Paul Joseph Salomon Benacerraf, famed philosopher and Princeton University stalwart, died in his home on January 13, 2025, at age 93.
Paul was born in Paris on March 26, 1931, to two Sephardic Jews: Abraham from Morocco and Rica Henriette (de Lasry) from Algeria. The family fled to Venezuela in 1939 as the Nazis approached, and soon landed in New York City. Following the war, his parents returned to France, leaving Paul and his beloved brother Baruj in the States. Paul proudly retained his French citizenship for his remaining years.
Paul spent the entirety of his academic life at Princeton University. Princeton was an unfamiliar world for a rebellious young Paul, who was initially rejected by its undergraduate program in 1948 because the university had already filled their Jewish quota. Once on campus, he quickly distinguished himself for being the only bearded student in sight. During these undergraduate years, he attempted to single-handedly take down the eating club system (and instead founded the first all-inclusive one), failed his junior year for spending too much time with beatniks in the West Village, and chose to major in philosophy because it was his only subject with a B-grade.
Paul’s position at Princeton would soon shift once he was admitted to the PhD program in Philosophy, where he was taken under the wing of Hilary Putnam, a young professor, mentor, and friend. Together, the two led an insurgent movement to establish analytical philosophy as the department’s primary focus and strength, a move that carried global reverberations.
Paul served as Chair of Philosophy from 1975 to 1984, and again from 1992 to 1999. During these times, the department was repeatedly ranked first in the world. Paul’s research was focused on logic, linguistics, and, most famously, the ontology of numbers. His essays “What Numbers Could Not Be” (1965) and “Mathematical Truth” (1973) are considered definitive texts in the philosophy of mathematics. His early difficulties on campus fueled his lifelong passion for mentorship, which endeared him to countless students, as his distinguished colleagues remembered in an obituary published on the Princeton University website.
Another significant aspect of Paul’s contributions to Princeton was his service to the administration, most notably when he worked alongside his dear friend and colleague, William G. Bowen. When Bowen was Provost, he asked Paul (then Associate Provost) to lead Princeton’s initiative to become the first all-male Ivy League university to integrate female students. This accomplishment was one of the proudest in both of their careers.
Throughout his time at Princeton, Paul enjoyed pushing its culture to become more worldly, inclusive, and forward-thinking. He opened Princeton’s first espresso café and decorated its walls with newspapers. In 1969, Paul commissioned a young Michael Graves to create an addition to his home, which was Graves’s first design ever to be constructed. Benacerraf House, where Paul raised all of his children, proved immediately controversial for mixing old and new aesthetics, but it also garnered worldwide acclaim for the same reason.
All who were fortunate enough to visit Paul’s home learned that he was a remarkably generous host. His culinary artistry and his knowledge of exquisite wines were incomparable. One of his favorite pastimes was chatting with loved ones and guests as he prepared their meals. He will be remembered for his selflessness, his wit, his uncompromising honesty, and his effusive warmth.
Paul is survived by his children Marc, Tania, Andrea, Nicolas, and Natasha; his grandchildren Sophie, Lucas, Audrey, Dillon, and Seth; his granddog Dante; his grandnephew Oliver; his grandniece Brigitte; his devoted friend and former wife Dr. Suzanne Miller; and generations of beloved colleagues and protégés. His first wife, Carlotta Benacerraf, passed away in 2020. Over the last decade, Paul grew increasingly close to his longtime friend, Edith Jeffrey, who became his intimate companion. Edie passed away on February 1, 2025, just three short weeks after Paul.
Paul’s remains are buried in the Princeton Cemetery.
Information about Paul’s memorial is forthcoming. To remain informed of these plans, please send an email to [email protected].
Please consider making a donation in Paul’s honor to your local National Public Radio station.
Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.
