A description is offered in layman language on the basic scientific principles of global warming induced by human activities. The impacts of climate change on various components of the Earth System (atmosphere, ocean, land, cryosphere, etc.) are reviewed. The scientific research tools and methodology used to understand the current state of the climate system, and to project its evolution in the coming decades, are introduced. The role of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in coordinating and documenting the efforts of the scientific community is explained. The experience and observations of the speaker in contributing to the work of the IPCC during the past two decades are shared with the audience. An account is given of the social controversies surrounding the IPCC reports, with reflections of the personal hardships faced by several climate scientists in these debates.

1919年在北京爆發五四學生運動，隨後蔓延至上海及中國各大城市，演變為「罷課、罷市、罷工」風潮，綿延數月才告落幕。五四運動引起許多研究者的關注，然而歷史真相到底如何？過去周策縱教授、彭明教授各撰寫了一部專著，成為五四運動史的經典論述，但近年出版的公家檔案及私人紀錄告訴我們：有關五四運動的歷史細節，甚至包括一些關鍵性問題，都很有重新探討的必要。歷史工作者的求真之旅遇到甚麼挑戰？如何克服重重困難？本講細梳慢理政治詮釋和歷史詮釋層層交織的葛藤。

經歷「雨傘運動」，港人對法治有了更深的認知，但也出現了對法治的不同甚至是相互衝突的理解。有認為法治最重要的就是守法，因公民抗命行動是違法行為，故是有損法治。亦有認為法治最重要是確保法院的司法權威，故不遵法院頒布的禁制令，對法治做成傷害很大，即使是公民抗命的行為也沒有例外。但也有認為法治的目的是要規限政府權力及實踐公義，故以達成這些目的的公民抗命行為，對法治並沒有太大的影響，反是實現法治的行為。究竟這些對法治不同的理解是否真的存在衝突或能否共存呢？講者會引用法律發展模式的理論去重新審視法治與公民抗命的關係，而法律文化的演變是法制發展以至對法治詮釋背後的動力。

Life and our understanding of life are being investigated using state-of-the-art technologies in biology and genetics. These together with big data collections are moving at phenomenal speed. What we could and should do is a balancing act for many scientists. “Trust” is at the heart of scientific pursuit of knowledge and the “truth”. Temptation, curiosity, greed, pressure and ignorance can lead us down the wrong path. The future of the next generation can change on the basis of this balancing act. What should we do?

天地有理，人間有情。 民意求真，科學處世。 在這中西合璧、龍蛇混雜的社會， 如何承繼科學與民主的追求？ 六四七一三二三……或有啟示。