April 3, 2009. The lecture notes and the audio file are now available below.

(Engineering, Medicine and Science Faculty students cannot take this course to fulfil General Education requirements.) This course deals with the impact of recent advances in science and technology on the life and thoughts of people living in the modern society. Topics include computer and communication technology, medical science, biotechnology, food resources, global environmental problems and statistics in financial management. The course would enable the students to acquire a better understanding of these issues and their relevance to everyday life.

（工程學院、醫學院及理學院學生不得選修本科作通識教育科目。） 本科旨在探討科學及科技的近期進展對現代社會生活及思想的衝擊。討論課題包括電腦及通訊科技、醫藥科學、生物科技、糧食資源和全球性環境問題等；同學將通過此科目而加強認識上述種種，並瞭解到它們對日常生活的影響。

1. Midterm Examination : 50%
2. Final Examination : 50%

Note: This class will be taught in English. Homework assignments and presentations will be conducted in English.

The pdf files are created in Acrobat 6.0. Please obtain the correct version of the Acrobat Reader from Adobe.

1. Q: What is departmental guideline for plagiarism?
   A: If a student is found plagiarizing, his/her case will be reported to the Department Discipline Committee. If the case is proven after deliberation, the student will automatically fail the course in which he/she committed plagiarism. The definition of plagiarism includes copying of the whole or parts of written assignments, programming exercises, reports, quiz papers, mid-term examinations. The penalty will apply to both the one who copies the work and the one whose work is being copied, unless the latter can prove his/her work has been copied unwittingly. Furthermore, inclusion of others' works or results without citation in assignments and reports is also regarded as plagiarism with similar penalty to the offender. A student caught plagiarizing during tests or examinations will be reported to the Faculty Office and appropriate disciplinary authorities for further action, in addition to failing the course. Please refer to Honesty in Academic Work: A Guide for Students and Teachers for more information.