3.3
Quality3.8
Difficulty54%
Would Retake96
Reviews54%
Would Retake
96
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
36
4
12
3
15
2
11
1
22
What Students Say
“If you don't do those three things, you won't do well”
PHIL111 - 4.0 rating“Prof Shouler is extremely intelligent and interesting”
PHIL115 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
89%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.35 avg changeRatings by Course
PHL212
5.0
(1)PHL115
3.8
(6)PHIL114
3.8
(12)PHL114
3.7
(11)PHILOSOPHY
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
PHIL115
4.3
PHILOSOPHY
4.0
PHL114
3.8
PHL111
3.8
PHIL111
3.8
Reviews (96)
Decent professor. The material is rather difficult to understand but he helps sort through it for you. Sometimes difficult to understand verbally, and his handwriting also is terrible (most lectures are PowerPoints, thankfully). Grade based on four exams (ALL essay) and a set of 3-4 short essay questions as homework due each class period.
This professor is horrible. 80% of my class dropped out due to poor performance. His lectures and tests are extremely difficult to prepare for. Classroom instruction rarely helps if you're having a hard time. Do not talk this teacher. If you have the opportunity switch classes or take something else to fill an elective. It's not worth your money.
I am taking this class online, the book Does the center hold, extremely difficult, to the point you wonder what you just read. You have to do the reading. The Professor was giving us no help, until people started complaining and he gave us power points. Over all I don't find him helpful in trying to get his students to understand the material.
The Professor was giving us no help, until people started complaining and he gave us power points. Over all I don't find him helpful in trying to get his students to understand the material. He doesn't understand people are struggling, and I am doing all the work. One of the worst professors I have had
Worst teacher I have ever had! He related most things back to sports and calculus equations and for someone who has no interest in sports and has never taken a calc class it made the class much harder. He is hard to understand and the book makes it worse. please be kind to yourself DO NOT TAKE THIS TEACHER!!!!!
Very hard teacher but he know so much about the subject and if you really ask him for help he WILL help you. You can tell his method of teaching is on a more scientific level than personal but if you approach him after or before class he will help you. Read the books and TAKE NOTES! If you are down for working hard you will learn alot.
Yes, he is very difficult and yes, you will read the ENTIRE book before it's over and end up writing enough essays to publish a small book. However, this prof. knows his stuff and gives excellent feedback. If you like philo and are willing to work,you will learn TONS. He'll treat you like a professional if you behave like one. Not easy,but worth it
took him for intro to phil online and it was the easiest class i have ever taken, but you MUST read the book. every week you answer questions on the readings, which he gives you feedback on. the tests are the EXACT SAME questions. easy A
Hard to keep up with. Everything is based on the book. He's one of those professors that gives open-ended questions and if he doesn't like you, he'll take points off. He also cuts people off mid-sentence and invalidates your point of view before you get it out of your mouth. And everything is related to sports...
This professor is great. A lot of people did poorly on his first exam, but figured him out and got all As on the following exams. If you do all your homework & participate in class, there's no reason you shouldn't get an A. He's VERY fair. He's tough, but you will learn a lot if you put in the effort. I'm taking him again next semester.
don't even listen to whoever has anything bad to say about this prof. people dropped because they were lazy & didn't want to do any work. while his classes were not easy, they were definitely worth the time i put into them because i learned a ton! you have to earn an A. he won't just hand it to you. he loves his job.. i recommend him 1000000%.
He loves sports, fun to debate with, keeps an open mind and really knows his****. Not saying that I did well in the class (lazy) One of the best teachers that I have ever had. Essays are extremely specific on tests, but he will give you two essays to study and then he will pick one. Once you get the hang of his style you can ace the tests.
Shouler's class was the most difficult class I've ever taken in my life. It seems that he has a great understanding of the topic, but his teaching methods left much to be desired. Class consisted of students watching him do the previous night's homework on the board and trying to understand the work. He should explain the material more thoroughly.
Read all the material he gives you! Gives four tests. Gives great study guides. He knows his stuff but doesn't know how to explain it extremely well. I enjoyed the class even though I didn't do well.
Excellent teacher. Do the homework questions & get his feedback, & you'll be fine for the tests. But if you can't write an essay, stay out of this class; the exams are essay-based and those in my class who couldn't write well & quickly did not do as well.
I took Phil 111 on-line the first semeester at CCM. I was returning to college after a 30 yr hiatus and I found his class to be HARD!! It took awhile for me to get the hang of the material and what was required but ultimately I learned a lot. You MUST be able to write essays and really know the classwork as to do well
I took Intro to Philosophy Honors with already an interest in the course, and I found Professor Shouler a wonderful teacher. He is clear, concise, and profound-- all while keeping a light atmosphere and a sense of humility. He furthered my interest in Philosophy-- even though it is not relevant to my major. One of my favorite classes I've ever had.
Very difficult Professor. Not too sure what's going on in the class. Stories are random and even if they don't have anything to do with sports, he brings it back to sports. I do the essays EVERY NIGHT and still have no clue where he's going with his lecture. On the other hand, he's funny and keeps light atmosphere. Great person, difficult Prof.
Very difficult Professor. Not too sure what's going on in the class. Stories are random and even if they don't have anything to do with sports, he brings it back to sports. I do the essays, and still have no clue where he's going with his lecture. On the other hand, he's funny and keeps a light atmosphere. Great person as a whole, difficult Prof.
Professor Shouler was one of the most interesting men I've ever has as a professor. He prevented me from scoring straight A's, but this wasn't his fault. He cares about and studies what he teaches. Just watch out for the tests. He's one of the smartest teachers you'll ever have and as long as you go to class, keep in contact, and participate.
Professor is very unclear to understand. Very hard to read his handwriting on the board. Knows about his topic but does not do a good job of teaching it to others. He is an author, therefore he grades your writing and test VERY hard and the test are not very easy to begin with even if you study for hours.
He knows a lot about the subject, but doesn't teach it very clearly. His notes are terrible. He writes on the board and you can't understand his handwriting. On top of that, it's so disorganized. If you want to learn anything, you need to read. Tests aren't bad if you study the text. He's also obsessed with sports and relates everything to them.
Class can be boring, but he knows a lot and will try his best to help you. Take good notes. Tests are short answers from the hw and an essay. Put everything you know regarding the question into it. Use examples, add your own opinion. He'll tell you what the essay is on a week before, so try to write a rough draft and send it to him for feedback.
He knows his stuff, but he has trouble making others understand it. He rambles, usually about interesting stuff, but not always relating to our assignments, which he assigns every night with mini-papers to go along with them. Spends way too much time on some things, while completely skipping over other subjects (also on test). Difficult.
All he talked about was his encyclopedia on basketball. He rambles and slurs and you can't understand what he says. The only way you learn is by reading the book yourself. Would mark me absent when i wasn't and lost my homework twice in the first month i took him. He writes all over the board illegibly so its even harder to take notes. Steer away!!
Incredibly smart and if you are good with sports, he is always open to talk with you.
I would not recommend him. Speech barrier sometimes hindered my ability to follow the class. His exams were short answer with an essay that you had to prep for before the exam. And he never told you which essay he was going use until exam time, so you had to prepare and memorize two possible responses. This was more like a two hundred level class.
Awful professor, not clear all. Grade are completely unfair and his a poor teacher. Would not recommend this professor for any class, he shouldn't be teaching.
I really appreciate this man. Hes written books, has a PhD, and really knows his stuff! Kids here take him for granted, with his knowledge, he could teach probably anywhere he wants. You could tell he loves this subject, which makes the class even better.
gives you a basic essay question on a study guide that's worth more than 60% of your exam, and then asks for like 10+ specifics on the actual exam that weren't really highlighted in class. I feel like no matter how hard I study, he makes it impossible to do well. The highest test grade my class got was an 86, which he thought was "fantastic"
He does not give you any feedback, never updates your blackboard or anything. So you go into his exams blindfolded, unsure of how he has been grading all the work you've been handing in. The highest grade in the class is usually a B+ on the exam, he never gives full credit for an answer. He'll give you an 84 and write Great Job.
The worst professor I ever met!
He is not a professor that teaches because he is passionate about seeing his students learn and succeed. His tests are blue book and you need to prepare for two different essays and he will pick one. Heavy test prep for a test you will be completely blindsided by. If you love confrontation or are an atheist you may enjoy him as a professor.
This man is awesome, he is a tough grader however, and expects the most out of his students. Make yourself known and participate, he will appreciate it. Taking him for a third semester. Logic is a tough course, if you're not good with math, be wary.
Dr. Shouler is a great professor! He's very intelligent! Sometimes he is too smart for his own good so you need to make sure you are asking questions and getting involved in discussion. Know each philosopher and their views and you are golden. Look over his review sheets.
He is a tough grader. Homework is due every class. His exams are blue book only. He expects a lot, but I personally like him.
Shouler is not a good professor. He expects students to know way too much information. Grades extremely tough. He is smart and knows his stuff, but that doesn't always translate into being a good professor.
Scribbles all over the board and expects you to know more then what he teaches. Puts things on the test that weren't in the study guide and expects you to memorize 2 essays and then he picks on at random every test. DO NOT TAKE
With all due respect, this professor has not met my expectations, especially for an honors course. His handwriting was terrible, never spoke clearly (monotonous too) and was usually never taking anyone's idea into consideration since he believed his point of view was the only way. Not a very well organized professor either.
Prof Shouler does not care about his students at all, he's borderline disrespectful and ignorant. When a student voices an opinion that doesn't match with his he automatically tries to prove them wrong. (contradicting himself; he says that philosophy should be objective) He is a harsh grader, rude, and not in the least bit helpful. I wish I withdrew
This man is a genius. Sometimes his handwriting and speech can be hard to decipher, probably because his brain is moving so much faster. If you can keep up, you will be amazed. Every class was mind-blowing to me. He is also a genuinely cool person.
Shouler is an older gentleman, there's no curveballs in his class, if you do the homework and review it before the exams you'll do fine. Class discussions are interesting and thought provoking, although *be warned,* Shouler is fairly conservative by modern standards, if you disagree with him it may be reflected in your grade.
The amount of useful information I have learned from Dr. Shouler is incredible. He is an extremely thorough and well read man. All of the homework questions are from the text. As long as you read and do the homework you should be able to follow the extra information he gives. Reiterate the text in your own words on the exam and youll do great.
Dr. Shouler is an extremely smart and open minded man. Present a good argument to him and he will respect it. Anyone can learn something important from him if they put the work in. College isnt easy! Hes a great professor if youre a serious student. His class and grading system are straight forward. Consistence is key in his class.
There are lots of required readings (nightly for homework) which MUST be completed to understand class discussions. Ordinarily, homework will take between one and three hours to complete. He often jokes in class, and provides excellent feedback on tests and homework. In all, I would take his class again as, in my opinion, be is excellent.
Lectures are a bit all over the place, there's lots he wants to say but gets distracted. Logic is hard, so you're gonna have to do all the reading and homework problems (which are not graded) if you want to get an A or B. Shouler is super available, though. Responds promptly to emails and is very eager to meet during or outside office hours.
Prof Shouler is extremely intelligent and interesting. He gives credit to students when credit is due and is very encouraging. If you do not try, then you will not do well. If you do give an honest effort then the class becomes liberating. Anyone can learn something valuable from him.
This course was incredibly hard; it requires heavy amounts of critical thinking and strong memorization skills. As for the professor, he was alright. He is very passionate about the subject, however, moves too quickly and gets lost in unrelated topics quite easily. Exams are very hard. Doing the hw/readings is a must. Half the class dropped out.
I loved the class. I had to stay with homework, score well on tests, and show up on time. If you don't do those three things, you won't do well. Students who showed up when they felt like it, didn't do homework consistently, and didn't take advantage of the study guide given out a week in advance of exams didn't drop out, they flunked out. t
Get ready to read and participate in class. Get involved in the class, do your homework, and try to score well in tests. He usually gives a study guide before exams, which makes things easier. He is willing to help if you reach him out. Very interesting topics and discussions.
Shouldnt a professor care about their students? Shouler does not at all. He is a tough grader and makes minimal to no effort to help his students. You are basically teaching yourself the materials and he grades really tough. If you do not write exactly what he has pictured in his mind for the exams, you get no points. Save your money and drop.
Worst professor I ever had. He does not care about his students at all. He has no feelings regarding a students life. There is no feedback on the homework and exams taken for the class. You basically had to teach everything to yourself. He did not provide a rubric for your graded assignments which made it difficult to improve. Would not take again.
I learned a while back that taking an online course takes a lot of independent work. Professor Shouler often gave responses of more than 600 words to a single post question. I can't recall ever getting that before. I don't know how he even did that. I expected philosophy to be stimulating, and it exceeded my expectations.
Prof Shouler gave me extremely important tools I still use today in my continuation of philosophy. He definitely cares about teaching his students valuable information, and doesnt like students who dont put forth effort. PHIL is extremely tedious and detail oriented, you HAVE to read, pay attention and try to understand the arguments proposed
One of the smartest professors Ive ever had, especially at CCM. He really cares about teaching you about philosophy and all that the subject has to offer. He made my time at CCM worthwhile.
If one has a hunger to learn and a willingness to put in the effort to achieve one's goals, Dr. Shouler's class will prove to satisfy. He is comprehensive and clear in his presentation of philosophical ideas, inspiring students toward further study. Shouler's breadth of knowledge and uniquely fast-paced mind should surely be taken advantage of.
Shouler is the real deal. I had him for a logic and an ethics class . Would recommend doing the logic class first due to the large amount of overlap between the two. he is willing to work with students that put in effort. His class is going to require actual effort to do well, but is rewarding . had him during corona was the only prof to help me
Taken has an online class. He is a tough grader and is not engaging with the subject. Philosophy is an already dull confusing subject to begin with.(in my opinion). I would look for another class to fill requirments
Worst Professor I have ever had at CCM. Steer clear of Shouler at all cost. You basically pay to teach yourself by reading from textbook and googling Crash Course Philosophy on your own. This was an online class for me and I regret taking it. He does not have a clear grading system and barely gives you any feedback on your work.
Highly recommend Shouler. Knows his stuff and is actually a professional.
Best philosophy professor ive taken at CCM
Steer clear. philosophy is hard enough as it is and Prof. Shouler does not do a good job of explaining and teaching. Had absolutely no idea what was going on and had to drop out
Read the syllabus and do all of his assignments on time and you will be fine, for the most part. Study hard for tests.
This professor is most definitely a well rounded teacher. He gives good feedback and grades fairly. I missed the first exam of the class accidentally but he encouraged me to stay in the course which I am happy I did because I ended with a C which is very difficult to do with missing an exam. He does not assign a lot of work and grades fairly.
He does not care about his students at all. There is no grading system for any of his assignments or test. He does not help you with anything even if you reach out to him he gives you plain answers that do not help at all. You have to teach everything yourself and understand it yourself. I would not take him if I were you.
I took the professors late seven-week course in ethics. You have to buy the book for this class to do the homework. The topics such as euthanasia and starvation are challenging, but really interesting. He gives study guide for tests days in advance, and posts YouTube videos for all his topics. I learned a lot from the comments he made on my posts.
He has an unclear way of grading. He questions are very difficult. Definitely do assigned reading and be prepared to participate in lecture. If your pro trump or an anti Baxter I would not recommend. Hes very sure of himself comes off super cocky. Hes very smart but his general attitude is a major turn off.
Theres a good, kind of quirky text and he gives you two or three weekly homework questions that must be posted on Blackboard. I wouldnt do them at the last minute. If youre late, even like five minutes, he doesnt accept them. He really knows his stuff and doesnt just say anything. I had a problem and I stayed after on Zoom. I earned a B+.
At first class felt like a waste of time for credits. But I realized in my life I think a lot about teleology/egoism. He has my respect because of the effort he puts in and his passion with the topic. Yes, the topic is very tricky to understand, but he makes it easier. Philosophy did not change my mind about god, but it was helpful in many areas.
Your entire grade basically relies on your homework answers. I put a ton of care into them never received above a 4/5. Test 1,2,3 I got 75, 82, 85 and ended with a D. Would not take again. Professor often talks about himself and the works that he has published. seems more like teaching is more of an exposure ting for him.
I learned a lot in this class. The weekly homework posts counted for 70% of the grade and the tests 30%. I had about an 82 average and he gave me a B+ Attendance and participation matters! Contribute something in class and do your homework and youll pass.
I took this class years ago and came across the syllabus recently, and I realized how much this class and this professor have shaped me as an adult. I learned so much that I took with me to adulthood and that I think about to this day and that speaks volumes. I can say with confidence that Im a better person because of what I learned from Shouler.
Literally the worst professor I've ever had. He would just talk and talk about nothing with the most monotone voice. Obsessed with talking about himself and his stupid books. I'm an atheist but the way he talked about religion made me want to convert just to spite him. He clearly looks down on anyone who doesn't think like him. DO NOT TAKE EVER!!!!
This class really piqued my curiosity about philosophy. Do the reading--about ten to 15 pages a week-write up three homework questions, and participate in the discussions, which are always lively, and you'll do fine. I have a B+ so far. Dr. Shouler is an amazing and fair professor.
His notes are so hard to read and follow, and it's so hard to pay attention with his monotone voice. Do not take this class if you're pro-Trump or an anti-vaxxer. Teachers absolutely under no circumstances should bring politics into a class unless it's a history/politics class.
This professor is an ideologue. He is married to his logic-he is nihilistic more than 70% percent of the time and also will make sure you damn well know his political perspective on everything. This gets tiresome. He is not open minded, you won't change his mind. At least he can teach the subject well if you're docile enough
By far the worst professor I've had at CCM. His lectures only consist of his political beliefs and baseball. Only class I've ever had an F. Avoid his classes at all costs. Never heard a good thing about him.
He is a great teacher!The hw and expectations are clear and manageable. He gives great feedback to hw which helps with the fair and reasonable exams. He lays out the format and clearly states how to prepare for success. This class is interesting and applicable to current/professional situations, I would highly recommend taking it with Prof Shouler.
Lectures consist mainly of him vehemently pontificating his political beliefs and atheism and VERY little is actually about the lesson at hand. His ability to go off on completely unrelated tangents is unparalleled and his self-righteousness is staggering and reached a point where he was almost declaring his views to be objectively true.steer clear
Don't ever take his classes and his lectures are off topic please Don't even think about taking a philosophy class with him! you be more experience into philosophy too hard too difficult.
Do not take any classes that this professor teaches. I'm only in an online classes, and decided to take a Logic course for credits... I regret that choice. Not only are his homework assignments and questions weirdly political/in line with his political beliefs, he straight up called me stupid in an email for accidentally sending the wrong link.
The workload was manageable. I attended the optional zoom meetings and they were very helpful. The tests were easy if you knew the material. This class was less work than any of the other summer courses I've taken. Professor Shouler is very passionate about the class and gives helpful feedback to the discussion posts.
If you miss 2 homeworks you will struggle to pass
I've had the pleasure of taking 3 classes with Dr Shouler & am absolutely a more intelligent individual today as a result. His knowledge of the subject is apparent. The classes are very manageable & lectures are always interesting/relevant. Definitely one of the best teachers I've ever had. Can't say enough good things...highly recommend!
Is an amazing professor who really makes sure to take the time to check that students are actually getting the materials. His lectures are great (and funny) and very detailed which if you pay attention you should do great. Overall he generally cares for his students and wants to see them succeed and do well. Amazing professor and 10/10 great class!
Professor Shouler - extremely knowledgeable about what he teaches - outspoken about personal beliefs concerning politics/religion - teaches straight from the book - not overly disrespectful when I did my final project on a topic he disagreed with - accessible through email - will not accept late homework - is an enjoyable professor to learn from!
TAKE HIS CLASSES! I took several of his philosophy classes '16-'19. His guidance shaped my perspective on life, paving the way for law school. Yes, class topics may be difficult to grasp, require lots of reading & a curious mind, but the unexamined life is not worth living. Show genuine interest in succeeding in his class, and he will support you.
When first taking Dr. Shouler's intro to philosophy course I came in with no expectation but left it deep curiosity for the topic. I ended up reading a lot more books by the Philosophers covered. He does make his own views very evident and I do wish he was a little more gentle on his approach to hopefully get some different perspectives. 5/5
I wanted to take a class on philosophy and sadly I was placed in a class with the worst professor I have ever had. You can't understand anything he is saying and get gets sidetracked so much! You also can't even read what he writes on the board during lectures because all his letters are lines and squiggles.
Shouler is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about philosophy, and consistently ties his lessons into current events to help his students better understand the material. The textbook is easy to understand, and he is very helpful with questions regarding homework and lectures. He is one of my favorite professors; I highly recommend his class!
Easy class and easy to understand if you read the book. He assigns homework questions off the book every week. He's very nitpicky when it comes to grading; if you don't phrase your answers the way he wants it phrased, even if it's still correct, then he will deduct points. He brings up his personal views a lot in class unprofessionally.
Prof. Shouler is cool, but he is just a very tough grader. You want to do every homework assignment because these are worth like 60% of the class. The tests are pretty easy because he just asks homework questions. The class is text heavy but it isnt anything overwhelming
workload was light & test questions were all homework questions. but somehow he still made the class difficult by assigning wrong page numbers and giving vague instructions (3/4 of the class failed the 1st assignment for missing the same questions). class was asynch but exams were in a 1.5 hr window u couldn't switch without getting points off
100% recommend Prof. Shouler! Before taking his class I wasn't enthusiastic about the anticipated material, which changed as Prof. Shouler made lecture engaging and gave real-word examples to solidify topics, so I was never left confused. The book is essential to pass, as expected, homework is easy if you take the time to read.Great class overall!
This was an async class and he made sure to give detailed feedback, which would be expected more in a live class. Do your reading and your assignments and you'll be ok.
Professor Shouler is an incredible teacher. He is passionate about various subject matters and challenges us students to rise to the occasion. He enjoys a genuine debate and appreciates discourse. He is one of my favorite professors at CCM. Participate/be involved is my sole advice.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
89%
Textbook Required
67%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.35 avg changeRatings by Course
PHL212
5.0
(1)PHL115
3.8
(6)PHIL114
3.8
(12)PHL114
3.7
(11)PHILOSOPHY
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
PHIL115
4.3
PHILOSOPHY
4.0
PHL114
3.8
PHL111
3.8
PHIL111
3.8