and often attempts to make claims about things he and others could not possibly know.

Prof. Stramel is very smart, articulate, passionate, funny guy. But he is strongly opinionated and engaging, so if you are sensitive to criticism, his class may not be for you. If you say something dumb, you'll know it. That being said, if you want to really learn philosophy, Prof. Stramel is easily one of SMC's best, if not THE best.

Amazing teacher. Actually made me want to minor in Ethical Philosophy. HIGHLY recommend. He is very funny and witty. And engages the class A LOT. You will definitely learn in this class and have your eyes opened up. Love this class and professor.

I am not interested in philosophy so I didn't really enjoy the class. However, he is a good teacher and knows a lot. He did mark two of my papers late when they weren't. If you like philosophy take it but if not don't or else you will have a horrible time.

Dr Stramel is among my best professors. He is a dedicated teacher, who is very passionate about what he is doing. The class is not easy. His expectations are considerably high and he is a little unorganized, but the learning experience is very dynamic and interesting. I will definitely miss this class. It was a wonderful learning experience.

Amazing teacher. I have taken 2 of his classes and they were the best decision I made. He knows what he is talking about and includes the class in discussions. He really helps you expand your mind. I loved his class. must take.

Dr. Stramel is an exemplary professor. He knows very well the material, and his way of teaching is very didactic, he entertains the class with his knowledge by providing both sides of the arguments. His Philosophy 5 class is the best. Students are able to learn how to make a case with reasoning and logic, and the LGBTQ is present in the lectures.

Took his Philosophy 2 and Philosophy 3 class in spring 2013. Personally, I thought he was an excellent professor. Very knowledgeable and helpful.He will certainly challenge views he thinks aren't logical, so be prepared to defend your claims. But a good philosophy professor should challenge your views. Overall, his classes changed my world views!

Class discussions are truly inspiring with Prof. Stramel. No need to take notes; he sends you his concise notes via e-mail. 4 essays, crystal-clear instructions. Difficult, wordy textbook with demanding reading schedule, though. Pay attention, participate, study, and THINK! You’ll be happy you took the class.

Great professor! He is a little odd, obsessed with his cats but he was very nice and lectures were super interesting. His grading is very easy! 6 papers (1 page-2) the most simple papers you will have to write! Exams(2) T/F and multiple choice final has essay question. As long as you read his provided notes and skim the book you will be golden!

Good teacher. The tests and quizzes are a little hard but the papers you write and straight to the point and short. He emails you notes so you don't have to write them yourself; he repeats himself a lot but it helps the ideas sink in. Ethics is a hard subject but he makes it fun

Good teacher, highly interested in the course material & works to make the class current and relevant. Sometimes he gets too rigid and coarse with his perspective and opinions without adequately acknowledging questions.

i would have never thought i would enjoy a philosophy class, but i did. his lectures were great, never boring. exam one was 3 parts all take home and straight out of lecture notes that he hands out. exam 2 was an essay, it was not bad, just make sure you give yourself time. term paper was the toughest yet most interesting, final was not hard.

Don't listen to the idiots that are rating him down. Stramal is an amazing teacher. He is funny, to the point, and makes his lectures very clear. There are a lot of discussions, which i liked. I enjoyed going to this class every day, and I can honestly say I learned a LOT in this class. I didn't open the book one time and received a B in the class.

He gives great notes via email, very clear guideline for what to study for the tests. About 5 papers, be sure to hit all the key points and you'll get high marks. You need to read the book. Really fun and engaging class discussions.

Everyone in our class loved Professor Stramel! Super funny and takes the time to answer everyone's questions, even though they sometimes lead us off track. Endless supply of new shirts. Sympathetic while grading, though don't get too relaxed. I've often come to class stressed out and left much happier due to the great lecturesclass discussion.

Dr. S gives excellent (and sometimes insightful) lectures. His lectures are even better when you give feedback and questions. He will be there for you and is a perfect professor to help you develop your critical thinking and beliefs. You just need to make sure to try to give FULL participation!

Phenomenal teacher: easy-going, passionate about subject, & willing to help & work w students. Lectures are emailed to class, so note taking isn't extensive. Class discussions are def interesting, & will open your mind to lots! Fair grader, but you must DO the reading, essays, & put in effort- duh this is college! Easy A? No. Awesome class? YES!

Highly intelligent man (you kinda have to be to teach philosophy). He's very opinionated and very liberal which, if you're like me, won't pose a problem. If you're any degree of intolerant you will be on his bad side. Amazing discussion that gets you to think. Very happy I took this class and I plan on taking Philos 5 with him next semester.

He is knowledgeable of the material and he makes it easy on the students to pay attention by sending notes before the discussion to make it easier to follow him. You really need to be there to truly understand the material and make it easier on your life to write the 5 papers. His midterm and final are tricky. Easy B and have-to-work-for-it A.

Learned a lot of practical, useful material and was inspired by his class. Really cares about his students but doesn't just hand out A's. Grade is determined by 4 papers and 5 tough exams. Follow paper directions EXACTLY if you want a decent grade. Participation in class goes a long way. Definitely recommend him, but prepare to work very hard!

Stramel is a brilliant professor and a nice person. His class ignited my passion for philosophy and helped me clarify my own position on some important issues. You do have to work in this class as it is philosophy and so requires a high degree of analysis and critical thinking, but what you get out of it is very much worth the effort.

If you love philosophy, take this class. His lectures are extremely engaging/funny, a pleasure to go to. His specificity required on the research paper is unlike anything I've ever had, one incorrect word usage, and you'll pay for it. That being said, he relentlessly explains why you must be specific. Loved his class, you will too,+ ask questions.

Not only will you learn but he gives such amazing life lessons! Truly a life changing course. Be prepared to put in the work, ask questions, and don't shy away from the reading it will help when he lectures. He refers to the textbook alot