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Honorary doctorates 1999

On the occasion of each lustrum, the University confers honorary doctorates on prominent individuals, both domestic and international, whose work and life have a significant bearing on Humanistic Studies. In 1999, honorary doctorates have been conferred on:


Prof. Rudi van den Hoofdakker (alias Rutger Kopland)
A psychiatrist as well as an acclaimed poet, the honorary doctorate was conferred in recognition of his contributions to formulating human values and the various forms of human knowledge, such as the therapeutic and biological on the one hand (a multidisciplinary approach to the human being), and the importance of poetry on the other. Member of the honorary doctorate committee, Henk Manschot: "Whoever seeks access to the humanity of man, must consult more language games than just the scientific one. It is fascinating to hear both the psychiatrist and the poet’s views on the matter.”

Prof. Martha Nussbaum
Prof. Martha Nussbaum is professor of ethics and philosophy of law at the University of Chicago. The honorary doctorate was conferred in recognition of her expertise and understanding of the cultural heritage that forms one of the most fertile sources of European humanism. Henk Manschot: "The secret and the attraction of her approach is that she makes themes from the humanities, such as the pursuit of happiness, the quest for ‘the good life’, fertile ground for the contemporary issues that also concern Humanistic Studies: issues that impinge on the question of what makes a dignified human life.”

In 1999, honorary doctorates have been conferred on Prof. Rudi van den Hoofdakker and Prof. Martha Nussbaum.