Christopher Rojas

Chris is a lecturer in life science ethics, specializing in environmental ethics. He is affiliated with the Ecosystem Services research group in the School of Life Sciences and the Collaborative Governance Lab in the School of Sustainability. His research interests have led him to investigate the empirical foundations for ethical arguments about the environment. For instance, have principled stances such as 'nature having immutable value' historically led to more pro-environmental outcomes than a more compromising (i.e. pragmatic) position? Or, is there evidence to suggest that pragmatism, in the distinctly American philosophical sense, can serve as guiding principles (read: an ethic) for resolving environmental dilemmas? One of the core arguments Chris makes is that cooperation and collaboration is the practical realization of a pragmatic environmental ethic and the uptick in cooperative environmental management (co-management) has been viewed as a necessary step by managers and conservationists given the increasingly urgent nature of their work. 

Of equal importance is that Chris is native to Phoenix's west valley where he enjoys family and yardwork.