Course Outline 2nd Term, 2020-21

UGFH1000U In Dialogue with Humanity

Dr. Julie Chiu  [email protected], 39439705, 7/F, Hui Yeung Shing Building

TUTORIAL UT01 Thursday 12:30-2:15  LECTURE Thursday 2:30-3:15

ZOOM https://cuhk.zoom.us/j/97075936140?pwd=NW1GbGpMZWZpN1E0aTBaQ2tYNGc0dz09
Meeting ID: 970 7593 6140 Password: 123959

The COURSE invites you to investigate the problem of “humanity”—or what it means to be human—
at two levels: human as an individual and human as a social being. You will engage in dialogues with
literary writers, thinkers and social reformers—mostly in their own words—as they address two
fundamental questions:
 What does it mean to live a good life? What does it take to have a good society?
You are expected to read, discuss, and write about twelve texts of influential classics from various
times and cultures. By considering views and arguments of these texts and their applicability in the
modern world, you may discover your own answers to happiness at personal and social levels.
Learning takes place as you develop a passion for reading widely and deeply, and the capacity to
respond critically to the texts in oral exchanges and in writing.

Our GOAL is to help you develop:

• confidence – to read and discuss complicated texts from the humanities
• knowledge – to articulate major views on good life and good society
• judgment – to evaluate approaches to good life/good society from multiple perspectives
• vision – to apply views & arguments in selected texts to contemporary human conditions
• autonomy – to formulate your personal views on desirable life and ideal society

You will READ the following classics (in whole or in selections) under three major themes. Expect to
spend 3-6 hours per week outside class to do the required reading.
I. Chaos and Conflicts
1. Book of Genesis, Hebrew Bible* (《創世記》)
2. Sophocles, Antigone#
3. Gospel of Mark, New Testament Bible* (《馬可福音》)
4. The Qur'an
II. Cosmos Within
5. Plato, The Symposium
6. The Analects of Confucius* (《論語》)
7. Zhuangzi* (《莊子》)
8. The Heart Sutra / Heart of Understanding* (《心經》/《般若之心》)
III. Cosmos Without
9. Huang Zongxi, Waiting for the Dawn: A Plan for the Prince* (黃宗羲，《明夷待訪錄》)
10. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
11. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
12. Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. (EPM 1844)
13. Martin Luther King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”#
*Texts to be read in Chinese. #Special texts for this group (available on Blackboard).

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ASSESSMENT This is a course that celebrates collaborative learning and mutual growth. It is more so
since our University changed from norm-referenced assessment to criterion-referenced assessment.
This means your performance is NOT evaluated according to your relative position in the class, but
according to your own attainment of standards set out for each grading criterion. Please read the next
section for details. *All written assignments can be done in English or Chinese.

30% Engagement in Discussion

- tutorial participation (17%)
- post-lecture reflection (8%)
- group presentation or warrior examination (5%)
- bonus activities (optional; capped at 4%)
30% Reflective Essays (2 in total; 15% each)
40% Term Paper (due date TBC)

NOTES ON ASSESSMENT
*See also “grading rubrics” on Blackboard for standards and criteria for each assessment component.
1. Engagement in Discussion
- Tutorial Participation: You will be assessed on your willingness and ability to engage in well-
informed and respectful discussion. Each tutorial meeting counts, which takes the form of
student seminar. You are expected to (1) have finished the reading before the seminar, (2)
bring a copy of the textbook to each class meeting, and (3) contribute to discussion in a spirit
of collaborative learning.

- Post-lecture Reflection: Past experience shows that students having attended the lecture
make better contributions in tutorial discussions. At the end of each lecture, you may raise a
question of concern or share your immediate response (on Blackboard), each of which to be
awarded a score of up to 0.5% (total 6%). Your questions and thoughts may be addressed in
the ensuing tutorial discussion. Active participation in online discussion may gain you extra
points.

- Bonus Activities: As an extension of the tutorial discussion, you may take part in home
farming or meditation workshops to gain bonus marks (up to 4%), details to be announced
later:
(1) Home farming + discussion (attending 3 out of 4 sessions: 3%)#
(2) Workshop: “Experiencing Mindfulness 正念體驗” (2 sessions of 1.5 hrs, 2%)#
(3) Workshop: “A Taste of Zen in Tea 茶禪一味” (1 session of 1.5 hrs, 1.5%)#
#with a short written reflection of no less than 200 words

2. Reflective Essays – You are required to submit two essays. Each essay weighs 15% and should be
about 600 words in English or 900 characters in Chinese, with 10% allowance for excessive word
count. The essay should be submitted one week after the tutorial discussion of the chosen text
(cut-off time: 4:00 pm). Late submission attracts mark deduction. (See Appendix 3.)
- Essay #1: Bible (Genesis, Mark), Antigone, Qur’an, Symposium, Analects, Zhuangzi, Heart
Sutra,– select ONE among them (If you like, you may submit an additional one and the best
score will be counted.)

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- Essay #2: Waiting for the Dawn, Social Contract, Wealth of Nations, EPM1844, Letter from
Birmingham Jail – select ONE among them

3. Term Paper – You will submit one final paper (1,600–2,100 words in English or 2,000–2,700
words in Chinese) at the end of the term. It is intended as an interpretative essay that shows
analytic thinking, with a well-formulated thesis supported by sound arguments drawing evidence
from the texts. Deadline to be confirmed.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
CUHK has a policy of zero-tolerance for plagiarism. Students should refer to the following for the
University’s policy: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/. Each reflective essay and term
paper must be run through VeriGuide and then uploaded to Blackboard.

ABSENCE POLICY
1. Attend all tutorials. You are not allowed to be absent with no excuse. A second unexcused
absence will attract a warning letter. Repeated absences may result in failure of the course.
2. A half-hour lateness, early withdrawal from class, or presence at ZOOM tutorials without
turning on the camera may be counted as absence. Repeated lateness/absences (excused or non-
excused) will result in a poor grade or even failure of the course.
3. Excused Absence. Either seek your teacher’s PRIOR APPROVAL (only for dealing with personal
emergency) or in the case of illness, bring in a medical certificate with the doctor’s diagnosis and
recommendation for a sick leave afterwards (original copy).
4. Each absence from class will result in mark deduction (one mark deducted for each absence).
Students taking sick leave or excused absence may submit make-up work within a week after the
absence to waive the mark deduction.

TEXTBOOK & LIBRARY COLLECTION

In Dialogue with Humanity: Textbook for General Education Foundation Programme, Fourth
Edition (Hong Kong: Office of University General Education, 2016). It is available for sale at the
University Bookstore. See Blackboard announcement on textbook order for pick-up (non-local
students will receive instructions on order of a digital course pack). See Blackboard for access to links
for the texts of Antigone and Letter from Birmingham Jail.

e-LEARNING PLATFORM
Visit Blackboard (UGFH1000U) frequently for course materials: https://blackboard.cuhk.edu.hk.

OTHER LEARNING SUPPORT

1. Interactive MC Questions as reading companion:
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/oge/gef/studyqs/humanity/interactive/
2. Mobile App “DAIMON” as reading companion:
Covers four of the more difficult texts--Symposium, Zhuangzi, Qur'an, and The Social Contract, each with
MC questions requiring simple interpretation of the text, and a mini-dictionary with an audio function.
Download at https://campusapps.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/store/ or access CUHK Mobile App Store via Google
Search. For IOS, special settings are required: https://support.apple.com/en-hk/HT204460. For Android, a
popup message asks users to accept the installation of apk. 
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3. Mini-lecture series: https://edx.keep.edu.hk/courses/course-v1:cuhk+ugfh1000+2016_1/info

Aims to promote deep understanding and active discussion of Symposium, Bible, Qur’an and The Social
Contract. Each lecture offers additional background and alternative angles of analysis, and follow-up
interactive exercises to check your understanding.
4. GE Students’ Best Work Award is granted yearly to UGFH and UGFN students for excellent
term papers, accessible at:
http://www5.cuhk.edu.hk/oge/index.php/en/2011-06-22-08-13-07/student-seminars
5. Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) is a one-hour, optional weekly session led by senior
students with good performance in the course. Timetable: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/oge/pass.
6. Reflective Essay and Term Paper Writing Workshops:  Offered by the Independent Learning
Centre (ILC) to help prepare you for doing academic writing for the course.

Appendix 1: GRADE DESCRIPTORS

In accordance with the intended learning outcomes, each letter-grade awarded for the course carries
the following implications:

A / A- Introspective Learner. Outstanding performance on all/almost all learning outcomes,

demonstrating: 
- thorough understanding & critical interpretation and application of the course material;  
- substantial evaluation of ideas or theories of good life and good society
from multiple perspectives with the support of relevant information;  
- well-informed judgment/personal views  
- perceptive reflections on issues concerned and active engagement with differences 

B+ / B / B- General Learner. Substantial performance on some learning outcomes which compensates for

less satisfactory performance on others, demonstrating: 
- adequate understanding & appropriate interpretation and application of the course
material;  
- good evaluation of ideas or theories from multiple perspectives with the support of
relevant information;  
- informed judgment/personal views  
- unbiased reflections on issues concerned and evident  attempts to appreciate differences

C+ / C / C Inconsistent Learner. Satisfactory performance on some learning outcomes with a few

- weaknesses, demonstrating: 
- basic understanding of the course material;  
- attempts to evaluate ideas and theories but with omissions of some crucial
perspectives and information;  
- inadequately supported judgment/personal views on most occasions, and  
- tendentious reflections on issues concerned and some attempts to appreciate differences 

D+ / D Incompetent Learner. Barely satisfactory performance on a number of learning outcomes,
demonstrating: 
- limited evidence of comprehending the course material;  
- major difficulties in evaluating ideas and theories from appropriate perspectives and
identifying appropriate information;  
- mostly unfounded judgment/personal views; 
- superficial reflections on issues concerned; and  
- minimal attempts to appreciate difference 

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F Failed Learner. Unsatisfactory performance on the majority of learning outcomes, OR fails to

meet specified assessment requirement, demonstrating: 
- confusion over or fundamental misrepresentation of the course material; 
- very little or no intention to evaluate different ideas or theories;  
- very little or no attempt to formulate personal views;
- very little or no attempt to reflect on issues concerned; and  
- very  little or  no attempt to appreciate differences. 

Appendix 2: CLASS SCHEDULE

Week Tutorial (Thursday) Lecture (Thursday)

1 Sept 10 Sept 10
Introduction / 《創世記》 Sophocles / Antigone
2 Sept 17 Sept 17
Antigone Bible
3 Sept 24 Sept 24
《馬可福音》 Muhammad / Qur’an
4 Oct 1 Oct 1
National Holiday: No Class National Holiday: No Class

5 Oct 8 Oct 8
Qur’an Plato / Symposium
6 Oct 15 Oct 15
Symposium 孔子 / 《論語》
7 Oct 22 Oct 22
《論語》 莊子 / 《莊子》
8 Oct 29 Oct 29
《莊子》 《心經》 / 《般若之心》
8 Nov 5 Nov 5
《般若之心》 黃宗羲 / 《明夷待訪
錄》
10 Nov 12 Nov 12
《明夷待訪錄》 Rousseau / The Social
Contract
11 Nov 19 Nov 19
The Social Contract Adam Smith / The Wealth of
Nations
12 Nov 26 Nov 26
The Wealth of Nations Marx /EPM1844
13 Dec 3 Dec 3
EPM1844 King / Letter from Birmingham Jail
14 Make-up Class Make-up Class
Letter from Birmingham Jail Presentations / Warrior Examination

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Appendix 3: GUIDELINES ON ACADEMIC WRITING

Study the “Grading Rubric for Essay” on Blackboard (in the menu bar, click on “Course Outline & Rubrics.”)

Purpose The reflective essay is meant as practice in critical engagement with the text in the form of an
academic essay. You need to refer to or quote from those parts of the text that are relevant to the question,
and also give your own analysis and response. Merely summarizing the text is not be enough; it is your
original interpretation and analysis that matters. You need NOT quote from secondary sources or experts.

How to submit? Submit the essay one week after tutorial discussion of the text concerned.
1. Submit the essay on Veriguide (https://academic.veriguide.org/academic/login_CUHK.jspx).
2. Upload the essay together with the Veriguide statement on Blackboard.

Expectations As analytical, academic writing, the essay needs to meet standards on structure,
argumentation, and academic format.
 A long and detailed introduction may be good for a term paper, but not advisable for a short essay. One
or two short sentences as introduction are usually enough to state the subject or thesis statement.
 You can write in Chinese or English, but do not use mixed languages, e.g.「正如雅典娜（Athena）所
說 ， 奧 德 修 斯 “ understands the correct order of things” 。 」 If you write in Chinese, it is good
practice—though not necessary—that you give the English transliteration of the proper names (such as
those of characters, places, etc.). Translate the passages you quote into Chinese if that is your chosen
language for the essay. Equally, if you decide to write in English about a text that we read in Chinese,
you need to translate the quotations into English, or make use of existing, decent English translations.
Again, remember to include the name of the translator in your reference.
 Try always to read closely (i.e., attentively and in detail) and analyze passages in the selected classic
text that are relevant to the question you address.
 Support your points by referring to the relevant passages . For example, you may want to make a point
that Athena’s dialogue with Telemachus is very important to the young man. You should show that your
point is valid by referring to the text. Which line or phrase, from which book or books, suggests your
point? You may paraphrase it (i.e., express the meaning in your own words), or make a direct quotation,
such as: “Athena put courage in Telemachus’ heart” (1:338). If the relevant passage is long, do not quote
it in full. Either quote the most representative line(s), or summarize it.
 Always remember to give the source (i.e., the location) of each passage that you quote, paraphrase or
summarize in presenting the writer’s view or in support of your argument. For the Odyssey, you state the
source by giving the book and line number, e.g., 1:338, 1:121-125 or 1:220 f. (i.e., line 220 and the
following ones in Book 1.).
 You may use sources other than the textbook to clarify or support your points. This may be rare for short
essays due to the word limit, but in case you do, remember to name the source: (1) state the source
every time you borrow an idea or expression with a bracketed note inserted in the main body of
your essay, and (2) list the source in “Works Cited.” Using or quoting other people’s works or
ideas is a general practice in academic writing; but quoting and using them without naming the
source is an act of plagiarism. Let us learn to be responsible for our own work and respect others’.
 Do NOT write in point form; always write in paragraphs well connected to each other. Internal
coherence is more important for a paper of the humanities. Sometimes we see numbering in a long paper,
mainly to divide it into smaller sections. For a short essay, you may connect points with words such as
“first” and “second,” or with conjunctions (“and,” “or,” “but,” “nor,” “so,” “yet,” “for”), or with
connectives (“In addition,” “Moreover,” etc.). Do not overuse such words, though. If the internal
logic/coherence is very strong, you may not need them at all.

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Standard Essay Layout (on an A4 sheet)

(template available on Blackboard)


1.5 inch

BASIC INFO  UGFH1000FT01 In Dialogue with Humanity
(Course title
Student’s name/ID Chan Mei Mei (1155015130)
Instructor’s name Dr Julie Chiu
Assignment type
Date) Assignment #1 (Odyssey)
23 January 2020

TITLE 
Telemachus’s Choice: To Grow or Not to Grow?
(or question no.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1.5 inch  1.5 inch 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ESSAY
(coherent, well- >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
connected FONT TYPE:
paragraphs, with >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Times New
introduction, main Roman, 新細明體
body, conclusion) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FONT SIZE:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SPACING:
1.5 line spacing
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WORD COUNT
(700 words)

BIBLIOGRAPHY Works Cited

Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Boston: Black Bay Books, 1998.
[If there is only one
item, the heading Homer. The Odyssey. Tr. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett, 2000. In In
should be “Work Dialogue with Humanity. Rev. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. Hong Kong: Office of General Education, The
Cited”; if there are Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. 7-87.
two or more items,
then it should be 
“Works Cited.”]
1.5 inch
[surname first for
author’s name. 
Arrange the items in
alphabetical order of
the author’s
surname]