Date:08/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/08/stories/2008090851210200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur

US varsity professor to receive doctorate

Special Correspondent

THANJAVUR: Degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) will be conferred on Paul Kurtz, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, at the 14th convocation of Periyar Maniammai University to be held here on September 9 (Tuesday).

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, N. Ramachandran, told presspersons here on Sundaty that Prof. Kurtz has taught at Vassar, Trinity and Union colleges. His speciality is the philosophy of religion, ethics, value theory and the paranormal. He is the founder and chairman of the Committee of Skeptical Inquiry, The Council for Secular Humanism, Centre for Inquiry, New York. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Free Inquiry Magazine, a publication of the Council for Secular Humanism and the co-president of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).

At the convocation ‘Patron of Periyar Maniammai University’ title will be conferred on Kannathal VKN Kannappan, Tiruchi, Saroja Elangovan, USA, Kanchana Subash Chandra Bose, Sivakasi and Swarna Ranganathan, Bangalore. A total of 746 candidates will receive their post graduate and under graduate degrees at the convocation.