GEN1000 Perspectives on General Education
PPE1001 Introduction to Philosophy
Men from East and West have been asking and answering perennial questions, e.g., How do I know what is true? Does God exist? What ought I to do? Who am I? This module aims to provide students with a general understanding of philosophical responses to these questions from historical and cultural perspectives. Starting from discussion on practical issues, students are required to read the primary texts of great thinkers in the East and the West with guidance. Thus this module helps students appreciate the study of humanities and the way in which it is relevant to daily life.
Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
a. describe the nature, methodology and scope of philosophy;
b. identify the key big questions and answers;
c. explain and critically evaluate various thoughts of great thinkers;
d. develop their own arguments and answers to the perennial questions;
e. engage in debate of the big questions argumentatively
1. What is philosophy?
1.1 Definition of Philosophy
1.2 Purpose of Philosophy: why do we need philosophy?
1.3 Philosophy and life: is thinking important to us?
1.4 Philosophy in everyday life
2. The meaning of life
2.1 Question of the meaning of life
2.2 Different approaches to the meaning of life
2.3 After life: is death the end of life?
3. God
3.1 Existence of God: does God exist?
3.2 Problem of the evil
3.3 Controversy over the relationship between religion and science
3.4 Religion and ethics: does religion cause violence?
4. Reality, truth and the problem of worldview
4.1 Metaphysics: why is there something rather than nothing?
4.2 Theory of knowledge: how do we know?
4.3 Problem of worldview: the self, the others and the world
5. Freedom and determinism: the destiny in life and history
5.1 Free will and determinism: is everything in my life already predestined?
5.2 Teleology of the world: where is the end of the world?
6. Justice and the good society
6.1 Definition of justice: what is justice?
6.2 Is a just society possible?
6.3 Liberty, equality and justice
6.4 Justice and utopia
7. Beauty
7.1 Aesthetic judgement: is beauty merely an irrational, subjective and personal judgement?
7.2 Beauty and ugliness: is there any objective distinction between beauty and ugliness?
8. Love, desire and reason
8.1 Emotion: are emotions irrational?
8.2 Desire: Am I really a slave to pleasure?
8.3 Nature of love
8.4 Weakness of the will
9. Technology: humans and machines
9.1 Human destiny: if A.I. take over the world in the future?
9.2 Technology and good life: can technology bring us a happy life?
10. Ecology: humans, animals and nature
10.1 Difference between humans and animals: can animals think like humans?
10.2 Anthropocene: are humans the master of nature?
