The course invites students to investigate the problem of
"humanity"—i.e., what it means to be human—at two levels: human as an
individual and human as a social being. Students will be engaged in a
direct dialogue with literary writers, philosophers and social reformers
who address three fundamental questions: What makes a "good" life for
me? What makes a "good" society for everyone? How do I make possible
such a "good" life and "good" society?
Students are expected to read, discuss, and write about a wide range of
texts extracted from influential classics in the humanities East and
West. They will be encouraged to discover their own answers to the three
questions by considering views and arguments expressed in the texts,
and by exploring how far and in what ways such views and arguments may
hold true for the contemporary world.
- Teacher: Chi Chung Yu