Chris Jayne '13

Chris Jayne ’13 has jumped into the middle of a fray. It’s a philosophical fray, however, so he’ll likely come out of it with few bruises. He’s tackling the notion of sustainability, which on the surface sounds straightforward, but in truth presents a number of philosophical problems.

The philosophy and environmental studies major has a summertime Hughes Family Fellowship from Bowdoin to critically examine the notion of sustainability, which he calls a “very slippery concept.” Though he’s spending his days quietly reading and writing, he’s uncovering a divided world of conflicting ideas, which have at their core the fate of the planet.

Jayne says he’s starting his research by looking at fundamental questions of sustainability. “Is the basic claim that we are consuming too much, too fast a legitimate one? If so, what do we want to sustain? Why?” he asks. Continue reading Philosophy Student Investigates Sustainability