UGFN1001 In Dialogue with Nature
(Cross-institutional)

Timetable | Course Description | Enrolment Method for CUHK Students |
Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO) | Course Syllabus |
Required Readings | Teaching and Learning Activities |
Other activities | Assessment Methods and Weighting

2019-20 Term 2 Timetable

UGFN1001C In Dialogue with Nature (Cross-institutional)

Teaching Language: Cantonese
Course Teacher: Dr. Ng Ka Leung
Overall Class Quota: 25 (7 from HKU, HKUST and PolyU each, and the remaining 4 quota for CUHK)
Face-to-face Tutorials:
(updated on 6 Feb 2020)

2019-20 Term 1 Timetable

UGFN1001C In Dialogue with Nature (Cross-institutional)

Teaching Language: Cantonese
Course Teacher: Dr. Ng Ka Leung
Overall Class Quota: 25 (7 from HKU, HKUST and PolyU each, and the remaining 4 quota for CUHK)
Face-to-face Tutorials:

UGFN1001E In Dialogue with Nature (Cross-institutional)

Teaching Language: English
Course Teacher: Dr. Wong Wing Hung
Overall Class Quota: 25 (7 from HKU, HKUST and PolyU each, and the remaining 4 quota for CUHK)
Face-to-face Tutorials:

UGFN1001P In Dialogue with Nature (Cross-institutional)

Teaching Language: Putonghua
Course Teacher: Dr. Li Ming Kenneth
Overall Class Quota: 25 (7 from HKU, HKUST and PolyU each, and the remaining 4 quota for CUHK)
Face-to-face Tutorials:

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Course Description

This course is an intellectual pursuit across various natural sciences including the two most fundamental ones, physical and biological sciences. Ancient Greek philosophers took the lead in exploring the physical world and the world of life with reason and hence laid the foundations of natural science. This human enquiry into Nature leads to a reflection on the human understanding of Nature and the humans' place in Nature.

From the writings and stories of great scientists selected from influential literatures, students can gain a general understanding of the concepts and methodology of science, and of how scientists relate their academic pursuit to contemporary life, thereby developing their own perspectives on scientific issues. Students will be required to read, discuss and write about a wide range of texts in philosophy, science and its history. Emphasis will be placed on students' capacity to respond critically to these texts in written as well as oral presentations. Through these learning activities, students are expected to develop a lifelong capacity and enthusiasm to continue such dialogues with science texts in the future.

The content of this course is identical to that of UGFN1000 "In Dialogue with Nature", one of the two award-winning courses in the General Education Foundation Programme of CUHK. The mode of course delivery is blended. Teaching and learning activities are mainly conducted online but there are also several onsite meetings for face-to-face teacher-student interaction and discussion among students from different UGC-funded institutions.

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Enrolment Method for CUHK Students

1. Year 1 and Year 2 students can enrol UGFN1001 on CUSIS during the course selection period. The medium of instruction of each GEF class is given in the teaching timetable on the RES webpage. Students should check carefully before course enrolment.
2. Year 3 or above students can enrol UGFN1001 during the CUSIS add/drop period by submitting an application to the GEF Programme Office. Course-add applications will be successful only if there is still vacancy in the class. The course-add applications must be made on the prescribed form (add/drop form for GEF courses) and submitted to the GEF Programme, Office of University General Education in person or by email (sent from CUHK @Link accounts to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Applications submitted after the CUSIS add/drop period will normally NOT be accepted.
3. Wait list under CUSIS: The wait list of UGFN1001 under CUSIS will NOT be kept after the course selection period. Students who were on the wait list during the course selection period must enrol again during the add/drop period.

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Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO)

1. Comprehend and discuss science-related texts
2. Identify the essential characteristics of how human beings view Nature
3. Formulate informed personal views on the societal implications of scientific explorations
4. Relate the developments in natural sciences highlighted in the course to contemporary human condition
5. Evaluate the scopes of application, achievement and limitations of highlighted scientific methods using multiple perspectives

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Course Syllabus

The topics numbered (1, 2 and 3) below indicate the core contents that MUST be covered in the course. In each topic, at least 3 subtopics (a, b, c and d) should be covered.

1. Human Exploration of the Physical Universe
   1. What is truth?
   2. How to find scientific truth? The importance of reason and experiments.
   3. How to express scientific truth? Mathematical formulation of natural laws.
   4. Expansion of the universe.
2. Human Exploration of the World of Life.
   1. Laws of life: Natural selection and evolution.
   2. Code of life: The discovery of DNA.
   3. Manipulation of life and consequences: DNA and medicine.
   4. Manipulation of life and consequences: Pollution.
3. Our Understanding of Human Understanding
   1. What is the human mind and how does it work?
   2. Limitations of scientific method.
   3. What do Chinese know about Nature? -- Yin and Yang, five elements.
   4. Western culture versus Chinese culture.

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Required Readings

Please refer to the pdf.

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Teaching and Learning Activities

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Other activities (if applicable):

Estimated students' self-study and work hours outside the class -

1. Reading the assigned texts: 55 hours;
2. Writing 2 essays: 20 hours; and
3. Preparation for 3 quizzes: 3 hours.

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Assessment Methods and Weighting

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This course is under the Responsive University Cross Institutional General Education Course Sharing Project (Responsive 4U): The General Education Course Sharing Project connects 4 local universities to share selected General Education (GE) courses. By opening up the GE classrooms, students in the 4 partner institutions can access credit-bearing GE courses which are not available in their own university.