Lynch, Joe  

Granted, no one wants to be in Critical Thinking, including Joe, but I loathed going to this class. Joe is very opinionated and not afraid to let everyone know. He's very laid back with regards to the homework - technically he collects it, but he doesn't check it or anything. It's all about the three tests, the quizes aren't worth much at all. I can certainly identify with the folks above who said he loves his beer jokes, frat boys and hot girls. It got real old, real fast. Overall I was disappointed, as my 4th phil class, it's been my least favorite.

Joe is the funniest, most energetic, most excited about the subject matter, most friendly professor that I have had. I will not take anyone else for future philosophy classes if iI can help it.

This was by far my favorite class, albiet it is my first quarter. Mr. Lynch is always amusing and rarely hard to follow. His grading policies are straitforward, basically do well on his quizzes and tests, which if you paid attention at all, should be a breeze. Homework is collected but not checked and he is good at admitting when he screws up grading a quiz. Unlike some of the above folk i am neither a jock, frat boy, or a cute girl, and i found the class entertaining as well as easy to pass and informative.

If you can, TAKE JOE. He's one of the best teachers I've had at Poly and I'm taking him again this quarter. He is truly fun to listen to and can even make boring phil 125 seem interesting. He has a light work load, and it usually is painfully easy. He drops the lowest of two midterms and the lowest quiz. With regard to the other ratings, I don't see how being a frat boy or thin blonde can help you on a multiple-choice test, I am neither and I got my A without much trouble. I have heard some horror stories about some of the other PHIL125 teachers, so I highly reccommend Dr. Lynch (Joe) for all PHIL classes

I heard this teacher is a "Carny or Carnie" during the Summer? Is that true?

Joe is great. He really makes his classes enjoyable by comparing everything to beer and other college recreational activities. Both his classes are very hard, and you definitly have to know your stuff to do just okay on his exams (around 40 multiple choice and 1 essay question which he gives you in ADVANCE). Everytime the multiple choice sections killed me, but his grading is fair and straight forward. Take him, you may do bad, but you'll like every minute of it, I did.

Philosophy is not a fun class to begin with but Dr. Lynch tries his best to make the class interesting and somewhat exciting. He uses a lot of good examples to get the point across. His tests come straight off the handouts he gives every lecture and he gives helpful review sheets before the tests, not to mention the essay question ahead of time. He also lets you drop your lower of the 2 midterms which is a plus. There are a few quizzes but you just have to go to lecture the day of the quiz to get a good grade on those. I would recommend sitting in the back with a hat on if you tend to nod off during this class...which you will...so don't make him feel bad by sleeping in the front row. Dr. Lynch is an overall good guy who knows his philosophy.

Lynch is one of the crazier professors here. He teaches the material in a way that is easy to understand. He has notes online which is what he lectured on. Keep up with reading and you can't go wrong. His grading system is awesome. He can be really loud and he swears alot, but take this professor.

He is a cool teacher and is pretty entertaining. I think he must get a kickback from Newcastle, because he talked about how much he liked their beer just about every lecture. The material sucked and was pretty weird, but he made it tolerable. The tests are hard, but he helps you out by letting you drop a midterm. Pretty good overall

Joe is the man. He was very fair (dropped lowest midterm) and made the material interesting by telling hilarious stories -- which, usually, consisted of newcastle beer. Take him, he is one of the best teachers I've ever had here.

Extremely funny, entertaining guy. He definately knows his stuff, gives fair tests and keeps you awake and laughing during the lecture. Had I bothered studying (ever) I probably would have gotten an A =(

This guy is such an asshole! He's so rude and biased! Not very helpful at all. He has a Napoleon complex and looks like he just got out of prison with that greasy brown scraggly hair! Likes to flirt with the hotties in the front row.

Joe was a great phil teacher. I dont think most kids want to learn about descartes, but he takes a subject that most kids could care less about it and relates it to us. He told hilarious stories to make this subject more tangible. The class is a couple of quizes and 3 tests. He drops the lowest test. There are 3 books to read. I did not even buy the books cuz i dont read, but i just came to every class and paid attention and did fine. This class was so much better cuz joe taught it. Take Lynch for phil!

Lynch is maybe the best teacher i have ever had. He is SO funny and makes a boring subject really fun. I looked foward to going to his class everyday. There are two midterms(you drop lowest one), like 2 quizes, and a final. The first midterm is way easier so do good on that one, and the final is tough but he curves so no worries. On top of everything, he is a really good guy and he is very understanding. Lynch is the man.

Joe Lynch is sick! If I were a philosophy professor I would teach just like he does. Im not saying the class is easy, but he explained the material in the best way possible...with lots of funny jokes. The course consists of 2 midterms and a test. only the highest of 2 midterms counts for your grade. a few quizes, and some mandatory study guides (not graded, just given credit upon completion) not bad right?

I agree Mr. Lynch is "sick" but not in the adolescent nomenclature suggested. Mr. Lynch "over the top" performance style of instructing wear on the psychey. Just stroke his ego and listen to his rants and earn a B.

Joe is a very funny guy. The class can get confusing, so just read/study his online lecture notes... Thankfully, he assigns a "writing journal" to complete the 3500 word requirement for GE's, but it's nothing to worry about. There's 3 very small books to read, and 3 corresponding exams. I was scared of Philosophy from what I've heard from other students, so I took it CR/NC. But Take Joe for philosophy GE.!!!

GOING TO JOE'S LECTURES IS LIKE GOING TO WATCH A STAND UP COMEDIAN, YOU WILL LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO HIS CLASS. HIS WIT AND STYLE ARE PARALLEL TO THAT OF DENNIS MILLER'S FROM HBO.

Joe Lynch is quite a character. He really is funny, and REALLY ENERGETIC. He can also teach. Get ready for him to slam two sodas down and whirl you through Socrates & Plato. A teacher you won't forget

Seriously, this guy kicks ass. Don't think just because his lectures totally rule that it will be a piece of cake. You will learn, but it will be the most fun learning you have probably ever had.

One of things that really "bugged" me was all the dumb Beer jokes. He knew his material but he seemed to indentify with the "Frat boys" in the class. This was a real turn off for me. He reminds me of a wanna be jock left over from High School. The problerm is, he appeared to me to be very insecure in his skin, that was evident, he talked really loud to hide this. Get over your self teacher. I would reccomend this class if you are a Frat Boy or wanna be jock.

Not much to say, but bring your Ear plugs he is loud! He likes Frat Boys and young Girls. If you want an (A) fit into these catorgories.

So what if talks about drinking beer? He knows his stuff, and is a great lecturer. I enjoyed going to his classes and listening to his point of veiw on the screwed up beliefs of Plato and Socrates. I think that a teacher who trys to keep the students attention is great!!

Joe is great...Who would mind tons of beer jokes? I thought that his beer jokes were absolutely hilarious...the man LOVES Newcastle...He had the best stories...maybe they were a little exaggerated, but who really cares, he tied them in great. As far as the frat boy, cute girl bias I never saw that at all...He really does his best to make Philosophy interesting by using hip examples...Overall he makes a boring topic in my opinion way way better and I'd recommend him to anyone.

Lynch is an awesome lecturer. He is extremely excited about philosophy and incorporates real world examples in the lectures. Attendance is definitely required. I didn't crack open a book the entire quarter, missed 1 lecture, and squeaked out with a B-. So, go to class, take notes on the handouts he gives you. Study the handouts for the tests, and study the tests for the final.

He's a good lecturer. Fun to listen to. Makes lots of jokes and tells lots of stories. His multichoice was pretty hard. I think it takes a pretty darn good memory to score perfect on this. Essays werent so bad because of his "buddha like compassion" in grading. An easy recommendation.

Dr. Lynch is a really funny guy, and I highly recommend him for 231. The subject matter is extremely dry though and you have to go to class (he takes roll), but he is hilarious. This class is no push over though. In fact it is really difficult. I would only take this class if you are either 1) really smart 2) know someone that has the work for this class. Overall he's a great guy, and a great teacher.

Joe is a cool guy and is very knowlegeable and excited about the material. He is really entertaining in class and is still able to present the material. The midterms and finals are easy as long as you skim over his handouts and review sheets. I didnt even open the assigned readings and still got a good grade. His 2 hour lectures are tough to sit through cause he talks fast and rambles some times but you are still able to get the main idea of what he is talking about

He makes mundane material entertaining. So let me inform you about his tests. They are borken into MC and Essay: The MC are based straight off the lecture handouts (Which he distributes frequently and efficiently) and the essay topic is announced in advance (including his desired responses). The MC questions can still catch you off guard though, so it isn't an easy A. But you can get away without reading some of the material if you attend class and understand the concepts. He gives three tests and you get to drop one of them--good deal IMO. If you like Philosophy, take him all you can. If you don't like philosophy, take him because he does all he can to make it entertaining.

I felt that reading the books were a waste of time because I didn't understand any of them. The only time I really did well on an exam was when I just followed the review sheet to study. The essays are really easy and you basically get a 95% or higher just for trying. Also he lets you drop one of your two midterms which is REALLY cool. I hated philosophy, and the material, but Dr. Lynch is a really interesting professor and a great instructor.

He is a good prof. He uses good examples about the philopshy and explains them out. Answers questions well and is funny in class.

Lynch is a great teacher. He actually makes a boring subject interesting!

Joe Lynch is one of Cal Poly's best teachers. He delivers the material in a way that is entertaining and interesting. He always interjects little stories from his life that are very entertaining into his lectures. He somehow manages to take the stories from his life and fit them perfectly into the lectures. The stories also help to give a break from the material during class. The lowest of 2 midterms is dropped, and the lowest quiz is dropped. The final is multiple-choice. The hard part of this class is the reading. We had to read a full length work from both Plato and John Stuart Mill. We also read some of Karl Marx's writings, not full works though. The reading is very confusing at times. Lynch knows what to do and helps all of the students by giving them hand-outs off of his website. His handouts really help to explain the writtings and were extremely helpful to me. I was lost in much of the readings, but the handouts helped to make it the ideas clearer. Overall, Joe Lynch has been my favorite teacher at Cal Poly so far and probably will be one of the best teachers I have ever had.

joe lynch is an awesome professor. he makes up for the absolutely sleep-inducing material by presenting it with enough passion and enthusiasm to keep you engaged and maybe even somewhat interested in what he's saying for most of a 2-hour period, especially when he throws in some of his funny ass life stories. the midterms weren't too bad, since they were mostly taken from his notes, but he always throws in random questions about the reading material, so skimming through those usually helps at least a little.

Not a good class all around. This was not teaching, this was a Circus Act. Dude looks like he just got out of State Prison not Grad School. Get it togehter Teach!

Lynch is so different than all the other professors I've had. He's sarcastic, has a strong personality, and has a unique sense of humor. I surprisingly enjoyed this class because he made it interesting and entertaining. This class has 2 midterms, but you can drop your lowest score, and 1 final. The midterms have an essay question but he gives it to you beforehand. I got by just fine without reading the books and just studying the lecture notes. Overall, awesome teacher!

I rarely give an A, but I felt this man deserved it. I don't know if it was just that my brain was on the same wavelength as his, or he really does make Plato and Descartes clear as a club-soda with his real-life analogies and quirky sense of humor, but I just got it. Now it's not going to be the same for everybody. For example, a friend of mine: 2nd time taking the class, just trying to graduate, not getting it at all--it was like wading through mud. But she went and talked to him in his office before the final, explained that this was the only class that was preventing her from graduating, and he was understanding enough to pass her with a C. This is a guy who jokes about being married to more women than you can count on one hand, rushes to the hospital after spilling boiling water on his "ding dong" (his words, not mine), and swears by Newcastle like it's the drink of the gods. On top of that, he makes metaphysics and epistemology _interesting_! Plus, in a 2-hour class, you're never there more than 1 and a half. One drawback: due to the falling of Monday holidays this Spring quarter, he had to cram the last philosopher, Berkeley, into one and a half days. But hey, that meant no essay for the final. Bottom line: The only professor that I've heard better things about is Walker. But really, take this guy. If you're failing, buy him a Newcastle.

This class is not worth the time to evaluate, what a joke!

For the most work load not bad. I received an A in the class, I did have to do a little reading but most of the information you get in lecture. Teacher is very loud so sit in the back of the room, oh, he spits a lot too, with that giant moouth of his, so bring plastic to put over your body to stay dry. Not a bad experience over all, I would say take him. Only one thing that really creeped me out was that he was obviously trying to look young and hip. I would guess he is 60+ , this was very creepy an old guy trying to be hip , double creepy yuc! Sorry to rain on the parade, but it was a good class over all.

Joe Lynch is the Sam Kinnison rock and roll teacher of cal poly. He was an enthusiastic professor who should have been allowed to have a beer hat with two newcastles plumbed to his veins. He was really nice, although this might depend on what you want or how you look. His lectures clarified the material, and if you use his outlines it's much clearer than the readings which are mostly boring, repetitive, and somewhat confusing. The tests are multiple choice and hard. You might study and think you did good on the tests, get them back and go oh shit! A lot of the questions are so similiar you might want to close your eyes and drop the pencil where it lands and pick that one. I've heard of other philosophy tests that are similiar, so I guess that's par for the coarse. Grading is fair, and Dr. Lynch understands how confusing these writers are. Overall, compared to most of the other anal retentive, Napoleon complexed douche bags on this phony ass campus, Joe Lynch is the dude. I'd recommend him for a teacher, maybe a keg party, just be damn sure it's newcastle in them barrels.

Joe is a really cool guy, but I think that sometimes he lectures thinking that people should just know what he is talking about without completely clarifying it first. I also found his office hours to not be extremely helpful. But, overall he is a good teacher and I would definitely recommend him.

I didn't think teacher's could write their own evaluations??

Great teacher.

Not a great teacher!

I just took a class from the "Crypt Keeper" I always wondered what happened to him once "Tales From the Crypt" shut down. He teaches Philosophy 231 at Cal Poly.

so funny

Quizzes are easy. Tests and mid-terms are killer, have many typos, and are a bad representation of what we should have learned in my opinion. Anyone should be able to pass, but if you are looking for an A (and you aren't a philosophy lover) stay away. He's a very funny and entertaining guy, but that's not always a good thing.

He shows up at least 5 minutes late to class EVERY DAY.

I droped this Class because he was not interested in coming to class on time! A bad sign when it comes to dedication to education. So why waste my time and my parents money. I am very concerned also, I am thinking of changing my Major, he was sitting in as Deparment Chair this Summer, this is a BIG mistake! He is too much of a moron/disconected for this Student oriented position.

Not a good teacher

I thought this teacher was awesome. He is down to earth, hilarious, and presents material in a way that i thought made it very easy to understand. Maybe its because I already like philosophy, but I didn't think his lectures were boring or convoluted at all. Other people might be complaining that he goes off on tangents, but those tangents were actually very helpful examples that related the ideas back to the real world. Also, I couldn't care less what my teacher looks like. As long as he's teaching me interesting information, He could be a one-legged leper.

He is Late for class everyday, very loud person! Complete reading, listen to lecture and you will come out with at least a (B) .

TAKE HIM! he is so funny and makes the class entertaining. I was not looking forward to this class, thinking that it would be hard, but it's not bad at all. He gives "surveys" which are quizzes with 10 multiple choice questions-drops the lowest one, two multiple choice midterms-drops the lowest one, and a final.

Nothing to write home about! Very average teacher and class.

I thought Lynch was a great teacher! He makes lectures interesting and he's an incredibly intelligent guy. Other than the shallow comments about his appearance, I don't understand what there is to dislike about him as a professor. Much more entertaining than most professors I've had.

I would definitely recommend Lynch. I\'ve never laughed so hard in a lecture. He makes the full two hours fairly interesting considering the boring subject. However, he is pretty out there and the tests/quizzes can be tricky sometimes. Also, don\'t ever bother going to office hours because he won\'t ever remember who you are.

Okay

Professor Lynch is the man! His lectures are like stand up comedy while still learning. Take him and it transforms a would-be boring 2 hour lecture from 7-9 to something to look forward to

If you consider bad stand up comedy as education, this class is for you. Really easy class, I went 50% and received a C. Just laugh at the jokes and you will get a C, at least. However, between the so called comedy there is a bit of eduction. 3 test and mostly lecture plus some dude form the community gives a talk. I say take the class.

Lynch is hilarious and really does a great job finding ways for students to relate to the material. Sometimes the class was like a stand up comedy act for him, but i really enjoyed that. It really brought some humor to the boring philosophy material. The midterms were pretty easy and he gives you a study guide that has direct questions from the test. I really like him and i would definitely recommend him!

This class sucked the life out of me. Just awful!

This guy was so funny! The class itself is ridiculous but he kept me entertained. Recommend him but not the class

Lynch is one of the funnier Cal Poly teachers. He's always cracking a joke about his ex-wives or old jobs. There are three "big surveys" (midterms) and a bunch of "little surveys" (quizzes) throughout the course of the class. The last big survey is the final, but out of the other two big surveys, the lowest score gets dropped. So you pretty much only need to cram for one of the surveys and the final to get a pretty decent grade in this class. He checks attendance every so often, but its just a sheet you initial. I believe he uses it to give you more points at the end of the quarter if your in between grades. I would recommend taking the bigger lecture class simply because the tests aren't as difficult. Apparently there are essay portions in his smaller classes.

Joe Lynch cares more about hearing himself talk than understanding student difficulties.

Dear Professor Lynch, I was going to send you a personal email, but i figured that Polyratings is probably a more effective way of reaching you seeing that you post on here all the time. PLEASE STOP RATING YOURSELF, YOU CHILDISH PRICK. It is blatantly obvious, and really immature. I have not even had you as a professor yet, but I am trying to take a GE that you teach. Maybe if you tried harder as a teacher, your students would post positive things about you so you wouldn't have to, you PolyRatings Troll. You make me sick, you stuck up selfish bastard Yours truly, A frustrated Engineering student

I really don't understand why people have hated on Lynch in the past. It's philosophy, you're supposed to think. I came into this class dreading it, but after reading Plato's The Republic and listening to Lynch's lectures, I found myself enjoying the subject. Lynch is hilarious and his stories are a nice side bar during his teachings. The course consists of reading 3 books with a midterm on the 1st two after each book is read. During class he reviews the most recent chapter or couple of chapters and shows you the key things to focus on. He even makes study guide-like summarized notes to follow along with his lectures. A lot of times, just studying these notes will allow you to do well enough on his tests. However, if you really want to do well, read the books. I read Plato and I got an A on that test. I didn't read Mill or Marx and so the 2nd Midterm and final were a lot harder. Also, take careful notes when he talks about concepts, he says a lot of helpful ideas that aren't printed on the handouts, if you can catch some of them. This class doesn't involve much work. It's really just the reading that takes time (if you choose to do it). I took the big lecture so there were no essays but the tests were challenging multiple choice questions. Take this guy if you're not a big philosophy fan and want a more humorous view of philosophical works. Plus, he's very helpful with clarifying concepts by email or in office hours.

GREAT professor. One of my favorites I've ever had. The readings in this class can be difficult to understand, but he did a really good job at explaining the concepts in class. Not to mention the fact that he is basically a stand up comedian up there! He had the whole class laughing at least a few times each class with the funny examples he used to explain things. And he was very helpful during office hours, as well. Take this professor!

I had a tough time with this class because he would go off on tangents, and clearly wanted to entertain the class. He is pretty funny, and morbid. I do not think like a philosopher and therefore DID NOT get this class. I went to every class, and took notes...yet still almost didn't pass this class. He has all his notes online so that's helpful. You really need to open your mind to something out of this world or else it goes right over your head. He was really nice at the end of the quarter to give me CR, and I think he is a good guy, just not the class for me. I would recommend taking him.

Oh terrible....

How did this guy get Tenure? Really easy class, one thing though. Laugh at his stupid jokes, can tell he has told them a million times. Note to Lynch: Get new joke material dude! That is some worn out stuff....

Basically the reason I have a PHIL minor is because of Lynch. A great guy. Teaching methods are good too, but to get down to the specifics needed to answer the questions on the quizes right gets to be a problem. Fun class, worth it if you don't mind going to office hours to seek the extra help.

Let's get this straight, I hate Philosophy, I've been putting this GE off until my final year and I used a priority to take him. He made this class pretty easy for busy architecture students like me who are definitely not going to be reading the book. I sometimes read the cliff notes but he does such a great job in class, reading the book or cliff notes only reinforces what he teaches. Being Philosophy the material it is confusing as $&!# so I had to go to office hours a little. He is REALLY enthusiastic so he takes about 15 min to answer someones questions and it's really confusing and you barely get anything answered in office hours. Now the best part was his occasional reference to PHILOSOPHY BRO.com best website ever. Very helpful. Class is pretty easy 2 exams with often quizzes and a final. for him a C is 65% per the syllabus and he really wants you to get an A. and to close it out, yes he was a contribute to the book "Big Lebowski and Philosophy"

Creeper... he's weird and gross and the inappropriate jokes he makes in class would be funny but they just reinforce how weird and creepy he is. This class was awful. I had it at 6-8 PM and not only did I never want to go I never learned a thing either. He gets way too off topic with the examples he uses to try to explain stuff. Like he will start out with an example and by the time he gets to the end you have forgotten what it was supposed to explain. Also his tests were only 50 question multiple choice with very ambiguous answers.

I thought Lynch was great and made the class as easy as possible for the material that was covered. You have two tests and a final, only the score of the highest of the first two tests is counted towards your grade. You have to fill out a study guide for each of the two tests and then you have some quizzes that he literally tells you the answers. There is a ton of reading but he posts reading notes on Poly Learn and effectively makes it so you don't have to read to pass the class. I thought he was incredibly funny (and so did many others in the class, judging from the constant laughter). There were parts that were extremely boring but he told a lot of great stories that were applicable. I'm a Philosophy major and plan to take him again for other courses so I think it's safe to recommend him for 231.

Lynch is definitely one interesting character. His lectures can be extremely difficult to understand at times and mostly are just retelling what was in the readings. His tests are quite difficult, however he drops the lowest of the two midterms which gives you a little wiggle room. He gives out some quizzes which are extremely easy and he always gives full credit as long as you write something for the journal homework. He has a lot of jokes and to some people they may be funny. I found maybe 2 out 5 funny and in my opinion he tries too hard. He's not a terrible teacher and if you do the readings and study for the final you should do just fine in his class.

Lynch is super funny to listen to during lecture. Sometimes it can be a little hard to follow, but he tries to relate every concept to current day situations which I found helpful and funny. It's also super cool that he drops your lowest midterm and quiz score (2 midterms and final, 3 super easy quizzes). He gives a study guide for every test and if you literally go through it and find the answers, all of which are on the handouts, then you will easily get an A on the tests!

If you need a philosophy class for a GE, take Lynch! He's very humorous and chill, and incredibly good at simplifying/explaining the meat of the texts. He literally provides all of the study guides and notes for you, so all you need to do is write down clarifications on the key points. He drops your lowest quiz/exam scores, and all tests are scantron multiple choice (aka super easy if you reviewed the notes). While this class is 2 hours and that time can go by slowly, this was my most enjoyable lecture of the quarter. 10/10 would recommend, easy A.

Lynch is the best. I'm currently enrolled in this class (hence why there is N/A where my grade should be) but I'm not worried about getting a good grade in his class. We have two midterms, of which he drops whichever score is lower, and a final along with a few quizzes (which he refers to as "non-anonymous surveys"). Honestly I haven't read any of the books required for the class but got a 92 on my first midterm and 100s on all quizzes. He explains the main ideas from the books much better than spark notes or the book itself. He provides outlines for every lecture which are super helpful when going back to study. He is the perfect combination of humor and passion for the subject which makes going to class actually enjoyable. PS when choosing which PHIL class to take, 231 is much easier to understand than 230.

This dude is a trip and a half, but I actually really enjoyed this class. I was dreading having to take philosophy and I assumed it would be boring and monotonous, but Joe made going to class super entertaining with his dumb jokes and interesting stories. He’s also basically a walking, talking version of SparkNotes on steroids, so reading the books is actually kind of unnecessary if you go to class, pay attention, and take notes. His examples are great, and make understanding the texts so much easier and straightforward. I totally recommend taking Joe if you want a GE that’s not a waste of time.

For PHIL 231 we studied Plato, John Stuart Mill, and Karl Marx. I read all the required readings except for the Marx ones, but I don't think they added anything to my understanding. The first midterm was on Plato, the second on Mill, and the final was about all three philosophers. The one thing I really liked about this big lecture class was Joe's grading policy. He drops your worst quiz grade AND worst midterm grade. We only had 3 quizzes the entire quarter and he basically hands out the answers during the lecture right before the quiz is given (and he always emails a reminder of what day the quiz is so you'll come to class). However, the final was way harder than expected. I studied the guide with questions he gave, but it turned out like I should have just studied all the notes, not the specific parts he pointed out in the guide. But it was nice that for the big 50 point midterms/final, he gave at least like 5 free points to help your grade. The things I didn't like about this class were that you could get lost in his lectures sometimes, even though he tries to give examples (more like his funny personal stories) to relate concepts to today. He also wasn't very helpful in office hours. He always came late and when I asked questions he sounded so impatient to explain stuff over again and made me feel stupid. Overall, this class was okay, especially since I've heard taking philosophy GEs sucks at Cal Poly. Joe wasn't the best but for me it was better than taking a class that required essays.

I can't stress enough how much this guy is the bees knees! Monsignor Lynch knows how to make philosophy really interesting. When I looked at the Poly Ratings for this guy, everyone said how he was funny. That was my only reason for choosing the class. What they didn't really mention was how he is able to walk with you in understanding the topics. Great guy, awesome heart. The reading kinda sucks but it isn't too difficult; lecture will solve all your confusion. However, if you take a two hour lecture, make sure to come well rested or with a ton of caffeine in your system. His lectures are really entertaining and insightful, but 2 hours of philosophy can make anyone sleep. Tests are difficult... GO TO HIS OFFICE HOUR! You'll do so much better. He rewards those who try. If you're up in the air about who to take for PHIL, I promise you it's this guy. YO! He also wrote in a philosophy book about the philosophy of the Big Lebowski... super dope

This class was super dope. As long as you come to lecture and stay awake the class in an easy A. That is because he is a really good and memorable teacher that thoroughly explains everything will funny and abstract examples. I loved the material and found it very insightful. I took a huge lecture with over 100 students so the whole class was him talking to us rather than a discussion like some philosophy classes are but I didn't mind. He dropped one of the 2 midterm grades and 1 of the 3 quiz grades which was super great because most people test much better when they are not under a lot of stress. This man is very eccentric, funny, and interesting to listen to so I'd totally recommend this class.

Professor Lynch is a really good guy, but I don't know if I can say he was a good teacher. He went off topic a LOT, and while his stories were interesting and entertaining, sometimes it just didn't make sense. His tests were challenging, and a lot of the class was teaching yourself the material through videos he sent and the reading. He is really nice, and he is always willing to answer questions, sometimes it was just so confusing that I didn't know what to ask questions about. If you are willing to put in the work, you should be fine, but it is can be pretty difficult to follow along in class.

Suuuuuuch a funny professor, would retake this class if I had to! Really smart guy, really funny examples, and a doable class for sure. Read the book, go to lecture, study his lecture handouts, and you should be good to go!

He needs to stop writing his own ratings for everyone's sake. It distorts the reality and discounts people's experiences. To you, students will enroll in your class because its required, so don't worry about that.

Dr. Lynch is an awesome professor. He’s so funny and makes a boring lecture interesting. When you go to his office hours, he really tries to explain concepts you don’t understand. Looking over the midterms is helpful because some of the same questions are on the final. We had two midterms and only the higher grade counted, then there were quizzes and the final. The quizzes are super easy because he gives the answers during class if you just pay attention. Overall, I would take this professor again 100% because he’s funny and fair and genuinely knowledgeable.

Lynch is funny and a chill dude. I don't have anything bad to say, pretty average class. In terms of the class, it's not that hard. I read like 5% of the actual literature we were assigned and came out with a solid A. You can do fine as long as you study the summaries, worksheets, and pay attention in class (I won't lie its actually somewhat difficult to stay awake sometimes).Take your time with the midterms and finals as they are a lot of all the above, "A and C", & none of the above type of questions. Go over the midterms since he recycles a decent amount of questions for the final.

Joe is hilarious. I was expecting this, as a philosophy class, to be very hard to understand (I mean, it isn't easy), but Joe explains things super well and his lectures are really engaging. He's very charismatic and cracks a lot of jokes. I bust up every class because of how much he rips on how much he hates light beer. Take Joe. You won't be bored and he tells you every question that will be on the quiz in the class leading up to the quiz.

Going to this class was impossible. I did anyways but it was so dry. The readings are very difficult, after attempting a few pages I stopped and just took notes in lecture. It's so hard to pay attention during lecture. He's very energetic for for 2 hour lectures with no break I find my mind wandering and staring at the clock fifteen minutes in. Midterms are hard but he gives you the essay question in advanced so you can prep your response. My advice- take this GE online at foothill college, they have many more fun and easy alternative courses to fulfill the requirement. This is what I wanted to do but waited too long in my college career to do it.

Dude seemed really old and tired. He called it in other words. If you can take someone else. Cuz this dude is one burnt out old creepy dude. What's with that Creasy hair dude! the 60s called and they want their crease back!

Joe was an entertainer. There was no homework assignment, and no paper (a +). His first midterm was easy, but the second and the final were pretty bad. He tried to be nice and he would give you an A if you got at least one A in either of the midterms or the final, but he wouldn't give an A if you got B+ in all three. Anyway, i didn't think that was fair because you can get an A and 2 D's and still get an A in the class, but 3 B+'s can't get you anywhere. Take him, but make sure you know how his grading system works first.

Clearly, one sophomore who took 231 (and got an A, of course) feels the need to rip on Dr. Lynch. Supposedly this forum does not encourage such behavior, but has failed to correct an obvious problem. I mean, the person capitalized "Frat Boy" in every post for no reason. Anyway, Dr. Lynch is an awesome professor. Smart, energetic, funny and helpful in office hours. The best professor at Cal Poly, hands down. And IMPARTIAL to women and men.

I am Phil major and find this Prof. way to concerned about about jokes, being liked and funny, not education. But, I will say I did receive an A for my effort and did learn in this class. That is good. If I had a chice I would take another Prof.

Nope!

One creepy old dude. Yuk!

OK, i justed wanted to say that that it doesn't matter what a professor looks like. Joe knows his stuff, and he's a great teacher. Yes his course is easy, but, its a nice change to some of the other professors here that want you to fail. Joe cares what you get in his class and he's going to help you out as much as he can. He's a good teacher and a makes going to class fun and relaxing, its the only class that i have taken that i don't feel stressed out in. Take a course with him if you can its a nice change to things.

This is my second quarter taking Lynch. I had him in 231 and now in buddhism. The structure of the class is exactly the same for both: 2 midterms (multiple choice with a very short essay that he gives you the topic for before the test), he drops the lowest and a cumulative multiple choice final. If you print up the notes that he writes up for the class and take notes during his lectures there is no way in hell you can get below a B. Also because he gives you his own personal notes for the books required you don't even need to buy them. While it is pretty easy to fall asleep in class because some of the material seems dry Lynch gives it his best effort to make it interesting and funny. The man makes it extremely clear how those that enjoy light beer over a good Newcastle probably should never have been born. Take Lynch for Phil 231 and Rels 307, he's a good guy and wants his students to do well in the class.

Professor Lynch is an amazingly intelligent man. I took Phil 231 with him last quarter and couldn't wait to get into the Buddhism class this quarter. He is a laid back kinda guy, easy to talk to, and really knows his shit!! He can relate to the students really well during lectures too. I can understand if some people are bitter about him because he makes his tests hard...well thats why you are here...to learn! So get off your lazy ass and study the material, it's really interesting. Sometimes lectures can get a little boring, but what lecture doesn't? Give the guy a break, and go hang out with him in his office when he's there...great guy!

All the good remarks about this professor are true. One trait that stands out the most with Lynch is that he has an overwhelming sense of willingness to appeal to the students and help us out. Lynch has made it apparent that he wants us to enjoy his lectures and tries to upp the humor as best he can. Any one who is in their right mind can see it. There are those who lazily try to skate by in his class and make it apparent to show that they are not mature enough to sit through his lectures without acting like a dumba$$. Thanks guys for giving Cal Poly a bad name. Bottom Line, if you like cool professors and have some sense of intelligence, TAKE LYNCH. PEACE out.

For one thing, if anyone has anything negative to say about prof. Lynch, you obviously were just taking this class to fulfill the requirement and didnt take anything he taught you to heart. his class is awesome and he is a great teacher! TAKE HIM FOR BUDDHISM OR PHILOSOPHY and im sure you'll come away from his class with no regrets. what effort you put in is defintiely how much knowledge you'll get out. he's very cool, laid back, and although i kind of get lost in his lectures sometimes, it seems to make sense when i read what i am supposed to and he's def one of those teachers that will always be willin to help if you need it! take him!

First of all anyone can see the difference between the negative comments just written by idiots who want to be funny by breaking a guy down and the comments written by those who have some intelligence and want toexperience everything poly offers. So for you people who joke around on a very helpful website here's some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism for you, go fuck yourselves.. Joe is a great professor who knows what he is talking about while relating the subject to the students and keeping us attentative by acting more like a stand-up comedian rather than a dull professor. I would highly recommend all his classes. And in the future try using some discretion and maturity and only write useful comments on this site and go talk shit on people on myspace.

What can I say about Joe Lynch that hasn't been said before? Except for that he is very intelligent, funny, informative, generous, and kind. He was my favorite teacher out of all of my years of schooling at Cal Poly. Take his classes! The Buddhism course that he taught was very insightful and a pleasure to study for. It was very informative and very applicable to our lives. He teaches this religious studies course more like a philosophy class and looks in detail to the ideas and beliefs about this system and doesn't every put his personal viewpoints into the teaching. He is a very fair and unbiased teacher and very professional. For me, the class was of particular interest and I really enjoyed it and got a lot from it. There are two midterms, each of which are fairly hard with some challenging questions. There is an essay question for both of these, but Professor Lynch always provides you with the question he is going to ask you before hand, so you can adequately study for it. He grades very generously on the essay portion of the test. The multiple choice questions are difficult and ask you to recall some very specific details from his lectures, but overall they are ok. One awesome thing he does is to give us handouts, which completely clarify all of the matierial in the book and all of the material taught in class. There is a lot of reading to do for the class and you will get a lot out of it by actually reading it, but the handouts do a nice job of summarizing. Read the actual textbooks to get all of the information necessary for the tests. There is a journal portion of the class as well, which you turn in with the midterms. This was fun to keep and write about whatever came to mind on the topic of Buddhism, or how you reacted to the teachings in class. The final was multiple choice only and it was pretty difficult. Lots of questions were very specific about different schools of Buddhism, but overall it was an ok test. Be prepared to put a lot of work in for the class, but it is interesting material, and it is taught well. Take this class! If you study the handouts and do the reading in the textbooks, you will do fine.

Joe\'s a pretty cool guy. He\'s very animated when he presents the material. I\'d say you\'d be hard pressed to fall asleep in this guy\'s class. He\'s really into Buddhism (at least as a subject, if not a religious practice) and has some pretty cool things to show. He works really hard to bring in some monks as well, which is awesome. His tests can be a bit rocky...there\'s a lot more to Buddhism than most people realize so you\'re gonna have to do the reading and memorize quite a bit. His journals...well you can write about whatever you want pertaining to Buddhism which makes it easy. The assignment wasn\'t presented super clearly but just have something to turn in for each exam. Overall, a pretty fun class regardless of the grade you receive.

Maybe its just because its a summer class. But holy hell such a boring class and very unorganized

He has a stuttering problem and LOUD, random style that makes his lectures hard to follow. Paired with this were roughly 22 extensive 3-4 page handouts. His class did nothing but flood me with information. There was just too much to know. Exam averages were in the 50's and 60's. His study guides were vague. There was just no way to grasp all of the material that you needed to know. His poor oration and extensive handouts paired with vague study guides made success in this class improbable. His class was disorienting.

He is definitely going to read this and write his own review, of course, but I am writing this because this class is offered again this summer. To sum up: He lectures this like a 100-200 level class, continuously going through countless terms and philosophical arguments, but grades and expects work for a grad-level class. Be prepared to know the ins and outs of Buddhism and be bored out of your mind, not to mention, in this class, there are no time for questions, not like your input mattered anyway. Sitting for 2 hours straight, no breaks, each day listening to him repeat the same ideas and stories everyday in summer or every other day during the quarter? No thank you.

Jeez, unless you enjoy philosophy or are a religious studies minor, wait a sec before taking this class. A lot of material meant for grad school

First off, I like professor Lynch, he can be entertaining and is a nice guy. However, I was disappointed with the class overall as well as his teaching style. On his teaching style: he is highly disorganized in lecture and gets off topic frequently. It is not a huge problem though because he gives you handouts for each lecture which have the majority of the material you need to know for the tests. But, it makes it hard to pay attention because he gives you that scatterbrain feeling where you dont really know what hes talking about or where the discussion is going. The bigger problem I had with him was with the way he taught the material itself. The man seems very intelligent and has a breadth of knowledge about the teachings of buddhism, but hes too much like an encyclopedia. Theres no real depth to his knowledge. As far as recommending him: If you are looking to take this class either because it is easy or because you have a general curiosity about buddhism, then take this professor. If you have a deep interest in philosophy/psychology find someone else.

Hmmm

He's the BEST philosophy professor at Cal Poly. He doesn't have any personal issues like some of the other professors in the philosophy department so this was pleasant for me - I could just concentrate on the lecture material and take the tests without someone unloading their baggage onto me. I looked forward to every class. He's very kind and humble towards all students and everyone I spoke to also said they loved his teaching style. His tests are easy if you study the lecture notes and handouts. He makes philosophy interesting and understandable.

Lynch is a very knowledgeable professor and is very helpful when you have questions. His teaching style can be a little difficult at times since he doesn't write nearly anything on the board, and his lectures can become a little boring depending on the material, but he always tries to spice things up and throws in lots of jokes and stories to keep the class entertained. He is great at keeping students' attention with these stories and jokes. This class was Asian Philosophy and we studied all kinds of Asian and East Asian thought. It was a very interesting class, but we didn't get into all of the material that I wish we would have gotten into. The class is structured around 2 midterms and a final. There was a lot of reading for this class, but the readings were manageable and interesting at times. The tests were 40 multiple choice with an essay portion. The essay question is given out prior to the test and review sheets were given out too. These are very helpful and even contain which handouts you should study. The final was 50 multiple choice questions and a written essay, but you could write the essay at home and turn it in with the final optionally. The tests are rather difficult and contain the a, b, c, a or b, or all of the above type answers, which makes you have to know very specifically what the correct answer is. This can be very difficult when the material is very similar. Overall, this class was interesting and fun at times, and Lynch was a great teacher for it, just do the reading and go to class, and do the study guides and you will do alright.

Sorta agree with below statement? Overall a good class. Wish there was another choice for Teracher, but he was okay.

I am so tired of teachers thinking it is cool to look and act like freaks. How is this going to help me in the real World, this is my Education?! What ever! Okay class, most all answered below. Sorry for the rant.

Not a very good class, I would not suggest this course or teacher. Not very interesting topic or teacher. Teacher was a bore. So was the material. What's the point of all this nonsense, I am a doer not a talker. If you like to learn about useless shit this is the class for you. No offense, but a waste of my parents money.

I got this really creepy feeling around this teacher. I caught him looking down my shirt a few times. What a dirty old man! Obviously not a good experience for me. I would not take him again or reccomend this course with this teacher. I agree a bunch of useless shit, I also agree with other post, I think he wrote his own evaluation, you go Kung Fu boy!

Professor Lynch taught one of the best Philosophy classes I've ever taken. He kept the Philosophy of Religion lectures and discussions balanced. At no time did he let his views (what are they?!) take the place of individual rational inquiry. Considering the sensitive nature of the subject, I believe this makes him a superior professor.

Lynch is just tight. I don't know how else to explain it. The material for his class is extremely interesting, and he does not introduce his own religious views during the course. The texts for the class are also religiously neutral, so you are forced to draw your own *informed* conclusions. The exams are not particularly difficult, and he does show a certain "Buddha-like compassion" when grading the essays. His lectures are among the most interesting I've ever heard, mostly because of his diction. Don't be surprised if you hear a few obsceneties. There is a paper due at the end of the quarter, and as a hint: if you are capable of doing so, try to write on a particularly difficult topic (something by Plantinga). I do not recommend this because Lynch will be impressed, because I do not know if he will be or not, but because it forces you to write a better paper than some mundane argument. Take this class, it's worth it.

Lynch is such an amazing teacher!! He knows his material and he knows how to make it interesting and funny on occasion. Now that I'm no longer in his class, i find myself missing the good times i had in this course. Even though the reading can be tough and on occasion boring, I would definately recommend taking this course.

Teachers real name is "Art," Just call him "Art." Also "Art" is stinky so wear nose plugs. If you can stand the loud lectures and that rediculous greasy hair, not to mention all those stupid beer jokes. Hang in their and you might learn something. I received and "A" for very little work. Take lecture notes and do the reading. Everything will fall into place.

Dr. Lynch is a great teacher, he makes lectures entertaining and informative. The class is a great GE class, I recommend it to anyone who wants to think and needs the credit

Lynch is one of those teachers that just knows how to relate the class material to students and make it interesting. I took him for another Philosophy class and I really enjoyed him. He is my favorite teacher at Poly so far and he is one of the best on campus. His lectures are very interesting and he makes the topics fun by throwing in little jokes and other comedy that flows with the material and makes everyone in class laugh and have a good time. The best way to learn is to laugh while doing it and Lynch helps out with this a lot. The class material wasn't the most interesting I've had, but with Lynch always cracking jokes and allowing everyone have fun, it was a very good class. Take him!

How did this guy get Tenure? I guess I have to remember it's the "PHIL" department, I didn't know they were that hard up for Prof's? Get it together "PHIL." Nothing else to say.

Yes he looks like a ninja pirate, yes hes a little kooky, and yes im going to try to take every course i can with him. every class is like this,2 multiple choice tests (which are pretty hard by the way) a "journal" for the WI requirement, and a final cumulative multiple choice test. and he drops the lowest 'survey' or midterm! Joe is an amazing lecturer, you hear both sides of the argument, and will never NEVER get his bias about anything, except beer...because ales are the best, its a brute fact! Joe is amazing! disregard every negative thing said about him on this site, they are entirely wrong.

Professor Lynch is incredible. He managed to motivate me, someone taking this course as a GE, to be interested in the subject matter. His lectures are fantastic, he keeps the whole class engaged, and it feels like a conversation not a lecture. Easily one of the best professors at the school. I would recommend anyone to take any class with Lynch.

Damn that's fake^. Never once does this class ever feel like a conversation. He never gives you a chance to speak so am I missing something...?

i have taken Dr. Lynch for two philosophy courses (i am a major), Phil of Religion and Phil of Mind. Dr. Lynch's greatest quality as a professor is his ability to make philosophy funny. He is full of examples from his life and other areas of human experience that uniquely demonstrate philsophical concepts. His grading style is full of Buddha-like compassion that he sprinkles here and there in order to relieve the stress grades can cause. He gives great handouts that sum up his lectures and help students know exactly what to study for. You will find him helpful in class as he is good with allowing for discussion. If you take him, expect to read and do the reading and all will fall into place. A+.

lynch is the man. he's a great teacher for a difficult subject (phil of mind) and understands students have other classes than his. he gives "buddha-like compassion" which saved me. he took the class out for a round of beers at the end of the quarter. good guy, very interesting, and good class.

Lynch is an awesome professor. However, his teaching style is all verbal, with pretty much nothing on the board. This style works, but is a bit painful for me. I wish he would write on the board more and explain more fully on the board. Sometimes we just rush through a bunch of topics and it is hard to keep up. This class was a bit strange since we were all in a discussion group for class and it wasn't really a lecture. I like the lectures better, but it was ok for this class. The class focused on the mind and on consciousness. As in all philosophy there aren't any difinitive answers, so it can be frustrating studying the material, but it is fun to explore which theories make the most sense to you. This class had many extra credit opportunities, which I was very surprised and pleased with. The class is pretty much based off of a presentation, a research paper, two midterms, and a final. The final was optional, which was really nice. The presentation wasn't too bad, but it really is a lecture to the class from a chapter of the book. The students taught each other the book and Lynch included important points after the presenations and leading up to the presentations. The paper was just a continuation of the presentation and was a little bit long and I felt a bit pressed for time trying to get it all done by its due date. The tests as always are pretty hard. You need to know the material front and back due to Lynch's testing style with challenging multiple choice questions. Know who supports which theory and what kind of philosophy they believe in. He always has questions like that, which are very detail oriented and easy to miss. Overall, the class was pretty enjoyable. Lynch as always was fun and knowledgable. Read all of the material and go to class and you will be fine.

I agree he talks way to much! Learning cannot take place if it's "all" about the Teacher.

Fuck this guy. Id like to stick my tounge up his ass.