Rivka Weinberg

Rivka Weinberg is Professor of Philosophy at Scripps College, where she holds the Mary W. and J. Stanley Johnson Chair in the Humanities and chairs the Department of Philosophy. She specializes in ethical and metaphysical questions regarding birth, death, and meaning, with particular expertise in procreative ethics and bioethics.

• B.A. from Brooklyn College, CUNY
• Ph.D. from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Weinberg's research focuses on the moral implications of procreation, the meaning of life, and philosophical questions about human existence. Her work critically examines whether life has inherent meaning, the ethical responsibilities of procreation, and the metaphysical status of possible persons. She argues against both antinatalist positions that claim procreation is always wrong and natalist positions that claim it's always permissible, developing instead a nuanced contractualist framework for assessing when procreation might be morally permissible.

Analysis of Weinberg's publications reveals a consistent focus on procreative ethics, the non-identity problem, and the meaning of life. Her work spans bioethics journals, philosophy of life publications, and major ethics handbooks. She frequently engages with contemporary philosophical debates while developing her distinctive perspective on reproductive ethics and existential meaning.

Weinberg has received significant recognition for her scholarship, including the Mary W. and J. Stanley Johnson Chair in the Humanities at Scripps College. Her book The Risk of a Lifetime: How, When, and Why Procreation May Be Permissible (Oxford University Press, 2016) has been praised by leading philosophers including Jeff McMahan, David Benatar, and Stephen Darwall for its philosophical intelligence, insight, and flair.

As Chair of the Philosophy Department at Scripps College, Weinberg oversees curriculum development and faculty mentoring. She teaches courses ranging from introductory philosophy to specialized seminars on death, the meaning of life, and ethical theory. Her teaching and scholarship demonstrate a commitment to exploring fundamental questions about human existence with both philosophical rigor and practical relevance.