Is the meaning of life simply to reproduce? Daniel Dennett says no. Dennett, a Tufts University philosophy professor, spoke to a packed Meyerson auditorium yesterday evening as this year's lecture at the Philomathian Society's Annual Oration. The event, sponsored by the Provost's office and various academic departments, was entitled "From Animal to Person: The Role of Cultural Evolution.

What happens when you place two Jews, a Christian, a Hindu and a Muslim in one room? A panel consisting of such diverse students spoke last night after a lecture in Logan Hall by Professor John DiIulio on Religion in the Public Sphere. Professor DiIulio's lecture was sponsored by Penn's Programs in Religion, Interfaith and Spirituality Matters, a student group that works to promote religious activities as part of student life at Penn.

University City has a bright future. Those managing it just need to ensure that the future is visible past lines of cars and swarms of people in rush-hour traffic. The face of the district will soon undergo a decades-long makeover with planned development projects from Penn, Drexel and Brandywine Realty, the firm developing the Cira Centre South at 30th and Walnut Streets.

Harriet Joseph, who currently serves as interim director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, was appointed director of the center, administrators announced Tuesday. Provost Ron Daniels said that Joseph was chosen after a "comprehensive national search" led by Associate Provost Andrew Binns.

Students, faculty and three distinguished speakers met at the Engineering school's Kanade Symposium yesterday to discuss the state of robotics and computer science and to honor the winner of one of the Franklin Institute's highest awards. The symposium, co-sponsored by Penn's General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception Laboratory and the Franklin Institute, featured speeches and culminated with an open house at which GRASP showed off its Levine Hall laboratory.

With graduation in less than a month's time, seniors are looking to enter an economy that might be headed for a recession. But the future might not be so dark for graduates, Penn career counselors say. Despite economic troubles, Penn students will be largely unaffected.

Penn is not alone in the campaign to stop unattended thefts. "That is my number one crime" said Jose Rosado, the director for public safety at Columbia University. From January to March 2008, there were 71 reports of larceny there, 55 of which were unattended.

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced yesterday that he has been diagnosed with a recurrence of Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Specter, whose term ends in 2010, expects to remain in office and continue re-election efforts, he said in a statement.

Security officials restricted entrance into Harnwell College House last night at about midnight as authorities investigated a suspicious material that was found on the building's 14th floor. After on-site testing, and analysis, the substance was found not to be hazardous.

Former Law student Joseph Cho, accused of trying to kill his neighbors last January, was again found mentally competent to stand trial yesterday. Cho allegedly discharged 15 shots into the door of his neighbors' apartment in January 2007. The neighbors were two male Drexel University students who Cho believed were spies.

Lawyers for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania are pushing to go to trial rather than settle a lawsuit filed by the estate of Tony Grier - the man who died after a lung transplant at HUP two years ago - according to the attorney for Grier's estate.

Many students across the country may scramble to get funding for the next academic year, but for now Penn administrators say students should not be worried. In response to the national credit crisis, banks and private lenders across the country have been cutting or eliminating student loan programs, creating a shortage of available funds.

The Recording Industry Association of America sent another round of pre-litigation settlement letters to 18 Penn students last week. The RIAA - the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry - sent 569 letters to 26 institutions in total, making this the largest wave of letters since its campaign targeting college students launched in February 2007.

Caffeine, long notorious for its mass consumption despite presumed negative health effects, may be slowly redeeming itself on the health scene - news welcomed by coffee-addicted college students. A recent study at the University of North Dakota found that daily caffeine intake in rabbits may help block the same processes that have been linked to Alzheimer's, stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases.

This time of year, there's more than just spring in the air. During these last few weeks of school, Locust Walk is jam-packed with performance groups yelling, dancing and blasting music - all for the sake of advertising their spring shows. Just walking to recitation involves having at least fifteen different fliers shoved in your face.

Assault April 7- Charles Gines, 40, unaffiliated with the University and of the 3900 block of Ludlow Street, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a 46-year-old female unaffiliated with the University, while involved in a dispute at 10:25 a.m. Burglary April 8 - Two male complainants, 20, unaffiliated with the University, reported that an unknown suspect removed two laptops from their residence on the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue at 8:30 p.

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama aren't the only ones debating major issues facing America - the Penn Democrats and College Republicans came together for a debate of their own last night at the Penn Bookstore. The event, an annual tradition among the two groups, served as a forum for members of both parties to debate a variety of issues.