Sylvia Burrow develops an alternative to the standard view in philosophy that moral reflection is simply reasoned reflection. Burrow examines issues in moral psychology such as autonomy, integrity, moral reflection, moral understanding and moral progress to develop an understanding of moral agents as not only reasoning but also imaginative, emotive, embodied, and relational persons rooted within specific social and historical contexts. Burrow furthers three broad philosophical outcomes in her research. First, she advances current discussions within feminist ethics to include emotions in moral theory. Second, she shows how traditional moral theory can include embodied persons in its view of ideal moral persons, as those who are situated in concrete contexts with particular relations and emotional responses to other persons. Third, her research moves moral philosophy beyond its traditional historical constraints, such as those that exclude women as ideal moral persons, opening moral theory toward new ideals of moral persons reflected in her conceptions of autonomy and integrity.
New Publication!
"Accessing new understandings of trauma-informed care with queer birthing women in a rural contexts" (J.Searle, L.Goldberg, M. Aston, and S.Burrow) forthcoming
Recent Publications
"Trampled Autonomy: Women, Athleticism, and Health" (2016)
"Martial Arts and Moral Life" (2014)
"Sexual Autonomy and Violence Against Women" (2013)
"Introduction: Feminism, Autonomy, and Reproductive Technology" (2012)
"On The Cutting Edge: Ethical Responsiveness to Cesarean Section Rates" (2012)
"Protecting One's Commitments: Integrity and Self-Defense" (2012)
Grants
- CIHR Grant & NSHRF Grant Dr. Burrow is part of a team of researchers aiming to advance health care outcomes of queer birthing women. Her research on women's reproductive autonomy is key to understanding how failures to respect autonomy in health care settings compromise health care.