Nicolas-Costinel Negrea

Student at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, the Faculty of International Business and Economics; interested in comparative economic systems and international economics

Artificial (Un)Intelligence: Beyond Data and Into Human Complexity

No. 51, Jan.-Feb. 2025 The concept of Artificial Intelligence has captivated modern society, offering promises of advances from self-driving cars to digital personal assistants. However, the term “artificial intelligence” carries an inherent contradiction, and is actually an oxymoron. It combines the idea of intelligence—deeply tied to human experience, intuition, creativity, and emotional richness—with the mechanical nature of machine simulation. This contrast invites a deeper exploration of what true intelligence entails. Intelligence is more than the ability to execute tasks or generate outputs; it involves complex faculties like reasoning, self-awareness, and moral judgment, areas that seem beyond the reach of algorithms and data processing. More

Sovereigntists, Europeanists, and the Forgotten

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea

No. 51, Jan.-Feb. 2025 In Romanian politics, where party lines blur as frequently as electoral promises, the stage for the upcoming elections presents an all-too-familiar tableau. Sovereigntists and Europeanists jostle for dominance, their rhetoric bold but their substance often lacking. Beneath their self-ascribed labels lies a muddled political landscape—a reflection of a society oscillating between the pull of transformation and the weight of inertia. More

May You Live in Interesting Times

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea

No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 The current state of American politics is dire. A deepening polarization has taken root at the heart of American politics, affecting all aspects of discourse. The division between Republicans and Democrats is no longer solely based on policy, but on fundamental values and differing perceptions of reality. This has immediate consequences for the lives of ordinary citizens both within and beyond the borders of the United States. The global rise of populism and nationalism has had a particularly strong impact in the United States, transforming long-standing debates about American leadership in the free world and the enduring nature of the American dream into a climate of hostility, political violence, and hate. More

Rising Temperatures and Rising Extremism

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea, Daria-Antonia Pătrașcu

No. 48, Jul.-Aug. 2024 The political temperature is rising within the European Union. The political landscape within the European Union is currently undergoing a significant transformation, characterized by a noticeable increase in extremist ideologies. This shift is particularly evident among the younger generation, who are becoming increasingly disenchanted with traditional political parties and with yesteryear radicals like the Greens. The established political order, which was once viewed as the foundation of stability and progress, is now being challenged by movements that promise radical change. More

The Puzzle of Political Trust in Romania

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea

No. 46, Mar.-Apr. 2024 In the field of political philosophy, the dynamic interplay between citizens and governance within the framework of a democratic system holds immense significance. The complex bond of trust forms the very foundation of this relationship, encapsulating the core essence of democratic governance. This trust, or its absence, gives rise to what I shall refer to as the "Puzzle of Political Trust in Romania," a puzzle that necessitates our meticulous examination. Romania, positioned in the crucible of historical and ideological transformations, presents a captivating case study for this enigma. As a nation that has experienced the ebb and flow of political systems and ideologies, the citizens of Romania find themselves at a critical juncture where the echoes of historical upheaval looms large over the present. Trust is not simply a theoretical idea; it functions as the essential connection that ties together the hopes of the public with the decisions carried out by their selected leaders. More

Techno-Socialism: The Illusions of Technology in Search of Utopia

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea

No. 45, Jan.-Feb. 2024 In the history of humanity, few ideologies have incited as much enthusiasm and controversy as socialism—a subject that has captivated the minds and hearts of many, stirring passions and igniting fervent debates. Its proponents proclaim it as the harbinger of a new dawn, promising to rectify perceived injustices and build a (utopian) society based on equality and solidarity. Socialism, in its various forms and iterations, purports to address the flaws of capitalism and create a fairer and more prosperous world. In a socialist society, it is believed that human nature will undergo a transformation; it will be purified of selfishness, and reshaped to create a new type of socialist individual. The desires of this individual will be compatible with the hard work, prosocial behaviors and devotion required to achieve the goals and fulfill the directives set by the socialist state. Socialism advocates for the abolition of private property, collective ownership of the means of production, and the centralization of economic power in the hands of the state, purported to be controlled democratically, but in actuality ruled by a dictator or a committee. Through this reordering of social relations, it is believed that a fair distribution of resources and wealth will be achieved, eradicating poverty, exploitation, and social stratification. More

Italy’s Economic Saga

Nicolas-Costinel Negrea, Cristina-Larisa Marița

Italy is one of the biggest economies within the eurozone, yet its debt burden now stands as one of the largest globally, surpassing 140% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022. Italian debt spans multiple decades, with the country grappling with high levels of public debt since the 1980s, when the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio stood at around 60%, steadily mounting after that. The problem has evolved into a chronic predicament, persistently afflicting the national economy. The country’s heavy debt burden has caused the government to face higher borrowing costs, compounding the difficulty of reducing the debt over time. This situation puts the Italian economy’s stability at risk, as the slightest adverse change in the global economy can disproportionally hamper the country’s ability to repay its debts. More

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