Johnsen, Bruce  

Professor Johnsen was very clear in explaining the concepts presented in the works we were studying in class. He was also a very fair grader of the three essays we had to write throughout the quarter. There were only two midterms, and they were multiple choice and not too hard. Overall he was a very nice, clear, and fair instructor, and I would recommend him to anyone.

HOT DAMN!!! WOW, this class was very boring. it was so hard to stay awake durring his class, but hey, philosophy is very boring. he could be a cool guy some times, but his midterms are designed to fail everybody. i think a C was brought down to a 15 out of 50. but everybody's got to take this class, my advise is to take it with someone else.

Prof. Johnsen is ok. His midterms are partial credit scantron so that's a little weird but I think a C was 50% or something so it wasn't that bad. He grades the papers pretty fairly. If you turn in a topic before you do them or ask him for some help you should be fine. I never read anything and I managed to pull out a B and I'm an ME major so that should tell you something. I would say take him--the class is a breeze.

Well, the course material is pretty tough, but Johnsen's explanations make it totally understandable. He knows this stuff backward and forward and knows how to teach it. And I suspect he may be about the smartest guy I've ever met. Talk to him in office hours some time. I don't know what some people are saying about lectures being boring. I thought I learned a LOT! and about things that really matter like how society works and why. I didn't get an 'A', but mostly because I didn't study as much as I could have (it's a GE course), not because the course is that hard. It will stretch your brain, though, sometimes, but then I guess philosophy is supposed to do that. Overall, I'd recommend this course to anyone and everyone. -- Unless you're too lazy to study and sleep the night before, in which case I'd recommend kindergarten and nap time! :-)

This teacher is horrible. He makes the whole class fall asleep and he belittles you during offices hours if you ask him a question. If you don't mind being bored in class and being put down by your professor, then take this class. If not, I recommend you take another teacher.

This was probably the best damn class I've taken at Poly! It really tries to get you to think about things. Johnsen is EXTREMELY knowledgeable and gives clear info every lecture. Plus he relates it to today/life. Material is kind of tough at first, but it is explained well. If you hang in there, then by the middle to end of the class you see how the course really comes together. It is the only course I've taken that i'd recommend to anyone, no matter what major. In office hours he's really available & helpful. Plus its just interesting to talk to someone who knows so much about lots of different things. Take the course.

Johnsen is a really smart man but a HORRIBLE teacher. He was not able to convey the material clearly to the class at all. He seemed to encourage class participation, but every time i spoke up I was afraid he would make me feel stupid if my comment wasn't "right". We had to choose topics for 3 papers on our own which he graded severely. If i had to take this class over again i would DEFINITELY had gone to office hours because it was almost impossible to know what this man expected from us. After how stressed i was about this class, I was shocked and relieved to learn I had gotten a B after all...it really was a big surprise.

Professor Johnsen is a very intellegent man. Many students seem to get frustrated with his lecture, but if you pay attention you can leave each lecture with amazing insight into the text. He answers questions clearly and with great detail. To get the most out of the class be prepared to think things through on your own, as should be done anyway in every Philosophy class.

Mr. Johnsen should definately stick to philosophy, but NOT TO TEACHING. He's an aweful teacher, completely lacks person skills, and could probably care less if any of us were actually in our seats. He no tonly spent 10 weeks confusing the hell out of me, but also putting me to sleep and belittling his students. I spoke up and gave answers and ideas the first week of class, but after that, i learned it wasnt worth the shoot down he gave. Sure, take philosophy... i thought it would actually be cool. But dont take Johnsen- he'll ruin it for you.

All i can say is that if you take get this guy you better take about 10 No Doze before goin to class. He has no overheads or visuals, the entire class consists of him talking and asking for students ideas. But when he never really acknowledges anyone elses ideas. He presents all the material horribly and listening to his voice makes you want to kill yourself. You have to write 2 papers which arent bad but you have to come up with your own VERY DETAILED topic, and he rejects just about all of them at first. He isnt much more helpful at office hours either, i felt like i was talking to a wall. I will say the man knows his philosophy shit but has no desire to teach it...besides he owns i think two shirts and reminds me way too much of a plumber

this mother fucker needs to go crawl in the cave plato talks about and die. he is the worst asshole in the world. he can't teach and should not be allowed to. i took this cr/no cr and i haven't gotten my grade back but i went into the final with a C and his final was fuckign ridiculous. so if i don't pass i am going to personally make it my goal..to make his life a fucking living hell..more so than it already is..fucking fat ass bastard. DO not take this class. we had 2 midterms..one on plato which was hard as hell...one on locke not so bad..a 5 page paper for each..and then a written fucking hard ass final for thoreau. he grades papters and tests as if we should be phil historians. who the fuck knows and cares about that much stuff in detail? god i hope he suffers a heart attack which he probably will since he is soo overweight. his arteries will clog up and kill him.

Prof Johnsen is the worst philosohpy teacher ever. he may know his shit, but he is soo condisending and when you go into his office hours he treats you like shit. he says he doesnt have time for you in his office hours??? what???? my recomendation is to NOT TAKE PHIL WITH PROF JOHNSEN

Johnsen's class was the most boring class I've ever taken at Cal Poly, despite my interest in philosophy. He presents the subject matter pretty clearly and if you attend the lectures and take good notes, then you should do fine (if you have the ability to stay awake). His office hours are pretty much useless; he stares at you and looks bewildered as to why you're in his office. I would recommend a different philosophy professor, however, because he's undoubtedly the driest lecturer I've ever encountered. Be prepared to fall asleep.

His class wan't the easiest of classes. There was a lot of reading, especially for the Republic. The tests were alright. You definitely need to read if you want to succeed on his midterms. In retrospect he was a pretty good teacher. He disected the material for you so that it was pretty clear as to what the authors were trying to convey. However, if you didn't get sleep the night before his class, I GUARENTEE you will fall asleep in his class. Half the class couldn't stand more than one hour of the two hour lectures. I stayed becuase i thought the material was interesting enough and he does break down Plato so that even a monkey can comprehend it.

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