Sara Fernandes

Sara Fernandes is a Research Fellow in the Postdoctoral Program in Integral Human Development at Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Cados/Porticus). She is affiliated with the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), the Centre of Philosophy at Universidade de Lisboa, and the Rationality and Applied Ethics Laboratory at Universidade de Coimbra. Her work bridges philosophy, neuroscience, and ethics, with a focus on neuroethical challenges in human development.

• PhD in Neuroenhancement and Personal Identity, University of Lisbon (2022, awarded 2023)

Her research interests lie at the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience, particularly in neuroethics, personal identity, neuroenhancement, and socio-economic impacts on child development. She also explores hermeneutics, philosophy of literature (especially V. Woolf and P. Ricoeur), and political philosophy (J. Rawls). Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals in education and health.

The recent articles reflect a strong trend in combining classical philosophical frameworks (especially Ricoeur) with contemporary neuroethical issues. Topics include free will in the age of neuroscience, ethical dialogues between Kant and Ricoeur, and tragic moral conflicts in literature as mirrors of identity. The research integrates continental philosophy with empirical neuroscience, emphasizing narrative, identity, and human flourishing.

Although no formal scientific awards are listed, her contributions to interdisciplinary research and active participation in academic discourse highlight her scholarly impact.

Sara Fernandes advises PhD students and is involved in significant research projects such as 'Spiraling effects of socio-economic factors on child development' and the post-doctoral fellowship program on Integral Human Development. She collaborates with researchers across Portugal and internationally, contributing to editorial work and organizing academic events.

She is actively involved in research labs and networks including the Rationality and Applied Ethics Laboratory (Coimbra), CIIS (UCP), and the Centre of Philosophy (Lisbon), fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between philosophy, health sciences, and social sciences.