McGill philosopher Charles Taylor receives first-ever Berggruen Prize

McGillUniversity philosopherCharlesTaylorwas honoured at a gala in New York City Thursday evening, officially becoming the first-ever recipient of the BerggruenPrize.

"This is really moving for me, because it's a recognition of the kind of work that I do as having real significance for helping us find what to do in this very confusing world," Taylor told CBC News.

• McGill philosopher Charles Taylor wins $1M Berggruen Prize

Taylor, 85,was revealed to be the winner in October. Along with the title, he was awarded $1 million US from the California-based non-partisan think-tank, theBerggruenInstitute.

According to the Institute's website, the award aims to "reward thinkers whose ideas are intellectually profound but also able to inform practical and public life across the range of world civilizations."

Taylor was chosen by an independent jury.

He has also been the recipient of a number of other prestigious academic awards, includingthe Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Researchand Japan's Kyoto Prize for arts and philosophy.

He is aprofessor emeritus at McGilland a member of the Order of Canada.

"You work, you scribble away in your own corner and it's very great to get this kind of recognition of the value of your work," he said.