Sarah O. Conly

Assistant Professor of Philosphy

Spring 2012

  • Philosophy of Law (PHIL 241)
  • Utilitarianism and Its Critics (PHIL 325)
Phone 721-5672
Title Assistant Professor
Department Philosophy
Work Location 204 Edward Pols House
E-Mail sconly@bowdoin.edu
conly

Education:

Ph.D. (Cornell)
M.A. (Cornell)
B.A. (Princeton)

I was on leave during the academic year 2010-2011, spending the fall at the Centre for Ethics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, the spring in Oaxaca, Mexico.  During that time I wrote a book, Against Autonomy:  Justifying Coercive Paternalism, which will be published by Cambridge University Press in 2012.  Against Autonomy is a defense of paternalistic laws; that is, laws that make you do things, or prevent you from doing things, for your own good.  I argue that autonomy, or the freedom to act in accordance with your own decisions, is overrated—that the common high evaluation of the importance of autonomy is based on a belief that we are much more rational than we actually are.  We now have lots of evidence from psychology and behavioral economics that we are often very bad at choosing effective means to our ends.  In such cases, we need the help of others—and in particular, of government regulation—to keep us from going wrong. 

Link to further reading and information about my publications and my current research project.