Josh Smith is amazing...he has a passion for what he teaches, and he makes class interesting. He expects you to work and do the reading, even if you don't understand it because he discusses it in class. He does have pop quizzes. Students came to class anyway, even if they didn't do the homework, because he's fun to listen to. He makes class fun.

Highly recommend this prof. He makes class entertaining and teaches you at the same time. Tests are fair, and there is some homework.

Josh is great! I loved coming to class. He gives "unannounced quizzes" based on the reading assigned from the previous class. You have to write papers completely in dialogue which i found a little tricky but the quizzes help bring your grades up. The reading is hard to understand but the discussions clarify everything and make it worthwhile!

To be completely fair, Dr. Joshua A. Smith should not be "rated" on this website, because he is more than a man. Have you ever ridden a rainbow unicorn on a serene country pathway paved with two hundred dollar bills? This is the only activity that can be likened to attending Dr. Joshua's class. If I could give him a trillion chili peppers, I would.

Philosopher? Pop culture expert? Omniscient divine being? Josh Smith is actually all of these conjoined into one. I KNOW this. How, you ask? 1. It is true 2. I believe it 3. I am justified in believing it. His vast intellect will knock you out like a vicious round kick to the temple with spiked metal boots plated with diamonds.

Really cool guy. Really helpful and willing to go out of his way to assist his students.

If Mountain Dew is the sweet nectar of the gods,which it is, then Josh Smith is a god himself made flesh. Being in his class is like swimming in a lake of chocolate ice cream and cookies.It is a divine and holy time in which you feel that whatever god(s) you believe in have blessed you for allowing Josh to come into you life

Josh was my first college professor, and an amazing one at that. He treats all of his students like adults and with respect. He is always available to answer questions even right before the test. Not only was I happy with his teaching style, but even during the summer when it was hard to be there, he made it a very interesting and fun environment:)

The best teacher i've had so far in my 2 years here. Extremely helpful in everyway and extremely interesting. Very little homework but class is very interesting. I have to work very hard in this class to keep up but it's well worth it. 100% recommend this class to anyone interested in Philosophy. Cant imagine a better teacher for this class.

I took Josh's class to get around taking a science class for the U.P. requirements and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the class. He is a great teacher and is full of energy. He makes class fun. I highly recommend his class.

Really fun professor. Lots of rabbit trails, but very enthusiastic about philosophy and very willing to help students learn. Best class I had this semester.

Josh is an incredibly dedicated instructor. People on here complaining about how "hard" it is must not realize that they've graduated from high school and are now in college- where more might be expected of them. I visited Josh's office hours when I had trouble, and he always helped me. If you put in the effort, you will truly enjoy this class.

Josh makes this class manageable, he tells funny jokes and still gets the point a crossed. It has basically NO homework and if you do get some it will take u 5 min. It is a somewhat difficult class, he is VERY helpful and is always willing to meet after class hours, one suggestion GO TO CLASS!!

Great teacher. Easily distracted from topic but always interesting.

No other class in my life has been so much fun. I never missed a class because I didn't want to miss what Josh was gonna say that day. I probably laughed more in his class than in all my other classes at Central combined. And best of all, he is a terrific teacher who is nuts about philosophy and makes the subject easy to understand and enjoy.

AWESOME professor. Class is actually enjoyable. I did not want to miss a class even though one was on friday and thats saying somthing. Little homework. Touch subject but he will help as much as possible.

Dr. Smith is an awesome professor. I've gained a liking for philosophy when I was totally indifferent towards it before the semester. It isn't a walk in the park, but a high grade is very possibly if you just think, which is all he wants.

This guy actually teaches. There are so many teachers at central that don't teach, they just collect a check. America needs more teachers like this. He tries to help you. He's not stuck up at all like every other teacher i have had at central. This guy is the s**t. TAKE his class

Great professor! Helpful, funny and makes you interested in the material...really good guy!

If you don't like math, don't take this class. He is an amazing person and is super funny, but some of the stuff gets really confusing and you spend more time telling stories than learning. Still really fun class.

Josh is GREAT! His class was a ton of fun and involved almost completely discussion and no homework. There was one paper to write. He assigns some small reading to give background for discussion, but it isn't bad at all. Great guy, great class, if you get a chance to take it, DO!

Awesome teacher!!!! So funny and very helpful! The only way you could do bad is by not paying attention. Take his classes they are amazing!

He's hilarious!

Hefty reading load, but great class! Prof Smith doubles as a professor and standup comedian. Good combination for Epistemology.

Josh is super awesome, but really hard. The way he teaches proofs made me fail all tests. I passed with a D+ and I'm not happy about it. I have to retake the class, but I'm taking it with someone else. Good Luck

Josh is a great teacher! I had him at 9 a.m. he made the class worth going to. there is a lot of readings but the quizzes are easy and he basically will give you the answers sometimes. I loved the class and want to take another with him just because he is funny and just plain awesome! Take his class!!

Normally I don't write reviews but this Prof made me want to submit a review for him. He was AWESOME!! He made examples that applied to daily life. He was easy to talk to. And though being an Intelligent professor he wasn't willing to admit fault. Take his class!!

Awesome professor just know your sports if you want to understand the examples he gives! had my attention the entire time!

Lots of reading for the class. Always gets off topic talking about sports movies or other random information. Is overall helpful as he response to emails quickly and will work with you when needed.

one of my favorite professors. helped out a lot with his examples and was very responsive to emails. one of the funniest teaches i've ever had as well.

Hilarious instructor. Was very helpful and went over material well. Made the class very entertaining. Would have him as an instructor again.

An excellent professor. Very funny and pretty entertaining! He uses the book often! It's good to attend class!

Best teacher I've ever had. Never lost interest and he always kept things fun. I would have him for all my classes if I could

Have you ever dreamt about going to a far away land where rivers made of milk chocolate and peeps flow everywhere and you ride a pegasus through your kingdom! Well. take this class and it will happen. He will get you to think and even if you have no background with philosophy, you will be fine and pretty soon you too will experience heaven.

Best professor I have ever had. I've taken probably 5 classes with him and chose a PHL major because of him.You'll actually USE this stuff outside of class in everyday life. He's funny and lighthearted (not for easily offended people though). Cannot say enough good things about him. Favorite.

I looked forward to coming to this class.

Professor Smith very well could be my favorite professor that I've ever had. He's hilarious and even though we get off topic talking about movies and music a lot, he somehow relates it to the material which helps make everything that much clearer. If you aren't interested in phl already, you will be after taking a class with him

I found that his lengthy beard helped me focus on his lectures.

His was one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken. Very funny and very smart. Yes, he talks a lot of crazy but that is what kept me interested and oddly enough, focused. He told stories, had us read, and gave visual images for certain ideas. I gained a lot of perspective and loved his class! Papers are written out like a script.

Very knowledgable at his craft. Made me appreciate Philosophy and wish I took more philosophy classes.

Very knowledgable at his craft. Made me appreciate Philosophy and wish I took more philosophy classes!!

Very knowledgable at his craft. Made me appreciate Philosophy and wish I took more philosophy classes!

Dr. Smith had a great balance between lecture and story-telling/conversation. It was a fun class, and I learned a lot!

Down to Earth. Clear and concise. Easy to make fun of and ridicule in front of his other students.

Professor Smith is a riveting, funny, and informative guide to understanding hard to grasp philosophy. While it is unfortunate that he graduated from Ohio State University, and he would prefer to sit alone instead of participating in a few games of free billiards, professor Smith is sure to lift your intellectual standards and open your mind.

After 4 years of school, he has by far been my favorite professor. Very willing to work with you and talk outside of class. He tried to actually get to know all of us in the class. He's really funny and makes class enjoyable.

reading response for every ready but they are credit no credit and only half a page double spaced so as long as you do them then you're good, also no tests only papers! he is funny and entertaining. I Enjoy going to his class, he is also REALLY smart, I think he knows everything!

He is hilarious and will make the class interesting. He's a great guy and is very understanding. He will relate to anything and everything in order to keep your attention and you will enjoy class. He told us to "take the hotness button really seriously", if that doesn't tell you something about his personality then I don't what will...

He's hella cool and smart

He took a tough subject (Epistemology) and made you actually want to listen to his lectures, which is tough. Class was a divide between stories and lectures, but everything always related back to the subject. He made it an adventure with a cliffhanger every week. Also advised us to take the pepper seriously, so he's a funny guy as well.

So funny, very entertaining, very understanding. I love his teaching style, very live.

His lectures are awesome. He gets his students really interested and relates everything to pop-culture, he makes sure that everything is understandable... He is more concerned with how you think about things than what your beliefs are or memorizing. He's super friendly, and class can be hilarious... I definitely recommend taking Smith's class!

One of the best professors I have ever had, period. Smith clearly loves philosophy and is very passionate about the subject, and that translates to his lecturing. He manages to both clearly cover material and make the class enjoyable and often hilarious. Homework and exams are both easy if you attend lectures and take good notes.

I loved Josh. He's hilarious and always available to his students. His lectures are funny and engaging. The course itself may be challenging, but ask questions and get the help you need and everything will be okay. The best advice I can give is go to class.

Best teacher I have ever had to be honest. It was a tough subject, but he always knew how to relate it to things that students could understand. Easy A if you take notes and there are barely any tests to worry about. Ask the right questions and you will get all the answers. Plus he is a blast in a half! Recommend his class to anyone :)

Professor Smith was awesome. He always made class enjoyable to go to, even if you weren't fully interested in the topic. If you needed help, he was always available and made sure you understood the material. I would highly suggest taking the class with Professor Smith if it is an option.

Josh was a GREAT professor. PHL140 is probably the hardest class that I've ever taken (and I'm really not doing well in it) but Professor Smith did everything he could to help me out. He recorded videos of him talking through the problems I was having trouble with and he always emailed you back right away. Great professor, but REALLY hard class.

Smith is by far my favorite professor. He is so funny and makes class worth while! He is always making jokes and keeping everyone involved in the class and when its time to learn he's serious about it and does a good job teaching. He always meets with me when I need help and explains everything very thoroughly. Awesome professor!!!

Good professor, but the class is really hard (probably bc I took it online). There is non stop homework, but he does really try to help as much as he can. This class is for sure not a blow off, so I would rethink about taking it if you're trying to get a UP credit.

Josh is an AMAZING professor! He makes a tough subject more interesting and will take time to make sure everyone in class understands what is going on before he moves on. He makes every class enjoyable and keeps students engaged in what they are learning. He has always been available when I needed extra help in the class. Definitely recommend!

Professor Smith is an awesome teacher. He's hilarious and his class is easy if you pay attention half the time. He's very accessible to reach outside of class and really listens to his students.

Such a fun professor! Really interacted with students and was absolutely hilarious. Gave a lot of good real life examples to help us learn the material. Was slightly tough on grading papers, but helped us learn in a fun way.

I can't stand philosophy and he somehow made it understandable and enjoyable.

I took this class in the summer, was reading intensive. Prof Smith is the man with the plan. He says he hates you but it really he loves his students so much he has to push them away. HE IS A LOVE MACHINE OR RAINBOWS. He has the secrets to the universe that he reveals in his lectures sometimes but only if you let him listen to Julien Baker.

There are occasionally online quizzes about the chapter readings, but they are usually super easy. The class is lecture heavy, but as long as you go and take notes you will be fine when it comes to exams. I would also recommend to have him read over your paper before you turn it in because he will tell you exactly what to fix for full credit.

I loved this class! Although sometimes he may get off topic by talking about movies, sports, and other stuff, he always ties the discussion back into what we are discussing that day and it made the topic easy to remember and relate to!

He was FANTASTIC. Most fun I've ever had in a class. Comical and fun for sure. Take this class with Smith. No joke.

Probably the most engaging professor I've ever had

Josh is so fun, show up to class and do the homework and he is more than accessible to help.

Best professor I have ever had at CMU. Taken as a WI summer class he made it interesting and enjoyable. Hes also hilarious. I wish I could take every class with him!

Great professor, really good at keeping your attention during class. Very funny and used many real life stories to help explain concepts from the class.

TAKE!! I didnt know anything about PHL but have learned a ton!! His teaching style is funny and super helpful!

Dr. Smith is one of the most approachable/fun professors at CMU. He is very passionate about the material, and uses a lot of examples to help non-philosophy majors understand more difficult concepts and readings. He's flexible with deadlines, very helpful one on one, and always willing to help students. Also, he deserves his chili pepper back!

Very good Prof. Understanding and takes time to explain things to students. I failed PHL 140 before and now I'm expecting to get an A- or B+. He is also hilarious and you won't be bored. Philosophy is hard in general and if you don't go you won't pass. Highly recommend him and would take again - just not another PHL class ever again.

Smith is one of the best professors at CMU who gets to know his classroom and makes everyone feel comfortable within the classroom with his hilarious jokes that relate back to the material in the class which also makes the material more easy to understand.

Great experience, he is a professor who knows how to making learning a difficult subject interesting and enjoyable. Never had one issue.

Great Professor! highly recommended. very funny guy, has a good sense of humor. Very sarcastic so if you're too sensitive I don't recommend. but he's super cool. grades well. Easy to get in touch with. Makes philosophy easy to understand and helps you if you need help.

Dr. Smith is fun and energetic. PHL 320 is not the most interesting material but he still seemed to make it entertaining. He cares about his students but doesn't act like he does. Overall wants to see his students succeed.

Smith is awesome. He made me look forward to going to class! He makes lectures funny, which makes you more interested and engaged. I got an A in this class, and while it wasnt the easiest thing Ive ever done, Smith really makes himself available to help you in any way he can. Dont pass up on taking his class!

He's funny, and all, so that really in terms of wanting to sit through lectures to try to understand what the hell is going on. Not a Philosophy major, so maybe it's just me, but if you go home and practice alone (or google some examples) you'll have a much easier time understanding concepts. Tests and homework are pretty straight forward.

He's awesome!

Professor Smith was easily the most entertaining and laid-back prof I've ever had. He does use explicit language, so don't take him if you're easily offended. However, if you're looking for a truly interesting and overall easy class, take this one.

TAKE THIS CLASS AND PROFESSOR. This prof does not teach like a normal one, and in a good way. His lectures are hilarious and he knows how to keep your attention in class. My all-time favorite professor ever. He actually cares about his students and will make sure you pass.

Dr. Smith is beyond the best philosophy professor on campus. He makes the content of each of his classes interesting even if the age subject is boring. The quizzes arent easy but if you study you will do more than fine. The exams are similar to the quizzes but a little bit longer. Dont expect to be able to skip class and pass

By far the most enjoyable class I have had, he hates all his students so don't take it personally, or do if thats your thing. He goes off on different discussions and still relates (most of) it back to the lectures we are discussing. He also plays some pretty good music so thats a bonus too. Course wise there is a lot that can be confusing at first

Joshua Smith is by far the most entertaining and enjoyable professors I have ever had. During his lectures he makes sure to keep things interesting and doesn't try to take himself too seriously. He assigns two papers for the non-WI course and they are both so easy I wouldn't really consider them full length papers. Overall I highly recommend him!

Best professor, would recommend 100%

Gave lectures that helped me understand the material and was also incredibly entertaining. Don't be scared by the concept of medical ethics, he describes the complex readings in a way that make sense and answers any questions you may have

One of my favorite professors ever. He is so entertaining and makes learning FUN. Definitely take a class with him if you get the chance to do so, he is great. For medical ethics, there were only 2 papers and a few other super easy things. Exams were easy. He is a very easy grader and very easy going overall.

Josh is a great professor. Very funny guy! He gets off topic during his lectures, but does not quiz you on things he does not cover. I had two papers and six ten-question “exams” that were multiple choice.

One of the best professors anyone could ever have. This was the only class I looked forward to attending. He made lectures extremely fun/funny, while also making them educational. He grades papers fairly easy and he doesn't give excessive amount of work. Which is good for anyone who is taking multiple classes. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Smith says he hates his students. From what I can tell, he LOVES doing what he does. Class is mostly a discussion: he likes when students present him with issues with whichever topic we are covering. He is extremely funny, and I enjoyed messing with him. I was nervous to take him as one of the reviews said he was sexist -- that is not at all true.

Mr. Smith was the best teacher I had in my freshman fall semester at CMU. He was hilarious and the class was entertaining and fun. If you like being open minded, he is the perfect prof for you. Highly recommend for an opening philosophy class. Not to many assignments.

Professor Smith's lectures are a blast - he keeps things entertaining while covering the material. The papers are a breeze, but the exams can be tricky. Attending class and using unstuck AI for study prep really helps.

Full of hate and rage!