Very knowledgeable teacher. Tests are somewhat easy. If philosophy is not your thing, the class will be very challenging. Lots of homework, but the class is interesting.

Excellent professor who makes the points extremely clear. He treats every student with fairness and dignity. He's a great professor and a great person.

I truly enjoyed his teaching. class wasn't difficult, short assigned readings each class, 2 short questions to answer each week, and great philosophical discussions. he is very respectable and interesting.

Excellent class. learned a lot. very interesting and lots of conversation.

Caplan is an amazing professor. He cares for his stundents and is really clear when he lectures. Lots of reading and weekly questions. Come to class prepared, take notes for final and mid-term. Easy class for Summer School.

Mr Caplan's classes will challenge every student to rise to the next level of philosophical knowledge. This could not be possible without Mr Caplan's superior teaching, as he knows the Ancient ones better than they themselves did.

AMAZING class. Mr. Caplan is one of the most talented teachers I've ever had, in that he certainly knows how to get a group of college students riled up and in debate about issues that one would figure are already talked to death. Highly Recommended!!

Amazingly clear teaching style that really induces you to think. Always available for extra time after class. Very Helpful.

Gerry has a very clear understanding for any subject he explains. He respects each and every individual, in his class. He is a wonderful teacher. Very insightful, and well-read.

Dr. Caplan is a wonderful teacher and a wonderful person. He is careful about entertaining every point of view. "Now on the other hand...." It was a challenging and thought-provoking class.

ughhh boring as hell class but he is atleast willing to admit that he knows we arent interested and willing to take suggestions.

This is a good class although it is boring. He tries to make the class better if you suggest things. He provides a lot of help and is a really nice guy!

He was very helpful. He is very dedicated to his job. Plan on attending all of his classes, when you miss a discussion it can make the reading difficult. There is one term paper and the midterm and final. Make sure to speak up in class, he likes when people comment.

Mr. Caplan is such a wonderful professor. You can count on him to be make himself avaliable to offer extra help. The material can be difficult, but he tries to make it more appealing. Shows concern for all his students. Answers your e-mail asap. Sweet, Sweet person. He is dedicated and passionate about teaching.

One of the best professors I ever had...The quiet and closed minded should not take this class as you will not have any idea how to deal...Might as well turn your application in to CountryWide and hope you get picked up into middle management...

Very good teacher. Sometimes the subject material is difficult, but he always explains himself very well. Highly recommended.

Great, objective teacher who can spark your interest. He's extremely fair, and for those wanting to take Philosophy to a new level, he holds Saturday discussions at his pad. There IS required reading for these, and it's personal, not class-related. A great

Caplan is a fantastic teacher. He's completely laid back; there's no pressure to do anything other than THINK and share your thoughts and questions with the rest of the class. Every session is a seminar-style discussion group, and he's always open to suggestions or unorthodox points of view about the readings. Recommended teacher.

This class is so chill, it's a great class to end with at the end of the day. All you do is just discuss and say what's on your mind. The readings are pretty easy and so are the assignments you just have to think a little bit. The midterm is so easy, he basically gives it to you in the review sheet. Did i mention he was an awesome professor!!

Prof Caplan is a most outstanding teacher, one of the best I've ever had. He engages the subject matter in a very open manner, that is, with this class, lecture was much like a seminar open for discussion. He is simply put one of those hard to come by teachers that challenges you all the while keeping it interesting. HE COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

By far the best teacher i have ever had. Such a gentleman. After taking his class i love philosophy. very little reading no homework, and only 2 term papers

Nice guy

very interesting and personable, highly recommended!

CAplan is a great professor and a really nice gentleman. I would definitely take him again. Just do some reading or pay attention to lectures to write at least 10 weekly papers. The lectures are very interesting as they seem to always turn into group discussions. 1 term paper and 1 final. Good class, great instructor!!

awesome!

Unquestionably the best professor I've had at MC. Well spoken, articulate and makes the effort to let students understand (and appreciate) the class material. Assignments are occasional study Q's, a term paper, a midterm and a final. Read the book, do the assignments, show up and you'll get a good grade. Fantastic teacher, highly recommended!

one of the best Professors i've ever had. has a great personallity that brings to life what some might consider a very boring subject matter. He is passionate about his work and his student (and he's crazy with a boomerang). on a scale from 1 to 10, I give him an "AWSOME". if you Take Philosophy, Take Caplan.

Great teacher who keeps the class reasonably interesting. Not too difficult if you don't mind writing small essay's defending a position on something like abortion or the death penality. Easygoing teacher !

Dr. Caplan is my favorite teacher yet. He is such a sweet man and a wonderful teacher. He is available to talk and help you whenever you need him. Do the reading, assignments, and write down everything he says in class, and the tests will be very easy for you if you study for them. I HIGHLY recommend him. I love you Caplan!!!

very interested in the subject and knows the philosophies in depth. He listens to what you have to say as long as it is tasteful. He divides the semester into 3 parts: 1) teaches moral philosophies 2) Group presentations (each takes up an entire class) 3) Work on final paper, no class, just meet with him for 30 mins to go over paper Books are small

Dr. Caplan is a fantastic professor. I consider his Intro To Philosophy class to be the most challenging AND rewarding so far at MC. He has a complete and thorough understanding of the material he lectures on and manages to hold your attention without being dry. I learned a lot from his class and highly recommend it.

Great class. dr.caplan is sucha gentelman. the class is very interesting and you learn a lot. just do your assignments and you will get excellent scrores on the midterm and final b/c the q's come from your assignments. the discussions are amazing! his class was the high light of my week...you will leave the class with much knowledge!

excellent teacher. not easy but worth taking. its a discussion class so participation is a must. homework every week. One midterm, one final, one paper. (He gives you the questions for the mid/final before hand) Highly recommended. Im a phil major now!

OUTSTANDING TEACHER. One of the best Moorpark has to offer. stimulates your interest in the subject and makes you want to come to class. Not an easy A but its not rediculously hard either. Fair on grading and really wants to here what you have to say! TAKE IT! 1 paper(easy!), weekely HWs (lots of reading) and in class easys for midterm and final.

A delightful teacher. One of the best I've encountered at Moorpark. Very knowledgeable, very caring about students and subject, and very interested in what everyone has to say. Reading the text was not necessary so long as you came to class each day and took good notes. I didn't even buy the book, to be honest, but showed up and took notes.

Please disregard the comment below me, the person does not attend class to learn. If you want to understand Philosophy, then take this class. And then ask him about boomerangs.

If you want to understand Philosophy, then take this class. And then ask him about boomerangs.

He is the best philosophy teacher at Moorpark. He is so passionate about what he teaches and he can talk with you for hours. He always knows what to say. He is also good at responding back emails. Very Helpful and such a nice man.

I laugh when I think of my witless peers who would downtalk Caplan. Intense and thorough, he promotes a kind of learning in his Classical Mind session that is unlike any textbook sermon. Learning under Caplan is a privelege for the intelligent.

favorite teacher at moorpark.

Caplan is a nice guy. Phil. of ethics didn't interest me.. still doesnt. To succeed:Read the articles, PARTICIPATE in talking, study for essay midterm and final. Do well on the essay as well. I got an A, he is a nice guy.. boring and challenging.

Instructor is worldly and well-traveled. Teaches to the back of the class, which can be frustrating to students with a more developed philosophical aptitude than is average, but helps more mainstream-oriented students to understand concepts. Grade is unaffected by participation if you address him about such concerns early. Tests/quizzes are crucial

Took his Ethics course. Very knowlegable instructor. Requires 2 books, cost about $80 together. Two tests, 1 Final (One-on-one oral final with professor alone), and 3 essays on the moral topic of your choice. You can do well in this class if you participate, because class is almost entirely discussion. However, he works hard to keep you interested.

GREAT GUY the class was 100% group discussion not lecture. grade=25% participation 25% final and 50% weekly papers(10 for the semester). weekly papers were easy. sparknoted the text only and wrote what i was confused about for the papers and got an A on 8/10 of em. i got a B without participating. easy A if you participate. highly reccomend

A really great class. Some lecture that usually turns into class discussion. Had to write 4 papers and do a presentation but they're easier than expected. Summarize your book topic well and you'll get an A. Loves ethics and argues with the class from all points of view. Most unbiased I've ever had. Is more than happy to explain

What a guy. I'm so pleased I took this class from such a kind, clear and well-traveled professor. The Classical Mind with Dr. Caplan is a joy.

Such a cute old man! Loves what he does and really wants to help his students. I would highly recommend taking this class as long as you are willing to participate! if not, it could get dull. Gives A's if you do the work and show interest. He loves if you visit him in office hours!

take Caplan...trust me, he is amazing. Read the assigned readings and be interested. Write down what he says in class. Good stuff.

Gerry Caplan is God's gift to Moorpark College.

I took him for the Humanities class, and out of the three teachers who taught it--he was my favorite. He's funny and well cultured. You can tell he thinks things through and is always open to new suggestions. He also throws boomerangs. Pretty cool guy!

good guy. interesting class. had abortion debate in class. pretty darn easy A

Cool guy and an interesting class.Makes you want to actually participate in discussions. Got a pretty easy A as the work consisted of three short papers based on articles out of the book, an in class group debate, and a short answer midterm and final

really entertaining

Jerry is one of the most good-natured professors I've had in a long time- super nice and understanding. I personally thought the subject was a little dull, but if philosophy is your thing I definitely recommend taking it from him.

Caplan is the nicest man! He respects his students more then any other teacher I've ever had. The class is very interactive. You get to meet new and interesting people. You read from the text book at home and then discuss the material in class. take this class!! And don't be afraid to participate.

Caplan is a very nice, clear guy. He cares about engaging the class in debates and he wants you to succeed. Visit him in office hours to chat and he'll be more than willing to help. 3 papers, midterm, and final. Lenient grader. Well-cultured man, knows his stuff. Tries to reduce student stress as much as he can.

Nice guy! makes the subject interesting etc. His test are hard. I received a c in his class and i showed up everyday and did the work. He grades hard! I noticed people around me also with low test grades.He does do his job but he does need to grade easier!

Incredible teacher. Very knowledgeable and makes every lecture interesting. Papers are easy as long as you do them, Guaranteed good grade for contributing to class discussions and putting in work. Def. would take again in a heart beat.

Jerry Caplan is a really nice guy. The scantron quizzes are quite easy, but not a joke and you need to study. He grades papers quite easily, not a demanding grader. Interesting class discussions.

Caplan is a figuratively beautiful man. Intelligent, respectful, and highly interested in his students. He's even willing to meet you outside of school just to chat. His ethics class was easy but stimulating - 4 or 5 quizzes on the readings, 1 essay, and an essay-based final.Fantastic professor, highly recommended.

I love this teacher. Take his class. Now.

I am in this class right now and I have to say I really enjoy it. You can tell that Professor Caplan puts his entire heart and mind into everything and is incredibly interested in philosophy and sincerely cares about his students. I would recommend taking this class, his views on the readings are very intriguing and mind-blowing.

GREAT PROFESSOR! EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY EASY. & He's really cute old man that loves what he's talking about and gets the class involved. EASY A

Class itself has a lot of potential to be more engaging because overall it was okay. It's very easy. I don't get why people cheated in the class because it's just so easy. His quizzes/essay/test are very fair. As someone who loves these subjects, though, I wish it had been more fun.

AMAZING! Very nice guy. Hates cellphones in class, so don't test him. Will always take the time to explain something. Funny, good with boomerangs. Loved his class. Interesting discussions all the time. Would recommend and take again.

Caplan is a really nice professor and is more than willing to answer any questions you have. Class is mostly discussion, not lecture. You need to go to class to do well. That being said, Caplan makes philosophy interesting and you won't regret going to class. Show up and participate and you will definitely get a good grade. Two essays, one final.

Easy A class. He's really into the subject, but he's only okay at teaching it. Can definitely survive the class without doing the reading often. 3 quizzes are only on vocab, 1 paper, final. Make a couple comments in class every now and then just for participation.

Great teacher! Super passionate and knowledgeable. Really easy class as long as you study vocab words he gives to you. Really likes participation.

Cap is a great professor and he genuinely loves the subject. You can definitely tell during discussions and how humble and eager he is to hear and learn from his students. Don't be afraid to drop into his office hours and grab a cup of tea and talk about Roger Federer or get clarification on reading topics! Best Prof I've had @Moorpark.

I absolutely LOVE Caplan. Not only is he the sweetest professor in Moorpark, he genuinely wants to learn and loves what he teaches. He's also extremely humble, doesn't make assumptions. Quizzes help you learn more. Just love this professor so much I would take any class with him!

Professor Caplan is a truly wonderful Professor. His lectures are very interesting and he really encourages class participation. If you study and come to class you'll do well.

You really need to go to class or do some reading on your own. He's somewhat a tough grader on the quizzes, but he's really nice. He's also very funny. I didn't do so well on quizzes but got an A on the term paper. Participate in discussions and get on his good side!

Caplan is a wealth of knowledge & has a funny side. East world Religion is a good exposure to Eastern religions, he makes it engaging. 2-3 quizzes memorize words/meaning, 1 essay 4-5 pgs. but if you attend class & pay attention, you will enjoy writing it. Final is basically what you learned, he has 3-4 questions in essay format. U get study guide.

He was a really great teacher, very enthusiastic and excited about the subject and made everything very clear. Definitely one of the best teachers I've ever had!

Caplan was awesome! My buddies and I sat in the back corner and would usually contribute to all class discussions and Caplan was cool about it. He could tell some of the things we said were to piss people off, but he turned it so it was class related. Caplan was a Great Teacher, I recommend him 100% He is VERY VERY lenient with which book you buy

Professor Caplan is an Awesome instructor. He has a great passion for philosophy and higher level thinking.He is a very nice man, he is very helpful, if you attend class and take notes, do the reading and you will get a good grade. I highly recommend him.

SUPER interesting professor. Very knowledgable and thought provoking. Takes attendance. Grade based on two essays, and a final. Come to class and participate!

Lovely professor, super smart. Knows his stuff.

Caplan is the perfect professor. He will share your enthusiasm on topics, and class discussions are fun. Very patient and understanding; genuinely cares about his students. Makes it clear what his grading criteria is.

The class was more philosophical than it was detailed and factual. You will ponder more why rather than study how a religion believes something. We covered Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and a few others. Prof. Caplan is intriguing in his lectures. He is encouraging and accepting of all your ideas and input.

Not only one of the best professors and mentors to simply sit in his office and drink tea with, but also a genuinely caring tutor, Prof. Caplan has taught me so much about my major (Phil) and life overall. He is always willing to listen to ideas and give feedback. A wise man, he further sparked my interest in ancient Greek Phil and its teachings!

I was skeptical about philosophy, let alone eastern religions, but I absolutely loved this class. He gives you study guides for the tests and the classes are full of philosophical discussions. He cares about the students and really knows his stuff. One of my favorite teachers. Take this class!

Very nice man, teaches with passion, you can tell that he is not doing it just for the money. Encourages participation and there is a lot of debate in his class. He does the best to keep the conversation educated and based on the texts but some of the students are extremely ignorant and don't even read. 3 papers and a final. Fair grades.

I took professor caplan for m12 and m13. In m13 he sparked my inner desire to write, i truly enjoyed the philosophical debates held in his lectures. He wants you to succeed and he is a very fair professor. You must come to class, unfortunately i had to miss a lot of class and received a B but an A is very much possible!

Caplan is wonderful! He encourages a ton of discussion and friendly debates in the classroom. He is very kind, understanding, intelligent, and adorable. I loved going to class just to listen to him lecture and tell corny but hilarious jokes.

Mr Caplan is a great professor! He promotes class discussions and lets everyone who wants to talk talk. The one thing about the class is don't skip. It may seem like an easy class to skip but if you want to pass you can't dot it. Participation os a big part in the class and if you have to show up to get it.

Caplan is such a cute lil guy. The topics can definately get confusing but what I realized towards the end of the semester is that every book that we read has sparknotes online and it makes it really easy to follow along. the ENTIRE semester is lecture. the final grade is based on two essays and a final. no midterm. Pretty easy to get at LEAST a B

One of the best teachers i had a pleasure to meet at Moorpark, as he is extremely passionate about teaching philosophy. he makes sure that everyone in the class is in the same page. Expect an Essay on a philosophical topic that's been discussed, as well as him giving you the set of questions they'll appear in the final. Bring textbook for clarity.

Very professional guy. Takes his job seriously. Encourages open discussion. Reading is necessary if you have no background at all, but he properly teaches/tells you all that you need to know for the quizzes, one term paper, and final. He also makes the class interesting by letting you know of things going on around town related to class. Awesome!

He is a great teacher. I am continuing to be in the philosophy club he hosts after the class, and many people still go after graduating from the school, if nearby.

Professor Caplan is an amazing professor. Going into this class, I was nervous about having to participate. I told him I had anxiety and he rarely called on me and let me take my midterm in his office! midterm, term paper, and the final. All of class is lecture so bring ur book to participate and read along. He really works with you on all levels!

Professor Caplan is really just one of the friendliest people you'll meet. The harshest words I remember him saying to anyone was when someone would use an indecent word, and he'd yell jokingly, "Decorum! Decorum!"

Professor Caplan is the most intelligent professor at Moorpark. He is awesome and everyone should take a class with him. Highly recommend! Go to his office hours for free tea and cookies also!

Caplan is the man. Like a good philosophy professor, he really makes you think. Only grades participation, midterm, term paper, and final. There is a lot of reading, but most of it is interesting and he makes you engage in conversation. Really nice guy and is always up for questions in or outside of class. Wouldn't take philosophy with anyone else.

Very easy grader. Never had to read any of the textbook. Essays are easy if you pay attention to the discussions and give them adequate time. In class essays are pretty easy. Very accessible and accommodating professor. Just give the class a little effort and thought and you'll get an A! Also: participate! It really helps :)

I actually cannot say enough good about Caplan. I walked out with a true sense that I'd actually expanded my mind after every class (IF I participated. Listening won't get ya much.) He holds discussions and does not simply lecture. Philosophy is a hands-on subject, and so naturally you will be expected to discuss readings. Retiring soon, take ASAP!