The department and university mourns the loss of Marshall M. Weinberg. Marshall graduated from UM in 1950 and his philanthropy cannot be overstated. At the University of Michigan, Mr. Weinberg supported Judaic Studies, the Population Studies Center, the School for Environment and Sustainability, and the Department of Philosophy, in addition to the Weinberg Institute for Cognitive Science. 

Mr. Weinberg's studies convinced him that philosophy has much to contribute to clear thinking that benefits society. Marshall established three Departmental endowments over the course of a decade: the Endowment for the Frankena and Stevenson Prizes, in 1991; the Weinberg Endowment for Philosophy, in 1995; and the Weinberg Distinguished Visiting Professorship Endowment, in 1999. He subsequently established the Fund for Philosophy and the Cognitive Sciences in 2006, and the Weinberg Professorship in Philosophy, in 2011, of which Brian Weatherson is the first occupant. 

He shares some thoughts about philosophy and investment in a short film, Legacy of Benjamin Graham: The Original Adjunct Professor, produced by the Columbia Business School, honoring the seminal investment strategist who also taught at the school. In the film, some of Graham's former students, including Mr. Weinberg and Warren Buffett, testify to his legacy.

Mr. Weinberg's philanthropy encompassed higher education, reproductive rights -- through the Center for Reproductive Rights and Law -- and issues in international justice. He has sponsored two conferences in the Middle East: "Utilizing Research to Promote Opportunities for Arab Children and Youth in Israel" (2003) and "Arab Women and Girls in Israel: Obstacles, Opportunities and Strategies for Change in Health, Education, and Employment" (2005). In 2010, Mr. Weinberg announced an extraordinary bequest to the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. Those of us who worry that it is not possible to make a difference have much to learn from Marshall's work and example.

In 2008, Marshall Weinberg received the David B. Hermelin Award for Fundraising Volunteer Leadership, the university's most prestigious award for volunteers. The Philosophy Department extends our deepest respect, gratitude, and condolences to the Weinberg family.

“Over the years, in talking to students and faculty, I have realized that interdisciplinary learning has the most meaningful impact.” - Marshall M. Weinberg