3.0

Thomas Vician

Philosophy - De Anza College

3.0
Quality
3.5
Difficulty
100%
Would Retake
120
Reviews
3.0
Quality
3.5
Difficulty
3.0
Helpful
3.0
Clarity

100%

Would Retake

120

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

37

4

19

3

15

2

24

1

25

What Students Say

One hell of a professor

PHIL001 - 5.0 rating

We didn't learn any actual philosophy; this class is just an indoctrination into his beliefs

PHIL1 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

33%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B

77% confidence
Based on 9 grades
Most common grades:
A (5)
Drop/Withdrawal (2)
F (2)
Grade Distribution
A(6)B(0)C(1)D(2)F(2)A-/B+(0)
Based on 11 reported grades
A: 5
Drop/Withdrawal: 2
F: 2
C: 1
Common Tags
Inspirational (3)
Clear grading criteria (2)
Participation matters (1)
Respected (1)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (1)
Caring (1)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.45 avg change
Dec
Mar
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Jun
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

4

5.0

(1)

CRITTHINK

5.0

(1)

PHIL20A

5.0

(1)

PIHL430

5.0

(1)

INDUCTIVE

5.0

(1)
+33 more courses
Difficulty by Course

PHIL20A

5.0

PHIL32

5.0

PHIL004

5.0

PHILOSOPHY

4.5

CRITTHINK

4.0

Reviews (120)
2.0
4.0
PHIL4
Nov 22, 2002

Mean teacher!

5.0
1.0
PHIL4
Feb 23, 2003

Knows his stuff & wants his students to excell

5.0
4.0
PHIL3
Feb 27, 2003

Hard Material, but awesome Professor, he really wants you to learn

5.0
4.0
CRITTHINK
Mar 3, 2003

good teacher, sometimes gets a bit self absorbed and rambles on for what seems like hrs, but all in all is a good knowledgable teacher

4.0
3.0
PHIL6063
Mar 5, 2003

again, a bit self absorbed, but very knowledgable. the ethics class i took with him was great when he wasn't talking about how much he hates suv's.

1.0
4.0
PHIL4
Mar 25, 2003

teacher shows up whenever he feels like it, more often than not he is late. knowledgable and willing to help, but only if you can find the time to ask a question between all of his bragging and ranting. hard class, but you'll learn alot

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Jun 5, 2003

Frankly, a jerk. Told us all on the first day not to bother complaining, he had tenure. On one test the highest score was a 35%, if you can believe it. Self-absorbed and arrogant. Don't waste your time, take the subject with someone else.

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Jul 23, 2003

This teacher is a real a hole. He isn't a good teacher. He should be fired, and put through counceling. This person is a heartless, not so caring individual. He should not be a teacher, because he is not a people person.

2.0
5.0
PHIL1
Aug 1, 2003

My biggest mistake in this Deanaza was to chooset his teacher. I've written a total of 0.7 inch think paper (times 11pt, 1.5 spacing). He literally teaches nothing. It was a complete waste of time for me to take his class.

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Aug 4, 2003

Whoever said Philosphy was hard took him! He lectures and lectures about irrevelant materials that are not subject to the tests. Tests are ridiculously HARDDDD!!! The highest grade on the test was a 70% and sometimes 75%...go figure.

3.0
1.0
PHIL58
Aug 9, 2003

No Comments

4.0
4.0
PHIL3
Aug 18, 2003

Dr. Vician is an extreamly smart man. He is one of the first teacher's who's respect I felt mattered. The subject's he teaches themselves are hard but he is always willing to help anyone. He dose like to ramble but it makes the class more intersting.

2.0
4.0
PHIL
Aug 19, 2003

The guy is ok, he's funny or whatever but the class sucks. He rambles on and on and veers off the subject. The subject matter is confusing because of how he teaches it and he doesn't seem very helpfull towards his students.

2.0
3.0
PHIL7
Sep 19, 2003

No Comments

3.0
3.0
PHIL30
Sep 23, 2003

Certainly well-educated, which is more of hamper working at a community-college. Could be a much better teacher if he were given the opportunity to challenge his students more. If you're not too bright, he probably won't like you :)

2.0
5.0
PHIL1
Sep 29, 2003

I didnt even complete this class, AND IM GLAD I DROPPPED IT! he made his students write like summeries that were longer than the actual text! He is a very smart man but bc he is so smart he doesnt really think his student's opinons matter.

5.0
2.0
PHIL
Oct 8, 2003

Well, for those of you who dropped, let me you in on a little secret-He knew you would drop because he knows you are quitters! Philosophy is hard, laborious work that demands a strong will to finish it. Doc is the best at pointing this out. Best teacher.

5.0
3.0
PHIL3
Nov 6, 2003

He is a very intellegent and nice man. He is a great teacher, but it is a hard subject. If you do not understand philosophy, it does not matter how great the teacher is, you will never understand it. Although I do.

1.0
3.0
PHIL
Nov 8, 2003

His lectures are worthless. Got an A in the class cause I'm good at BSing in the writing. Gives off the feeling that he's too good to be here and we're too stupid to comprehend him. Has a small # of favorites, and those are the ones that rate him highly.

5.0
5.0
PHIL20A
Nov 18, 2003

It's hard to rate Vician. He is the most wonderful person who knows his stuff. But Philosophy is a really really hard subject if you don't understand it...even if you have the best teacher. I liked him, but I didn't like subject because it was so complex.

1.0
5.0
PHIL3
Nov 24, 2003

do NOT take this teacher! he is ridiculously boring and hard. He is always off topic and he is not open to others opinions, he'll ask, and then shoot them down and say 'No, you're WRONG!' all he does everyday is go thru the book and highlight stuff.

5.0
3.0
PIHL430
Nov 27, 2003

Doc is arguably the best philosophy teacher out there. He may seem a bit off at times, but that wont be if the audience is mentally present and a little aware of the world. He has yet to be logically shot down in an argument, he is that sharp.

2.0
5.0
PHIL4
Dec 3, 2003

Anyone who takes this guy will start to get irritated with him right off the bat. He makes fun of everyone in the class!

4.0
3.0
PHIL30
Dec 5, 2003

Very nice and educated man. However, I felt a little dissapointed that instead of leaving more interesting assignments in which we can actually analyze the text and express our own opinions, all he asks is to receive endless summaries of the text.

2.0
4.0
PHIL1
Dec 10, 2003

hes funny, but you have to summerize all those things. so i dropped it the first day.

5.0
3.0
PHIL3
Dec 11, 2003

Don t try to hard just do what u are asked to. Not much work for this class. The A is pretty accessible.

1.0
1.0
PHIL3
Feb 2, 2004

All he does is tell stories about his personal life. 1/10 of the class he teaches. The tests are ridiculously easy and the class is a giant waste of time. A nice 5 unit UC transferrable A though.

3.0
3.0
PHIL4
Feb 8, 2004

tends to ramble on and on about the evils of SUV's. i enjoy that because i agree, but i'm sure a majority of students will be discouraged by that. tests are hard, but the grades are pretty easy. this fool is crazy like kissinger.

3.0
5.0
PHIL4
Mar 1, 2004

Good teacher but hard subject....sometimes he likes to get off subject...and his tests are hard!

2.0
3.0
PHIL4
Grade: A
Mar 10, 2004

teacher is boring, tests are hard, talks a lot about other things (suv's) other than philosophy, don't recommend him

4.0
2.0
PHIL5
Mar 24, 2004

Dr. Vician may ramble about unnecessary stuff, but i failed all his tests, and still came out of his class with a B. He's very understanding. You just have to do the reading to understand the material and to know what's going on.

3.0
2.0
PHIL4
Apr 4, 2004

This is an easy A if you study for the tests. The book is very small and there is no homework except for one paper at the end. His lectures can be fun if people participate. He never admits to being wrong but it's funny to see him get into arguments.

4.0
4.0
PHIL1
Apr 5, 2004

Most people, specially women, dont like him because of his arogance but if you talk to him after class you will realize that he is an interesting person. He is difficult but he is totally worth it. You'll learn a lot

4.0
3.0
PHIL4
Apr 5, 2004

Good solid teacher who knows his stuff and uses outside reference to make his points. you will work in the class but will know that you earned the grade that you got. Treats everyone the same regardless.

5.0
3.0
INDUCTIVE
Apr 7, 2004

I really liked this teacher.I was worried at first because of the math that was goign to be involved.I asked alot of questions and talked to him out side of class.I failed 3 of the tests and still got a B, how,I don't know, but he Is a great guy,and smart

2.0
2.0
PHIL3
May 19, 2004

Confusing..tests are hard. he talks about his own personal life more than what he is teaching. and when he is teaching, he goes thru the book hella fast. Its a cool class and he's very funny, but i believe the tests are hard.

2.0
4.0
PHIL4
May 21, 2004

Very arrogant, spends most of the class telling stories about how he got the better of/out-argued someone. Follows the book and is very boring. Read the book and you should be fine, but he's very irritating to listen to. Waste of time, IMHO.

5.0
3.0
PHIL30
Jun 25, 2004

He knows philosophy and can teach it, that is for sure. Class is fun when people are engaging. Extremely knowledgable teacher though, if you need help, he is more than willing to provide it. He knows his stuff!

1.0
2.0
PHIL7
Jun 29, 2004

DO NOT TAKE COURSE. He tells not funny jokes and then leaves pregnant pauses for people to respond. His voice is bad, he bragged a lot. He would spend 4EVA on a problem on the board, screw up, spend 4EVA getting out of it, then after lots of shame say,

3.0
4.0
PHIL3
Aug 9, 2004

HE IS NOT EASY. But he is a genius and if you listen to him he knows a lot. A Ph.d in Phil is on of the hardest. his voice is boring and puts you to sleep but if you can get past it it's an awesome class. MUST TAKE ADJUNCT!!!!

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Aug 9, 2004

Anything good that is posted here is defenitely written by Vician himself.He's so full of himself and talks about himself in class more than the subject.Tests are really hard and the final is a killer.Do not take him, unless u want to flunk!

5.0
3.0
PHIL3
Aug 10, 2004

He says phil 3 is his hardest class and I got an A. if you take the class make sure to take the adjunct too it helps a lot. his voice and lectures are a little boring but he is a genius and if you listen and read you will learn a lot. Ph.D in philsophy.

5.0
3.0
4
Sep 2, 2004

Take the adjunct class,you will learn a lot in this class.If you get it in class,you don't need to study for the test.The 1st one is hard and then they become easy

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Sep 22, 2004

His test are soo hard! Many people take him the beggining but 70% of them drop the class cuz he is THAT HARD. He talks too much about himself. DO NOT TAKE HIM.

5.0
2.0
PHI4
Oct 8, 2004

Very good teacher,knowledgeable and you ll know how people are very fallacious even in the news and ads,very interesting

4.0
4.0
PHIL3
Nov 10, 2004

He isn't a bad teacher. But this is a tough subject. DEFINITELY take the adjunct study skills class!! It helps more than you can ever imagine!! Somehow I managed to get an A and it was all because of that adjunct!

2.0
4.0
PHIL4
Nov 29, 2004

He is so bad. Only talks about himself. Tests are way too hard. First test based on memorization. Enough said. he sucks. and he's boring

4.0
3.0
PHIL3
Dec 14, 2004

Loves to talk about his life and his car... Hard tests, hard paper at the end, really specific so pay attention. Get tutoring help, saved my life. Got an A barely... and I usually get A's. He's the kind of guy you either love or hate, most people hate him.

2.0
5.0
PHIL04
Dec 20, 2004

his class wasn't boring, but very hard..his test are super hard. Do NOT take this class if you need to meet your critical thinking section and it's a last minute thing... trust me, take a speech class instead

3.0
3.0
PHIL1
Jan 31, 2005

If you can read between the lines and understand what he is saying he is a good teacher. The work is time consuming but not too hard to do. He is very cynical, and one can tell his cycinism comes from years of teaching stupid people who think phil is an easy class.

5.0
2.0
PHIL4
Feb 22, 2005

best teacher in Deanza in term of telling stories class is easy if u have a tutor easy 200 point project at the end and u dont need the final u ur passing

3.0
5.0
PHIL32
Mar 1, 2005

Took his existential phenomenology course. The material was tough, but he did a pretty good job explaining it. Very mind-challenging class, really made me think about a lot of things. You CANNOT BS the paraphrase papers - don't even try, you'll fail. Do the hard work and this class is rewarding.

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Mar 7, 2005

never ever take his class, his a pain in the ass , the tests are so damn hard , very much conceded , has an attitude , cant even make jokes

4.0
4.0
PHIL1
Mar 18, 2005

great teacher, had a real affect on me outside of school, i feel more mature if anything, i got alot out of this class, but be prepared to put in your time, becuase the essays are paraphrase, and rigorous at that, but hey final is optional! i really got more out of this class then an grade as i said

1.0
3.0
PHILOSOPHY4
Grade: C
Mar 20, 2005

He gets F. He talked about himself & not the subject. Was insensitivite to his students. He didn't provide skills to succeed in the class. He showed open hostility to students who asked questions & only cared to prove them wrong. Don't voice an opinion that differs from his or he will embarass you.

2.0
4.0
PHIL4
Mar 20, 2005

Imagine you're cruising down the 280 on your motorbike when you hit a skunk. Imagine the skunk essence getting all over you and your bike. That's Vician. Arbitrary. Plays favorites. Downgrades those he doesn't like. Makes "unkind remarks" about women, ethnic groups. Joe Bob says pass him up.

1.0
4.0
PHIL4
Mar 20, 2005

OMG! he's such a HORRIBLE teacher! His exams are crazy difficult, he doesn't even go over the material revelant to the course. He'll talk about ANYTHING else but the class; from monkeys to pres. Bush. DON'T BOTHER TAKING HIS CLASS; phil 4 isn't even part of GE requirements.

3.0
3.0
PHIL4
Mar 30, 2005

..i wanted to die.... it would be such a nice day out and i had to be in class. by then end of it....did i learn anything? NO! he talks about random stuff not pertaining to the class...i learned but the book! just read the book and study it..and youll pass..but him in general..ay yi yi..not the bes

2.0
5.0
PHIL4
Apr 5, 2005

This guy sucksss.. he is the most boring teacher i have ever encountered at de anza.. his book is confusing.. hes unclear... bad teacher.. there where 8 people trying to add in the beginning of the quarter and on the final day there where only 10 people left in ther class.. half of which didnt pas

1.0
5.0
PHIL4
Apr 13, 2005

worst prof i've ever had. made **** and racial remarks. attempts to "teach" by putting down students and insulting them. grades arbitrarily and spends most of class time reciting stories from his past. don't take this class... EVER.

2.0
4.0
PHIL1
Apr 13, 2005

He doesn't like SUV's. I wrote a nice 10 page essay on Truth and it followed the first era in philosophy but I got a C in it because I didn't "utilize" the new phenomenon era of philosophy. He got mad at the class the next day. Apoligized the day after. Homework is paraphrasing other essays. Ugh

5.0
3.0
EXISTENTIALISM
Apr 29, 2005

everyone who wrote something negative is trippin' he is an excellent teacher, and very informative, pretty damn funnie i thought, he is slightly more edgy than the average teacher and is not afraid to say what he is thinking, and thus offends morons. does hate Suvs, but drives Mr2 and that kix ass!

4.0
4.0
PHIL001
Jul 15, 2005

Class consists of paraphrasing famous philosophers essays, easy but time consuming. Weekly group discussions on said paraphrases. He uses his life stories to relate to the material, and they usually do. If you don't pay attention to them you'll miss their point, though he'll sometimes go over the point for those who tune out. Funny guy, good prof.

4.0
5.0
PHIL004
Jul 15, 2005

This class is completely different from his 001:Intro class. Consists of 6 exams, each very hard & of a different format: 1st is memorization of sentences, 2nd/3rd are intense critical thinking, etc. Lectures are more inline with the material than in 001; his stories are fairly spot on in explaining the material.Not an easy A.

4.0
3.0
PHIL001
Jul 15, 2005

people saying vician makes slurs on women/minorities were not paying attention--he acknowledges how minorities are treated in society and explains why. he does somewhat attack people in class who speak up, but that's because when they speak up they say retarded, illogical things. its fun to watch them get slapped around, really. fun class.

4.0
1.0
PHIL7
Jul 16, 2005

I took a Deductive Logic class with him. Half the time he was talking about things that are not related to logic. It was a pretty easy class for me cause i liked those logical problems that were kinda like a math class, but more fun. The tests were based on the excercises similar to the ones from the book. Fun class.

1.0
5.0
PHIL1
Jul 31, 2005

No Comments

1.0
5.0
PHIL001
Grade: A
Aug 1, 2005

Good Lord, I have never had such a ridiculous class before. The hw is PARAPHRASING, not SUMMARIZING, thus should you not understand the reading, it doesn't matter, because all you gotta do is reword it. Vician is also very vague, talking about anything BUT the subject. Ugh.

5.0
2.0
PHIL001
Sep 3, 2005

This was an awesome class. This instructor obviously knows what he is talking about and never holds back from sharing these eternal truths with his classes which are revealed through the assigned exercises, readings, and discussions. What is covered in this class is far beyond pop-culture shallowness. I highly recommend this class to everyone.

5.0
1.0
PHIL30
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Sep 3, 2005

i had him for exitentalism, he is a cutting edge teacher and hes pretty funny. Although he wonders with the topic at times. I just sat there and got a B. So all you need to do is realx and be there.

5.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY1
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Sep 7, 2005

Dr. Vician is the quintescential philosophy teacher for students who have actual interest in philosophy. If you're just taking general ed., take someone else. The concepts he explains go way over most first-timers' heads, and sometimes, he'll seem pompou

1.0
5.0
PHILOSOPHY
Oct 1, 2005

THIS TEACHER IS OFFENSIVE BECAUSE HE EXPLOITS HIS POLITICAL BELIEFS IN CLASS, AND AS I RECALL I TOOK PHILOSOPHY, NOT POLITICS. HES A DICK HEAD, AND HE'S ABOUT AS FUNNY AS A DOOR NAIL. HE'S DRY, AND BITTER. DONT TAKE HIS CLASS, YOU'LL DROP IN THE FIRST DAY BECAUSE YOU'RE NODDING OFF IN CLASS CAUSE HE JUST GOES ON STUPID TANGENTS FOR 50 MINUTES. HE DOESN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT MATTERS AND MAKES THE SUBJECT INCREDIABLY BORING. HE'S REALLY IRRITATING. SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR A TEACHER THATS WORTH LEARNING FROM.

4.0
3.0
INTROTOPHIL
Oct 6, 2005

No Comments

5.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY
Nov 21, 2005

Discussions with Tom are informal yet informative and foster an almost self-learning environment.

1.0
3.0
PHILOSOPHY1
Dec 6, 2005

He shouldn't be teaching anymore. He just sits in front of the class and reads his 30 year old notes aloud. He is critical and rude to anyone who isn't on his soccer team. His homework assignments on average take around 5 hours and are pointless regurgitated paraphrases. He doesn't care about his students or whether they learn anything.

5.0
3.0
EXIST
Jan 4, 2006

One of the smartest men you will ever talk to. He admitted at the begining of his class that he did not care whether you were there or not. He wanted students who wanted to learn. At first the class had around 37 people. At the end of the quarter only 7 remained. It was one of the best classes I ever took.

5.0
2.0
PHILOSPHY30
Apr 3, 2006

Tom is a brilliant individual. I always left class feeling re-freashed. I'll admit I didn't always turn up and he doesn't care because it's all your choice. The paraphrasing and research takes time. So put it in within your time limits and you won't feel overwhelmed. You'll have expanded yourself. Truely amazing.

3.0
5.0
PHIL30
May 3, 2006

Do not enter into this class lightly, and do not let the lack of prerequisites fool you: Dr. Vician expects a lot of work from his students (over 100 typed pages, all told, in my case). If you can keep up with the work, it's a great education, but bear in mind that he teaches this class for his own entertainment, and that comes across clearly.

1.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY1
May 4, 2006

Vician sometimes gets off the track but usually stays on course in his lectures. Some of his story examples are very enlightening.

1.0
5.0
PHIL1
Jul 13, 2006

Vician the Vicious... He makes you rewrite an entire philosphy book in your own words.

2.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY1
Aug 15, 2006

I have mixed feelings about Vician. While I think the workload in his class is a bit extreme, I also think it is valuable. I would often get angry with Vician's constant pompous remarks & verbal attacks on students. Although, I noticed he was very kind 1 on 1. He is fair & knowledgable. Take his class if you like a challenge;academically & socially

2.0
4.0
PHIL4
Feb 24, 2007

"He might as well write the word dumba** on the board and point to it whenever anybody raises their hand." This is a quote I overheard about Vician.. people I've talked to seem to agree. I think is a smart man with good intentions, but he has taught me nothing, and his class is unpleasant to be in. His attacks on studenst make it hard to learn.

5.0
5.0
PHIL30
Mar 1, 2007

Existential Phenomenology. I would never be proud to get a B in any class but this one. It is by far the hardest class I have ever taken, and yes, 100+ pages typed. The subject matter concerned me personally and so I appreciated Dr. Vician's sometimes brutal honesty. This class is not for the sensitive. I have since made Philosophy my major.

3.0
3.0
PHIL04
May 10, 2007

well, I have to say that I hate his class. The way that he teach is so weird! The class was fun, but I didn't really learn anything since he tell stories too much.

5.0
5.0
PHIL30
Nov 27, 2007

Dr. Vician is one of the smartest people I have ever met who he didn't get those three letters after his name by slacking off and neither should you if you want to pass this class. He's intelligent and if you aren't, you won't like him or his class and you won't understand it. He can be scathing in class, but one-on-one he's a sweet man. Good class

3.0
3.0
PHIL1
Jun 1, 2008

Good teacher, used the book a lot and had a relatively decent to large amount of coursework. interesting teacher but if you are looking for a more easy avenue to get an a, you might want to look elsewhere. not hard to get an a but not easy either.

2.0
5.0
PHIL7
Dec 13, 2008

He wasn't a good teacher, and didn't seem interested in being one. He's smart, and he knows it. He's very arrogant and likes to talk about himself all day instead of teach. Your grade is based only on 9 tests, so its hard to do good. Hes not very open to questions or disagreements, he just laughs at you. Take another philosophy teacher!

2.0
4.0
PHIL001
Feb 9, 2009

Hypocrite, teaches one thing and then acts another. Very boring lectures. Tangential rambler. Good luck.

2.0
4.0
PHIL1C
Mar 13, 2009

He's an old cat w/ hella skill; PHD. His class is difficult because it's based only on test. You have to really memorize what he points out in the book in order to pass this class. This make's it hard. He rambles about himself, so it makes it hard to learn the material in class. You have to ask specific textual questions.

4.0
4.0
PHIL3
Apr 3, 2009

This instructor is very smart but goes off topic a lot but still manages to somehow connect to what he is teaching. A lot of his stories can/will build you as a person. I basically failed half of his exams but pulled off a perfect score on the take home exam and got a B in the class. Just pay attention and have good reasoning to pass the class.

5.0
1.0
PHIL1
Apr 30, 2009

this class is for thinkers, if you plan to transfer, you can get a recommendation from him, yea if you don't want to do anything then do something else

1.0
3.0
PHIL4
Jun 13, 2009

This teacher is not very reasonable. Arrogant as all get-out. I was set for an A in his class, but couldnt stand listening to him. He rambled about his own greatness, and spend time demeaning others. Found a different teacher. This one wasnt worth my time.

5.0
3.0
PHIL01
Jun 24, 2009

Dr. Vician may be the best teacher that I have had at De Anza. He is extremely well educated and his driven personality engages you in his discussions. You must be a critical thinker to do well in his class and if not he'll call you out on it. A lot of people dropped this class but they only missed out on the valuable knowledge Vician shared.

3.0
5.0
PHIL001
Jul 8, 2009

Dr. Vician was a great teacher, even though he talked all class long nad was very boring. The material is difficult though. If you aren't used to writing 4 to 5 page long essays don't take his class because weekly you are assigned one.

4.0
4.0
PHILOOO7
Oct 20, 2009

If you work hard you will get a good grade. If you are not willing to work hard you will not get a poor grade. It's just that simple. People bash him, but he is always will to answer questions. If you study and then come up with questions class time will be productive, else do not take his class

5.0
5.0
PHIL30
Nov 29, 2009

This teacher is a pretty funny guy. The subject is a difficult one. Hell is other people, but this class is not hell. If you are a really deep thinker, you will enjoy this class. It is an introduction to some of history's deep minds, so you may understand them. If you like to think, then you will like this class.

2.0
3.0
PHIL1
Mar 18, 2010

Vician is a funny man, but very opinionated. He tends to argue with people on things. Be aware that you must paraphrase the readings due every week which are about 3-4 pages of writing. He goes off topic A LOT so it is hard to take notes and truly understand. The class is definitely not easy, but not hard at the same time. Only take if needed.

4.0
1.0
PHILPHIL
Apr 5, 2010

Had deductive logic with the man and loved the class. He talked a lot, and we would often digress, which was fine because i did my homework. Class was extremely easy, if you got the stuff, and then you only had to come in for exam days basically. My favorite class of all time

2.0
1.0
PHIL2
Apr 7, 2010

I wasted my time taking this class. He initially had a full class, but he never remained on topic enough like he would basically just go off on really long tangents about his personal life that had little payoff on how it related to the subject matter. Consequently, the class ended up with about 6 people showing up. I wanted to learn but did not

3.0
4.0
PHIL61
Jul 1, 2010

Imo, Tom is a great guy. He likes to argue ideas a LOT so don't be offended when he shoots down one of your opinions, it's all fun and games (the goal, i think, is for you to think and process differently). Overall I would recommend his class, he's a very well educated man and you can learn a lot from him.

5.0
2.0
PHIL05
Jan 1, 2011

A bit antiquated... Tom was my professor in 1986. This was a course titled Philosophy of the Person. Required reading entailed Victor Frankel's "Man's Search for Meaning," and Gerald Jampolsky's "Love is Letting Go of Fear." This was a course designed help the student find then define his/herself. Quite meaningful and I benefited greatly.

4.0
4.0
PHIL31
Jun 14, 2011

Excellent, excellent teacher.

5.0
3.0
PHIL4
Dec 22, 2011

Dr. Vician is a great guy and very helpful, all you need to do is ask. It is a MUST that you pay attention to what you read and what he says in class. He's trying to get people to open up their mind and think. He mixes stories of his life with class work to help things seem more fun. If you think you understand a chapter for a test, study it again.

5.0
2.0
PHIL01
Jan 24, 2012

Dr. Vician is a wealth of wisdom. His approach to teaching is really engaging. He draws examples from experience so make it easier to understand some of the complex topics. Fair, honest, and entertaining. Just don't loose focus if you're not into philosophy! One of my favorite instructors by far based on merit!

5.0
1.0
PHIL1
Nov 29, 2012

Doctor Vician is so amazing. His class is so easy. He gives out a number of essays, but really really really easy to receive full point. There are 2 midterm essays which is unbelievably easy. TAKE HIS CLASS

1.0
1.0
PHIL1
Dec 2, 2013

He is irrelevant and very biased. Don't disagree with him over anything, there's no point in arguing because it is his way or you're automatically labeled as an imbecile and he'll be biased in grading you following the disagreement. He references the sciences often but cannot be bothered to get his basic physics, biology, and chemistry facts right.

5.0
1.0
CANPHIL2
Mar 6, 2014

I have always loved Philosophy so this might make me a bit more biased. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Vician's class, however, I have to agree that he has a tendency to get off topic...so it seems. I believe the stories he tells has relevance to the different methods of reasoning that we have covered. I loved this class!!!!

2.0
3.0
PHIL18
Nov 1, 2014

I could say so much. All I'll say is just sit there and try not to fall asleep. Try not to take him too serious bc he's old and VERY closed minded. I have no idea how he's been teaching philosophy this long. (&he's soo rude)

5.0
4.0
PHIL1PHIL4
Dec 12, 2014

He's well mastered in the field of philosophy and articulates key points that can help you throughout life in many ways. He arms you with knowledge and tools to critically analyzes all you believe to be true and help better understand your own mindset. Skills that are practical and applicable to help aid you in life.

5.0
1.0
PHIL4
Mar 13, 2015

The best teacher of all time. He is crystal-clear about grading, attendance, and everything - He's an excellent philosophy professor and it SHOWS in his ethics. Take his class.

2.0
2.0
PHILD00104
Mar 23, 2015

He's so rude, honestly I hate him as a person. His class is pretty easy to pass, there are NO TESTS, only essays. There is a homework assignment due almost every day if you are not a test taker this is an easy class if you are good at writing. His class is pretty darn easy to pass especially if you do all the assignments.

1.0
2.0
PHIL1
Mar 25, 2015

Same person as last review, I'm not done: Vician rambles on the entire class in a way reminiscent of senility. He brags about where he went to college so much that I actually checked if he got accredited because I couldn't believe it from his teaching. We didn't learn any actual philosophy; this class is just an indoctrination into his beliefs

5.0
4.0
PHILOSOPHY1
Sep 3, 2015

Dr. Vician's philosophy class is really geared to stimulating his students to evaluate the knowledge and beliefs they have when entering this class in comparison to the contributions of major philosophical thinkers from the past 20+ centuries. His intellectual probes can irritate, but he isn't hostile or com- petitive with his students.

3.0
5.0
PHIL4
Nov 30, 2015

He WILL help IF you ask. He will give you more examples IF you take the time. I HAVE learned from him when it comes to fallacies. He is not the best professor, & his exams are hard, but that's reality. I respect him even if he talks about himself a lot. Being a 3.8 GPA student means nothing in this class. You either get it or you don't.

1.0
5.0
PHIL001
Grade: F
Dec 7, 2015

Extremely tough professor. No matter how much you try to understand by reading the text, you will still not understand. His exams are not even close to the book; therefore, impossible to study for. I have tried so hard to pass, and I failed... My average GPA is 3.7. I tried so hard to pass and without feedback its impossible. Do not take this class

1.0
5.0
PHIL1
Grade: F
Mar 3, 2016

Worst professor ever! he talks about himself a lot and doesn't teach the subject, and he expect u to do well on the tests and they are extremely hard! I regret taking this class with him. wish someone warned me before and i could've passed this class with an other professor who actually teaches philosophy! ONLY TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU WANT TO FAIL!

4.0
3.0
PHIL01
Grade: A
Jun 21, 2016
Would take again

I love philosophy, and this was the first class I took to reintroduce myself to college (hadn't been in a few years). I loved it! The readings were awesome, the homework was easy. Keep in mind you have to like the subject matter to like the class.

5.0
4.0
PHIL01
Grade: A
Jun 20, 2017
Would take again

This professor invited me to do something I did not realize that I would enjoy for the rest of my life--THINKING! I became a philosophy major because I got what he was trying to do: inspire his students to a lifetime of challenging thoughts, assumptions and ground my beliefs in both knowledge and still strengthen my faith in God's Word! Wow! Great

Participation matters
Inspirational
Clear grading criteria
5.0
3.0
PHIL001
Grade: A
Apr 9, 2018
Would take again

One hell of a professor! He's probably the professor at De Anza with the most academic credentials. I personally enjoyed his teachings, and cherished every moment of being in his inspirational class. It's actually a life changing experience if you have the ability to carefully listen, absorb, and implement. It is likely to get an A in his class.

Respected
Inspirational
Clear grading criteria
5.0
3.0
PHIL30
Grade: A+
Oct 29, 2018
Would take again

Wow. I'm suprised he's still teaching. He must be about 75 now. I took Dr. Vician way back in 1994. The class was EXISTENTIAL PHENOMENOLOGY. Both the class and Dr. Vician were awesome. Philosophy can be boring at times, but Dr. Vician is amazing at relating all course content to your everyday life experiences. I rate Dr. Vician A+++

Inspirational
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Caring
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

33%

Textbook Required

100%

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Based on 9 grades
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Grade Distribution
A(6)B(0)C(1)D(2)F(2)A-/B+(0)
Based on 11 reported grades
A: 5
Drop/Withdrawal: 2
F: 2
C: 1
Common Tags
Inspirational (3)
Clear grading criteria (2)
Participation matters (1)
Respected (1)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (1)
Caring (1)
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