UGFH1000 Course review

Term Taken: 2024 Fall

Instructor: Dr. WONG Wing Yu Esther

Grading Scheme

• Lecture and Tutorial Participation: 30% (Attendance: 5%)
• Quizzes: 20%
• Reflective essay: 20%
• Term Paper: 30%

Textbook

In Dialogue with Humanity, 5th ed., Hong Kong: Office of University General Education, CUHK, 2023.

Review

I have to say, this is one of the best courses I have taken during my time at CU. Although my grade wasn’t that great, the content was truly enriching.

To be honest, the reason I hold this course in such high regard is mainly because of my personal interest in philosophy. Having the opportunity to engage in this kind of learning and (let’s call it) philosophical discussion was really exciting for me.

As the course title suggests, Dialogue with Humanity, we engaged in conversations with ‘humanity’ through a vast amount of reading — covering works from Homer and Socrates to John Searle and Karl Marx. While this isn’t exactly an introduction to philosophy, it provides a great starting point for thinking about commonly raised questions that have intrigued many minds throughout history — questions you may have pondered before or will certainly encounter in the future.

However, one flaw of the course, in my opinion, is the limited reading material. The required readings only include excerpts from the original works, which I found insufficient. If you have time, I highly recommend reading the full texts. For example, when studying Homer, reading the entire story can greatly enhance your understanding.

Regarding the instructor — well, there’s nothing to complain about. Some say Esther is a ‘tough grader’, but I believe it really depends. I think her grading is fair; if you put in the effort, you’ll achieve a good result. Her teaching style is engaging and thought-provoking, and I learned a lot from her. I still remember in the first tutorial when she mentioned that this course aims to help us explore what constitutes a happy life. Although after all the readings, quizzes, and essay writing that made us rack our brains, it felt like we were heading towards devastation rather than happiness. But in the end, the course helps you realize its true purpose. You may not find the ultimate answer to happiness, but you’ll gain insights into how to navigate the seemingly meaningless and repetitive aspects of life — understanding why, how, and what gives you the faith to keep going.

A great course, indeed.