Chris Becker

Chris Becker serves as a Senior Clinical Professor in the Department of Accounting at Colorado State University's College of Business, where he bridges business ethics, philosophical inquiry, and sustainability science. His position reflects deep integration of ethical frameworks into accounting and business education, with research directly addressing contemporary challenges in sustainable economic systems through rigorous philosophical analysis.

His educational foundation includes:

• Habilitation in Philosophy from the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany (2010)
• Ph.D. in Economics (Dr. rer. pol.) from the University of Heidelberg, Germany (2003)
• M.A. in Economics (Diplom) from the University of Heidelberg, Germany (1999)

Becker's research centers on Business Ethics and Sustainability Ethics through Virtue Ethics lenses, particularly Aristotelian and Buddhist traditions. He examines ethical foundations for sustainable economies, conceptualizing personhood in ecological contexts, and developing justice frameworks for the Anthropocene. His work uniquely synthesizes historical economic philosophy with urgent contemporary issues like climate ethics and commons governance, emphasizing practical applications for business decision-making and policy development.

Analysis of his publication trajectory reveals evolution from foundational ecological economics (2004-2012) toward integrated business-sustainability ethics. Early works explored Thoreau's economic philosophy and historical debates (Malthus vs. Wordsworth), while 2012-2019 saw development of virtue ethics applications. Recent publications (2021-2024) directly address Anthropocene challenges through Buddhist perspectives, progressive commons theory, and comprehensive textbook frameworks, demonstrating increasing urgency in connecting ethical theory to planetary-scale crises.