Practice Ground

Juergen Hahn has spent decades debugging complex systems - from chemical plants to the human body. He's published 128+ papers, mentored 40+ graduate students, and pioneered data science approaches for autism diagnosis.

He's also my former professor from Texas A&M.

In this conversation, we explore whether algorithms can ever do critical thinking, what happens to education when GenAI can answer everything, and why asking the right questions might be the only skill that matters in the automation age.

We discuss:

• Why AI models are "just interpolating data" [15:30]
• What makes critical thinking impossible for machines [22:45]
• The Challenge of Autism Research and Impact-Driven Work [30:13]
• Reflection and Adaptation in Research and Entrepreneurship [36:29]
• How education must change when students have instant answers [38:20]
• The Role of Gen AI in Learning and Problem Solving [44:45]
• Why leaving room for doubt is a strength, not weakness [51:10]
• The one skill Juergen believes won't be automated [55:30]

Nearly 20 years after he taught me how to think about complex systems, Juergen's still asking better questions than most people have answers.

This is episode 2 of Practice Ground - exploring how we find meaning as we go deeper into the automation era. These conversations are shaping a book coming in 2026.

SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: New episodes every two weeks.

GET NOTIFIED ABOUT THE BOOK: https://naporepublic.substack.com/

Sara Baumann left a successful career in occupational therapy to become a full-time artist (and she's never looked back).

In this conversation, we explore why passion beats monotony, how we're literally losing our senses in a digital world, and what makes human creativity irreplaceable as AI gets better at everything.

We discuss sensory deprivation as a creative practice, why she'll never be "the last one on the ship" with new technology, and what it means to find meaning through work you're actually passionate about.