National Taiwan University

This course examines works by various philosophers who present dramatically different conclusions concerning the following questions. Is knowledge merely justified true belief? Could it be that we are living in the Matrix? Are we really justified in believing in the way the world is? Do I have a soul that can be separated from my body? Is my mind just my brain? Is my mind merely something like a computer program? Can there be perfect zombies, which are not distinguishable from normal human beings by their appearance and behavior but somehow have no minds? Does a perfect robot (which is indistinguishable from normal human beings by its appearance and behavior) have a mind? Are we free to make choices? Does the total past and present determine the future? If so, are we free to make choices or to bring about different futures? If not, what’s the point of scientific prediction about the matters like whether it will rain tomorrow? Is it possible to travel back into the past and kill your grandfather before he gave birth to your father? Is it morally wrong to tell a lie to make other people happy when there is no negative consequence in any way? 

This course teaches basic etiquette and rules of softball. The course teaches the basic movements of throwing, catching, and hitting and provides practice of each defensive position. The course also provides time for team game practice.

This course aims to help students understand the importance of physical exercise for health. The goal is to train students personal motor skills for fundamental and event-specific exercise, as well as appreciation for sports. This course also helps students actively participate in physical exercise regularly. Students' final grades depends on completion and execution of the freestyle and breaststroke for 50m.

This is an advanced course on cellular structure and function at the molecular level. This course integrates the disciplines of biochemistry, molecular biology, structural biology, and molecular genetics. Research approaches, practical techniques, and problem-based learning are emphasized in this course. Prerequisites in biochemistry, molecular biology or cell biology are highly recommended. 

This course explores the urban experience as reflected in the Taiwan fiction from 1949 to the end of the 20th century. The focus is Taipei, but also includes the Peking experience of Lin Hai-yin, the New York and Chicago experience of Pai Hsien-yung, the Kyoto experience of Chu Tien-hsin and the Kaohsiung experience of Yang Ch'ing-ch'u. This first part readings include works of writers from different periods: Lin Hai-yin of the 50s (Memories of Peking), Pai Hsien-yung (Crystal Boys) and Wang Wen-hsin (Family Catastrophe) of the Modernist 60s, Chen Ying-chen (the “Washington Building” series) and Huang Chun-ming (“Two Sign Painters” and “The Young Widow”) of the Nativist-realist 70s, and Haung Fan (“Everybody Needs Chin Te-fu,” “Tung-pu Street,” and “Rainy Night”) and Chang Ta-chun (“A Guided Tour of the Apartment Complex,” “Alley 116, Liaoning Street,” and Wild Kids) of the urban-fiction 80s. The second group of readings focuses on five different themes, which are the city and marriage, the city and labor, the city and politics, the city and compounds of military families, and the city and consumption.

This course strengthens Chinese listening, writing, and speaking skills and focuses on improving pronunciation. The course is designed for exchange students and visiting students only. The Chinese course is offered for those students who are taking Chinese course Elementary I, II & III from NTU Center for International Education.This class goes over vocabulary and grammar in depth. There are class discussions every lesson. Class discussions are held every class for approximately one hour. The course also furthers understanding of Taiwanese culture and language. Attendance is required. Students who miss five courses will receive an F. Assessment: attendance and participation, midterm exam, interview, written exam, assignments, quizzes and reports. Textbook: FAR EAST EVERYDAY CHINESE (2A)

This course instructs on international ballroom dancing etiquette, skills, and the fundamental principles of dance. The course also addresses basic steps, posture, progression, and transitions required in ballroom dancing.

The course aims to provide students with the skills and tools to design major machine components and analyze their safety factors. The course covers: stress, failure and strength; strain; materials; design for different types of loading; shafts, tolerance and fits; couplings; screws and fasteners; bearings; springs; gears; electronic motors and controls; and project. 

Tort law is one of the core courses of Anglo-American law. Recently, the insurance crisis has emerged in the United States under the circumstance of increasing lawsuits on product defects; medical injuries; environmental protection, and new technologies. Thus, a re-examination of the functions, rules, and practical applications of torts are underway. In addition to discussing the basic theories of Anglo-American tort law, this course focuses on the direction of institutional reform.

Population health and the health care system of a nation are increasingly affected by the processes of globalization. This introductory course provides an overview of the emerging field of global health. Lectures and discussions introduce the principles and goals of global health; measurement tools for global health research, and the contemporary development of global health. Invited speakers address global health theories and practices on a range of topics, such as health care delivery systems, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, occupational health, environmental health, and the rising influences of global trade policies on health and health inequalities. This course is designed for undergraduate students majoring in global health and students in other departments who may or may not have previous exposure to public health sciences.