HKIER

摘要

本文探討以經典為本的大學通識教育新嘗試，透過檢視香港中文大學於2012年新學制改革後的通識教育模式，從應然性（normative）的角度討論以科學經典為本的通識教育的教學目標和課程綱領。文中剖析以經典為本的通識教育核心課程所需的課程論證與學習主題設計，不僅用以回應選取特定範疇知識或典籍的相關爭議，更在於展示出一所大學所嚮往的文化素質和理想人格。故此，科學經典為本的核心課程並不是將學院科學轉移至通識教育課堂，亦不是從事普及科學教育，而是透過研讀經典，令學生明白人類、自然與知識的共構關係，從而思考科學探究的特徵與局限、現代科技的倫理應用，以及自然知識的文化面向等議題。本文就課程理念和教學議題設計，說明香港中文大學的「與自然對話」一課，如何將科學經典中的知識連結至人類的文化處境，以培養學生具備文化批判的科學素養，反思自然知識探究所引發的社會和價值變革。

關鍵詞：通識教育；核心課程；核心文本；科學經典教育；自然知識的文化向度

Abstract

This article explicates a new attempt of using classics as the basis for the General Education curriculum of a university. Through reviewing the General Education model adopted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong after the 2012 new education reform, we evaluate the aims of the curriculum and designs of “In Dialogue with Nature” — a newly launched science classics General Education course. The article, from a normative perspective, analyzes the course’s justifications and curriculum designs required by a core-text curriculum. It does not only respond to relevant controversies of choosing specific branch of knowledge and the selection of classics, but more importantly reflect the cultural literacy and ideal personality aspired by a university through the design of the core curriculum. Thus, the science classics course neither aims at transferring hard-core scientific knowledge to General Education course, nor engages in teaching popular science. Rather, it enables students to understand the co-existential relationship between humans, nature and knowledge through studying classics, in order to reflect on issues such as the characteristics and limitations of scientific inquiries, the ethical dilemma of modern technologies, as well as the cultural dimension of natural knowledge, and so on. Through evaluating the aims and design of curriculum, this article illustrates how this course could bridge the knowledge in science classics with human conditions, thereby equipping students with a sense of scientific literacy that empowers them to engage in the cultural critique about social and value changes arising from the course of scientific inquiry.

Keywords: General Education; core curriculum; core texts; science classics education; cultural dimension of natural knowledge