Economic models don't explain human generosity, but when you look around altruism is everywhere. Is that because generosity is a deviation from the model, or because the model is a deviation from reality? In a world of technology, models, formulas, and algorithms, what makes us truly human?

It makes sense that this week's Merging Minds covers economics, altruism, faith, and AI because this week's guest is a master of all of those fields. Dr. Nicoleta Acatrinei is a multi-disciplinary researcher whose career has taken her from banks to universities to religious organizations, and more!

Merging Minds host Gabriel Fairman and Dr. Acatrinei discuss a range of topics, including:

• Nicoleta's journey from Senior Executive to PhD student
• Is homo economicus an altruist? An egoist?
• The 4 natural laws of economics being incomplete
• Generosity not existing in economic models
• If reality is a deviation from "the model" or if the model is a deviation from reality?
• Theory forming behavior
• The value of volunteering in global GDP ($30 trillion!)
• Volunteering as proof of pro-social tendencies
• The "Blood Buying" experiment
• The mix of "Knight and Knave" in us all
• How ideology shapes institutions and institutions shape behavior, leading to reductionist definition of humans
• The Replacement Effect vs. Displacement Effect of Technology
• Finding what makes you uniquely human
• Being curious and unafraid
• Necessity being the best teacher and harnessing a survival attitude
• Losing our human vigor
• How 40 million jobs may be lost with AI, but 400 million will be created
• The importance of public policy in relation to AI
• Having balanced conversations about AI

And much more!

Tune in for the fascinating conversation!

You can learn more about Dr. Acatrinei and her work here

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Merging Minds Host Javi Diaz has done the impossible- He has interviewed the interviewer! Tucker Johnson is well-known in our industry for interviewing the biggest names on his podcast, but today Javi has him in the hot seat!

Tucker is a co-founder of Nimdzi Insights and an all-around source of wisdom and knowledge in LOC. On the show, he and Javi discuss:

• Founding Nimdzi Insights
• Meeting Different People in the Industry
• Reflecting on Entrepreneurship
• Limiting beliefs and entrepreneurship
• Why the Localization Industry is "Pulverized"
• Growth through acquisition
• Room in the industry for small companies
• Going through shit as millenials
• Introvert Energy vs. Extrovert Energy
• Mentoring and Reverse Mentoring
• Do you need a coach or a friend?
• Surrounding yourself with the right people
• Social Media as a Tool for Good
• "Industry Secrets"

And much more!

This episode is filled with insights and predictions about the industry, so be sure to tune in!

You can learn more about Tucker Johnson here, and check out his podcast here.

P.S. Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe to Merging Minds Podcast powered by Bureau Works for more thought-provoking podcast episodes.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever else podcasts are found!

Podcast powered by Bureau Works, a cloud localization platform that makes complex translation tasks simple and predictable.

www.bureauworks.com

Follow us on YouTube and X @bureau_works for more and don't miss the latest live sessions and offers on LinkedIn:

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Why do many translators see AI as a threat? Part of it has to do with a threat to their income, and part of it likely has to do with a threat to their purpose, says Dr. Andrew Richmond. Dr. Richmond is a cognitive science researcher who blends methods from philosophy and psychology to study scientific reasoning.

In this conversation, Merging Minds host Gabriel Fairman and Dr. Richmond discuss how the language we use influences our perceptions, specifically regarding the hot topic of AI. They also discuss what leads us to view AI as competition rather than a tool, and how this is rooted in the ancient Greek concept of purpose (telos).

Andrew and Gabriel also discuss:

• Thinking about how we think, not what it "means" to thin
• The nature of thought vs. thought frameworks
• Metaphors as cognitive lenses
• Essentialism- The idea that things belong to categories.
• How social media pushes us towards simplification
• Threat responses to AI and predatory headline ecosystems
• "Hype science"
• Cognition being more than just behavior
• Does anything make us truly human?
• Why LLMs challenge a translator’s identity
• AI as a tool vs AI as competition
• Ancient Greek philosophy- Thinking of everything in terms of purpose
• The commoditization of skill is what breeds competition with machines
• "Inflating" Machine Telos and "deflating" human telos
• Purpose as a luxury item
• The future as a political question, not a technical question

And much more!

This episode is packed with interesting insights and opinions, so be sure to tune in for the whole thing!

You can learn more about Andrew Richmond here.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever else podcasts are found!

P.S. Don't forget to leave a review and subscribe to Merging Minds Podcast powered by Bureau Works for more thought-provoking podcast episodes.

Podcast powered by Bureau Works, a cloud localization platform that makes complex translation tasks simple and predictable.

www.bureauworks.com

Follow us on YouTube and X @bureau_works for more and don't miss the latest live sessions and offers on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/company/bureau-works/