Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Philip Goff about the big questions of the universe. They discuss questions such as “why are we here” and “what is the purpose of living?” They talk about how much meaning could we possibly receive from life, value nihilism and value fundamentalism, and where do morals originate? They also discuss panpsychism, consciousness, Integration Information Theory, implications of panpsychism, and many more topics. Philip Goff is a philosopher and professor at Durham University, UK. His main focus areas are on the nature of reality and he is well-published on panpsychism. He has a podcast, Mind Chat, and is the author of several books including the most recent, Why?:The Purpose of the Universe.Website: https://philipgoffphilosophy.com/Twitter: @philip_goff Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Colleen Eren about mass incarceration and the First Step Act. They discuss the current landscape of mass incarceration, jail and prison, and why people have started caring about mass incarceration. They discuss the First Step Act, bipartisan support, ‘94 crime bill, and the history of legislation on incarceration since LBJ. They talk about “mainstreamization,” billionaire involvement, celebrity involvement, impact of the First Step Act, and where future legislation goes on mass incarceration. Colleen Eren is Associate Professor and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Program Director at William Paterson University. She has her PhD in Sociology from City University of New York, The Graduate Center. She is a member of the Crime and Justice Research Alliance of the American Society of Criminology. She has written three books including her most recent book, Reform Nation: The First Step Act and The Movement to End Mass Incarceration. Twitter: @colleeneren Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Vincent Schiraldi about mass incarceration, probation, and parole. They discuss the current landscape of mass incarceration, probation, and parole, why there are high rates of incarceration and probation, history of probation and parole, and the impact of Nixon’s war on drugs. They talk about the Martinson report, bias, stereotypes, and racism, and the case example of Meek Mill and high incarceration rates in Philadelphia. They talk about alternative methods for improving probation and parole, future of probation, and many other topics. Vincent Schiraldi is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. He previously served as Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction​, and before that Columbia University, where he served as Senior Research Scientist at the Columbia School of Social Work and co-Director of the Columbia Justice Lab. While Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction, he attempted to close Riker’s Island and end the practice of solitary confinement. He also served as director of juvenile corrections in Washington DC, as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Probation, and as Senior Policy Adviser to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. He is the author of the book, Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Helen Czerski about the Ocean on the Earth. They talk about how there is one ocean on planet Earth, why we ignore the ocean, makeup of the ocean with temperature, salinity, and wetness, and how much salt is in the ocean. They discuss the layers of the ocean, the Mediterranean sea, the shape of water, impact of wind and gravity, the moon’s relationship with ocean tides, 5 gyres, the ocean floor, impact of climate change, and many more topics. Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer who conducts research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. She has her PhD in physics from Cambridge and completed a postdoc in oceanography. She has presented on many BBC science documentaries and her research is spent studying the atmosphere and ocean surface. She is the author of the new book, The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works. Website: https://www.helenczerski.net/Twitter: @helenczerskiInstagram: @Helen_czerski Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Prum about sex, gender, and biology. They talk about why sex and gender are sometimes controversial, defining sex, and sex as history. They discuss the materialist-feminist framework, gender as an extended phenotype, gender performativity, genes and chromosomes, Wolffian and Müllerian ducts, the role of hormones, the future of gender, and many more topics. Richard Prum is an Evolutionary Ornithologist at Yale University. His research interests are avian biology, behavioral evolution, sexual selection, and mate choice. He has been a main contributor to the theropod dinosaur origins of birds and the evolution of avian plumage coloration. He is the Curator of Ornithology and Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Previously, he was the Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale. He is the author of, The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us, and his latest book, Performance All the Way Down: Genes, Development, and Sexual Difference. You can find his scholarly publications here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephen Porges about polyvagal theory. They discuss the importance of safety, the vagus nerve and polyvagal theory, and why the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) is important. They discuss the various branches, the social engagement system, neuroplasticity, and how the polyvagal theory works with trauma and co-regulation. They discuss the practical and clinical uses of the polyvagal theory, criticisms of the theory, future of the theory, and many more topics. Stephen Porges is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.He was president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and was a recipient of National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers across several disciplines and is the founder of the polyvagal theory. He is the author of numerous books, including the most recent book (co-authored with Seth Porges), Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us. Website: https://www.stephenporges.com/Paper 1: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000436?via%3DihubPaper 2: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnint.2022.871227/fullPaper 3: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497623000346?via%3Dihub Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephen Houlgate on Hegel’s Logic and his philosophy of being. They discuss the main aims of Hegel’s Logic and the use of categories, why Hegel believed Kant’s Logic is not critical enough, categories of thought and natural kinds, and separating thinking and being. They discuss Hegel and Heidegger on being, Hegel on objectivity and being presuppositionless, and pure being, becoming, and nothing. They discuss Nietzsche and Hegel on becoming, Dasein, Hegel and Frege on quantity, differential calculus, linking the Phenomenology of Spirit and Logic, and many more topics. Stephen Houlgate is professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick. He has his PhD from the University of Cambridge and his main interest is the work of Hegel. He has published numerous books, including the most recent two volume, Hegel on Being. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adam Mestyan about the post-Ottoman Middle East. They discuss nation states, recycling empire, international imperialism, and sovereignty. They talk about political order rather than governance, local states, nation states or federations, republics or monarchies, constitutive fictions, British and Ottoman involvement in Egypt, Egyptian sovereignty and the Muslim Brotherhood, the kingdom of Syria, and many more topics. Adam Mestyan is Associate Professor in the History Department at Duke University. He has previously taught at Harvard University and was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. His main interests are in natural history and Islamic law, urban history, the history of taxation, and Arab state formation (especially federations) in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, Modern Arab Kingship: Remaking the Ottoman Political Order in the Interwar Middle East. Website: https://adammestyan.com/Twitter: @adammestyan Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Carl Robichaud about past and present nuclear risks. They discuss why nuclear weapons are still relevant, creation of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, and attempts at regulation after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They discuss Bay of pigs, SALT I & II, START I & II, and the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. They talk about the nine countries that currently have nuclear weapons, nuclear taboo, India-Pakistan tensions with nuclear weapons, Iran deal during the Obama administration, and nuclear energy. They also discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Israel and their nuclear weapons, China’s nuclear program, nuclear testing, and hypersonic missiles. They talk about the process of launching a nuclear weapon, Ai and nuclear weapons, a future with no nuclear weapons, and many more topic.Carl Robichaud co-leads Longview Philanthropy’s programme on nuclear weapons policy, and co-manages Longview’s Nuclear Weapons Policy Fund. He holds an MPA in public policy and international affairs from Princeton University. Carl previously worked with The Century Foundation and the Global Security Institute, where his extensive research spanned arms control, international security policy, and nonproliferation. He is also on the Council for Foreign Relations. Website: https://www.longview.org/Twitter: @carlrobichaud Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Sarris about the Roman emperor, Justinian. They give an overview of Justinian, provide the context of the Roman Empire, discuss the rise of Justin and him adopting Justinian and Justinian’s succession. They talk about the lessons Justinian learned from Justin’s reign, urgency and energy early in Justinian’s reign and his emphasis on religious law. They discuss the importance of Armenia, zealous nature of Justinian with his religious laws, the Hagia Sofia and other religious sites, military campaigns, and the impact of his religious laws. They talk about the relationship dynamics with his wife, how he handled pandemics and disease, the legacy of Justinian, and many other topics.Peter Sarris is Professor of Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine studies and Fellow of Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. He has been Visiting Fellow at Rice University and Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, Washington, DC (Harvard University). His research has focused on the social, economic and legal history of Late Antiquity, the Early Middle Ages and Byzantium, with a particular focus on the political economy of the East Roman Empire from the fourth to sixth centuries. He is the author of many publications, including the most recent book, Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. Twitter: @peter_sarris Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Joseph LeDoux about human cognition, consciousness, and existence. They discuss his work with Michael Gazzaniga on split brain patients, the four realms of existence, idea of the self, personality and temperament, and integration information theory. They talk about the extended mind, habits and goal direct behaviors, granular and sub-granular areas of the prefrontal cortex for consciousness, and Tulving’s 3 layers of consciousness. They also discuss cognition as a psychological concept, fear, first order and higher order theory, AI and consciousness, and many more topics. Joseph LeDoux is the Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at NYU in the Center for Neural Science, and he is the director of the Emotional Brain Institute at NYU. He also a Professor of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical School. His work is focused on the brain mechanisms of memory and emotion and he is the author of numerous books including his most recent book, The Four Realms of Existence. He has received numerous awards and he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is also the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band, The Amygdaloids.Website: https://joseph-ledoux.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kristian Rönn about carbon accounting and climate change. They talk about his work with Future for Humanity and how he created Normative. They discuss the landscape of climate change at the moment, his company Normative, and the differences between net zero and carbon neutral. They discuss carbon offsets, carbon accounting, and ton-year accounting. They talk about scopes 1, 2, & 3, global regulations, cap and trade, greenwashing, impact of AI on carbon accounting, and many more topics. Kristian Rönn is the CEO and Co-founder of Normative. He has previously worked at the University of Oxford’s Future for Humanity analyzing global catastrophic risks. His background is in mathematics, philosophy, computer science, and artificial intelligence. Website: https://normative.io/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Douglas Brinkley about various conservation presidents in the 20th century. They discuss his process for how he wrote his conservation trilogy, understanding the psychology of Theodore Roosevelt (TR’s) and how conservation was important to him, and TR’s complex relationship with animals that included preservation and hunting. They talk about how TR used the Federal Government to protect natural land, his relationship with Native Americans, and his overall legacy. They discuss Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) using the Federal Government for enacting policies to protect forests, building dams, and creating recreation areas, and how he tied conservation with economic growth. They discuss the impact of Rachel Carson and John F. Kennedy (JFK) for the environmental wave in the 60s, the environmental justice movement, Richard Nixon seizing the moment of environmental activism, climate change in the present moment, and many more topics. Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, a CNN Presidential Historian, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He is the author of numerous books including the conservation trilogy which include, The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, Righteous Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, and Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening. Six of his books have been named New York Times “Notable Books of the Year” and seven became New York Times bestsellers. He received a Grammy Award in 2017 as co-producer of Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom (Best Jazz Ensemble). The New-York Historical Society selected Brinkley in 2017 as their official U.S. Presidential Historian. He is on the Board of Trustees at Brevard College and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library. He is a member of the Century Association, Council of Foreign Relations and James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. Website: https://douglasbrinkley.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Cat Bohannon about the evolutionary history of females. They discuss her background, limited female subjects in many research papers, “morgie” and how milk became important, other features of milk such as bonding, attachment, and the “let-down” reflex. They also talk about the different types of wombs for monotremes, marsupials, and placentals, placenta and the menstrual cycle, and risks of pregnancy. They also talk about the grandmother hypothesis, future of females, and many more topics. Cat Bohannon is a research and author with her PhD from Columbia University. She has studied the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, Science magazine, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, Lapham’s Quarterly, and other outlets. She is the author of the book, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution. Website: https://www.catbohannon.com/Twitter: @catbohannon Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Dames about the history of the chapter. They discuss how chapters have boundaries, define what is a chapter, and talk about literacy form. They also talk about the chapter as temporal units or scenes, Tabula Bembina and the first chapter, capitulation and Augustine, and how the chapter evolved with the history of the Bible. They also discuss the chapter in the 15th century, Locke’s anti-chapter theory, Jane Austen and the significance of chapter word count, Tolstoy and episodes, and Dickens and Eliot with diurnal time. They also discuss Machado’s inbetweenness, the Antique-Diminutive Model, chapter in film, the future of the chapter, and many more topics. Nicholas Dames is the Theodore Kahan Professor of Humanities in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. He has been a recipient of Columbia’s Presidential Teaching Award (2005), a Charles Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (2005-6), the Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award (2008), and the Mark Van Doren Award for Teaching (2013). In 2009-2010 he was chair of the MLA’s Division on Prose Fiction Executive Committee. From 2011-2014 he was chair of the Department of English and Comparative Literature. His main interests are in the history and theory of the novel, the hsitory of reading, and 19th century fiction. He is the author of the most recent book, The Chapter: A Segmented History from Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century. Website: https://nicholasdames.org/Twitter: @n_j_dames Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Walter Veit about animal consciousness. They talk about various frameworks for understanding consciousness, the naturalist approach, cognitive ethology, and pathological complexity thesis. They discuss consciousness arising in the Cambrian period, defining consciousness, free will, consciousness profile, Integrated Information Theory, interacting with animals, and many more topics. Walter Veit is a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Reading. He is also the Director of the PPE Program and the Philosophy MA Program. He is also an external member of the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy at the University of Munich. He has his PhD from the School of History and philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney. His research interests have been on animal ethics, welfare, and evolution. He is the author of the book, A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness. Website: https://walterveit.com/Twitter: @wrwveit Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Michael Muthukrishna about energy, cooperation, and global themes. They discuss the broad scope of the book, importance of theory, energy being essential for cooperation, corruption and cooperation, laws of life, cooperation fueling human growth, and some of the negative aspects of cooperation. They also talk about intelligence, immigration, wealth inequality, meritocracy, and many other topics. Michael Muthukrishna is Associate Professor of economic psychology in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has his PhD in psychology from the University of British Columbia and his main interests are in cooperation, cross-cultural differences, and corruption. He is the author of the latest book, A Theory of Everyone: The New Science of Who We Are, How we got here, and Where we are going. Website: https://www.michael.muthukrishna.com/Twitter: @mmuthukrishnaBook Website: https://www.atheoryofeveryone.com/Substack: Michael Muthukrishna 2019 paper on theory: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0522-1You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sam Ottewill-Soulsby about Christians and Muslims relationships during the age of Charlemagne. They discuss Charlemagne and his context, the viewpoint of the Muslim world, and the landscape of the Abbasid and Umayyad empires. They discuss prestige diplomacy, frontier diplomacy, importance of Islam and Christianity, four legal schools of Islam, and Carolingian religious values. They also discuss the dynamics with the Abbasid, gift giving, war and peace with the Umayyads in the 9th century, and many more topics. Sam Ottewill-Soulsby is a researcher at the University of Oslo. He has a Bachelors in History from the University of York, Masters in Medieval History and PhD in History from the University of Cambridge. He has been a Research Associate for the Impact of the Ancient City project at the University of Cambridge. He was also Visiting Research Fellow at the Migration and Mobility in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Tübingen. He is the author of the book, The Emperor and the Elephant: Christians and Muslims in the Age of Charlemagne. Twitter: @sottewillsoulsb Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Melvin Rogers about Black American thought and democracy. They discuss the two visions/stories of democracy in America, utility of rhetoric, and whether white supremacy is still a relevant term in present-day America. They discuss Walker’s use of appeal, on freedom, Jefferson on we the people, political loss, Baldwin and race relations, how we move forward, and many more topics. Melvin Rogers is the Associate Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and Professor of Political Science at Brown University. He has his MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from Cambridge and his PhD in Political Science from Yale University. His main interests are in democratic theory, American, and African-American political thought. He is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Darkened Light of Faith. Website: https://www.melvinrogers.site/Twitter: @mrogers097 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Juliet Hooker about the politics of loss and the racial themes connected with loss. They discuss how racial justice is a prominent theme in today’s society, they define loss and how it is political, and discuss anticipatory loss. They also talk about white Americans with Anticipatory loss, symbolic vs. material loss, democracy and political loss, and class and inequality. They also discuss Civil Rights today, Black Maternal health, public grievance, and many other topics. Juliet Hooker is the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University. She is a political theorist that teaches and covers topics of racial justice, Latin American political thought and Black political thought. She has her PhD in government from Cornell University. She is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Black Grief/White Grievance: The Politics of Loss. Website: https://juliethooker.com/Twitter: @creoleprof Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Manon Garcia about sexual consent. They define what is consent, legal and moral consent, qualitative sex and consensual sex, and where power and responsibility fit within sexual consent. They discuss gender norms, consent out of politeness, reciprocal pleasure, consent in marriage, sex as a conversation, and many more topics. Manon Garcia is a philosopher, author, and Junior Professor of practical philosophy at Freie Universitat in Berlin, Germany. She has a PhD in philosophy from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She has completed fellowships at Harvard, University of Chicago, and was an Assistant Professor of philosophy at Yale University. Her main interests are in political philosophy, feminist philosophy, and moral philosophy. She is the author of two books which are, We Are Not Born Submissive: How Patriarchy Shapes Women’s Lives, and her most recent book, The Joy of Consent: A Philosophy of Good Sex. Website: https://www.manon-garcia.com/Twitter: @manongarciafr Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Melissa Kearney about the two-parent privilege. They define what is the two-parent privilege, the class gap in families and importance of college educated parents. They talk about conservative family values and views on two-parent households, two parents working outside of the home, working moms, stay-at-home moms, and single moms. They talk about the child tax credit, childhood poverty, birth rates, and many more topics. Melissa S. Kearney is the Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and Director of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group. She is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); a non-resident Senior Fellow at Brookings; a scholar affiliate and member of the board of the Notre Dame Wilson-Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO); and a scholar affiliate of the MIT Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). She is an editorial board member of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy and Journal of Economic Literature, and a former co-editor of the Journal of Human Resources and Senior Editor of Future of Children. She holds a BA in Economics from Princeton University and a PhD in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is the author of the book, The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind. Website: http://econweb.umd.edu/~kearney/melissa_website/index.htmlTwitter: @kearney_melissa Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Mitchell about the evolutionary story of free will. They discuss why biology and genetics help understand free will, different levels of determinism, reacting vs. choosing at the cellular level, and choice with ion channels in the cell. They also discuss dimensions of free will, vision and choice, decision making at cortical levels of the brain, creativity, and metacognition. They engage on personality theories, notion of the self, AI and free will, and many more topics. Kevin Mitchell is an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He has his BA in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley. His current research focuses on genetics and wiring of the brain specifically as it relates to neuropsychiatric disorders. He is the author of Innate: How the wiring of our brains shapes who we are and his latest book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free WillWebsite: https://www.kjmitchell.com/Blog: http://www.wiringthebrain.com/Twitter: @wiringthebrainYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Clancy Martin about suicide. They talk about his personal experiences and why he wrote the book in such an honest manner. They discuss why suicide is such a taboo topic, why gratitude for life isn’t always enough, practical ways to help when feeling suicidal, and the imminence of death. They talk about freedom and burden of living, assisted suicide, treatment, and many more topics.Clancy Martin is a philosopher and author. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Ashoka University in New Delhi. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New York, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Esquire, and The Paris Review. He is the author of the book, How Not To Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind. If you or someone you know feels suicidal, please contact the National Suicide Hotline 24/7: 988You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Yascha Mounk about the cultural wars and how identity has become central for society today. They discuss his motivations for writing the book and his perspective on identity and cultural issues. They talk about the lure of the identity trap, the history of the identity synthesis from Foucault, to Said, to Spivack, to Bell, to Crenshaw, and the links between these figures. They discuss the impact of social media, institutional capture, how to engage with identity issues, and many more topics.Yascha Mounk is a writer and academic. He has a Bachelors in history from Trinity College, Cambridge and PhD in government from Harvard University. He is a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, where he holds appointments in both the School of Advanced International Studies and the SNF Agora Institute. He is also a Contributing Editor at The Atlantic, and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the Founder of Persuasion, the host of The Good Fight podcast, and serves as a publisher (Herausgeber) at Die Zeit. He is the author of five books, including the most recent book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time. Website: https://www.yaschamounk.com/Substack: Yascha Mounk Podcast: The Good FightTwitter: @yascha_mounk Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adrian Goldsworthy about the 700 years of rivalry between the Roman and Persian Empires. They discuss the importance of studying past empires, overview of the rivalry, and the Roman and Persia Empires in this 700 year period. They discuss the differences in governing and peaceful co-existing, complexities of Armenia, greatness of Augustus, and the silk road. They also discuss Constantine, Justinian’s reign, the Arab armies and how they quelled the Roman and Persian rivalry, and many more topics. Adrian Goldsworthy is a historian and author. He has his DPhil from Oxford University and has conducted research at Cardiff University and taught at King’s College London and University of Notre Dame. He is the author of numerous books on Roman history, including his latest book, Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry.Website: http://www.adriangoldsworthy.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tom Holland about the Golden Age of the Roman empire. They provide an overview of Pax Romana, greatness of Augustus, and Nero as a tyrant. They talk about the chaotic year of AD 69 with four emperors, Judean revolt, and Vespasian’s peacemaking abilities. They discuss the importance of Pliny, environmental contexts for peace, the five good emperors and the rule of Trajan and Hadrian, legacy of the Roman empire, and many more topics. Tom Holland is a historian and author. He has adapted Homer, Herodotus and Virgil for the BBC. He is the presenter of BBC 4’s Making History series and is the co-host of the podcast, The Rest Is History. He is the author of numerous books such as Dominion, Dynasty, Rubicon, and his latest book, Pax. Website: https://www.tom-holland.org/Twitter: @holland_tom Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Lipsky about the history of climate science denial. They discuss how he wrote this book, origins of discovering climate change, Edison and Westinghouse, and the influence of Einstein. They discuss the history of scientists observing climate changes, Nixon and the Clean Air Act and EPA, and Fred Singer and his involvement with the Unification church. They also talk about believing pseudoscience, PR campaigns for science denial for smoking and climate, and many more topics. David Lipsky is an author, editor, and teacher. He teaches writing and literature at New York University. He is the author of numerous books including Absolutely American, Although Of Course You End Up Yourself, and his latest book, The Parrot and The Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial. He is work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, The Best American Short Stories, and The New York Times Book Review. He is also the recipient of the GLAAD award and National Magazine award. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Myisha Cherry about forgiveness. They define forgiveness, discuss how moral systems are important for forgiveness, and discuss the narrow view and the broad view of forgiveness. They also talk about emotions and behaviors, what we do with bitterness, actions or the person, different capacities for different people, canceling others and forgiving public figures, forgiving one’s self, and many other topics. Myisha Cherry is associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside. She is the Director of the Emotion and Society Lab with her research areas being in moral psychology, emotions, and social and political philosophy. She has a Bachelors in philosophy from Morgan State University, a Masters of Divinity from Howard University, and a PhD in philosophy from University of Illinois, Chicago. She is the author of The Moral Psychology of Anger (Co-edited with Owen Flanagan), The Case for Rage, and her newest book, Failures of Forgiveness. Website: https://www.myishacherry.org/Substack: Myisha Cherry Podcast: https://unmutetalk.podbean.com/Twitter: @myishacherryInstagram: @myishacherryYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hajar Yazdiha about collective memory and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They discuss how we can accruately understand Dr. King’s message and legacy, how we reckon with history, and what a multicultural coalition looks like today. They discuss collective memory, creating culture, primary audience of Dr. King’s message, various groups using Dr. King’s message, and many more topics. Hajar Yazdiha is a sociologist and writer. She is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and faculty affiliate of the Equity Research Institute at the University of Southern California. She has her PhD in Sociology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her main research areas are on social movements, race and ethnicity, immigration, and collective memory. She is the author of, The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement. Website: https://www.hajaryazdiha.com/Twitter: @hajyazdiha Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daron Acemoglu on technology, inequality, and power. They discuss how technological progress is a choice, defining progress, power of persuasion, and needs and innovations. They also talk about innovation, globalization, and automation in the post World War II era, AI and culture, fixing the challenges of technological inequality, and many more topics. Daron Acemoglu is an economist and Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is part of the National Bureau Economic Research and Center for Economic Policy Research. He has his Bachelors in economics from the University of York, a Masters in mathematical economics and econometrics from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics. He is the author of six books including, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and his most recent book, Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson). Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: @dacemoglumit Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hugo Drochon about Nietzsche’s political thought. They talk about why Nietzsche’s political thought has been ignored, Nietzsche’s great politics, Nietzsche’s emphasis on culture, Plato and political philosophy, and how to build a culture. They also talk about philosophy of state, democracy, slavery, caste systems, Nietzsche’s politics in modernity, and many other topics. Hugo Drochon is a political theorist and historian. He has his PhD from Cambridge and completed his postdoctoral fellowship there as well. He has also had fellowships at Yale, Princeton, and Royal Historical Society. His main interests are in Nietzsche’s politics, democratic theory, and liberalism. He is the author of, Nietzsche’s Great Politics. Website: https://www.hugodrochon.com/Twitter: @hdrochon Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Katja Hoyer about the history of East Germany. They discuss the culture of East and West Germany and how East Germany originated, East Germany and the relationship with the Soviet Union, and the political makeup of East Germany. They also talk about the significance of Ulbrecht and socialism, creation of the Berlin Wall, and the Stasi in East Germany. They discuss the failed economics in East Germany in the 1980s, similarities between unification in 1871 and reunification in 1990, Angela Merkel’s time in office, and how a unified Germany moves forward. Katja Hoyer is a historian and journalist who is visiting research fellow at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is also Global Opinions contributing columnist for The Washington Post. Her main research area is the history of modern Germany. She is the author of Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918 and Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany. Twitter: @hoyer_katYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Diana Fleischman about a wide range of topics including polyamory and eugenics. They talk about how evolutionary psychology is a good framework for understanding relationships, patriarchal and matriarchal societies, history of monogamous and polyamorous relationships and jealousy and polyamory. They also talk about the difficult history of eugenics, decoupling bad from the good, polygenic scores, governmental differences with prenatal care, GWAS, and many more topics. Diana Fleischman is an evolutionary psychologist and Associate Research professor at the University of New Mexico. Her research has focused on evolutionary psychology, disgust research, sex differences, animal rights, and eugenics. Website: https://www.dianafleischman.com/Substack: Dissentient Twitter: @sentientistYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Egginton about the nature of reality through the work by Borges, Heisenberg, and Kant. They discuss what connects these three men, role of interpretation, and different tools to ask big questions about space, time, and reality. They also talk about the origins of reality, change, Hume’s impact on Kant’s thinking, power of theory for understanding science, existence, and many more topics.William Egginton is an author, literary critic, and Decker Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at Johns Hopkins University. His main interests are in poetry, literature, philosophy, history of science. He is the author of numerous books including his latest book, The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality. Website: https://www.williamegginton.com/Twitter: @williameggintonYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Neil Theise about complexity in biology, physics, and consciousness. They talk about complexity with general systems theory, chaos theory, and fractals. They discuss complementarity with cellular biology and quantum mechanics. They also discuss consciousness, what it means to be human, and many more topics. Neil Theise is a professor of pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. His main research interests are on adult stem cells and the anatomy of the human interstitium. He is the author of the book, Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being. Website: https://www.neiltheiseofficial.com/You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lauren Lassabe Shepherd about conservatives on colleges campuses in the 1960s. They talked about the organization of the book, presentism, the New Right being exported to mass media and politics, and how the New Right was very “Anti.” They discuss Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), movement from college campuses to politics, Libertarians split from conservatives, and the impact on current politics. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd is a historian, writer, and teacher. She teaches in the Department of Education and Human Development at the University of New Orleans. Her research focuses on the history of higher education in the United States during the 20th century. She is the author of her first book, Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars. Website: laurenlassabe.comTwitter: @llassabe You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lev Parikian about flight in animals. They discuss convergent evolution for flight, four forces of flight, and early flight with mayflies and dragonflies. They talk about vision in dragonflies, beetles, bees and their different uses of their wings and pterosaurs. They talk about birds, flightless birds, speed of hummingbirds, bats, and many more topics. Lev Parikian is an author and conductor. He has written for many publications on birds. He is the author of six books including the most recent book, Taking Flight. His orchestral work has been on BBC and he has put out two albums and various orchestral work. Website: https://levparikian.com/Substack: Lev Parikian Twitter: @levparikianYou might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Damion Searls about the philosophy of translation. They talk about decisions in translation, primacy of reading, and trusting the translator. They discuss language proficiency, fluency, dead vs. modern languages, and translating various authors. They also talk about translating Wittgenstein, translation process, how to select a translation, and many more topics. Damion Searls is a translator, author, and philosopher. He has translated works by Proust, Rilke, Nietzsche, Thomas Mann, Jon Fosse, and many others. He is author of, The Inkblots, and is currently working on his latest book on the philosophy of translation. Website: https://www.damionsearls.com/You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bence Nanay about mental imagery. They define mental imagery, hyperaphantasia and aphantasia, mental imagery as unconscious, predictive processing and representations. They discuss the role of the body, multimodal dimensions, EMDR, metaphysics, phenomenology of perception, and many more topics. Bence Nanay is a philosopher and BOF Research Professor of philosophical psychology at the University of Antwerp. His main interests are on the philosophy and psychology of perception. He is well published with many peer-reviewed articles and is the author of numerous books, including the most recent book, Mental Imagery. Website: https://bencenanay.com/Twitter: @bencenanay You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Edmonds about the life and philosophy of Derek Parfit. They discuss the enigma of Derek Parfit, impact of his religious family, his work with poetry, journalism, and photography, and his time in the USA and Oxford. They talk about personal identity and the self, Reasons and Persons, utilitarianism, non-identity, equality, On What Matters, and many more topics. David Edmonds is a philosopher and author. He is Distinguished Research Fellow at Oxford University. His main interests are in moral philosophy and ethics. He is also the co-host (with Nigel Warburton) of the popular podcast, Philosophy Bites. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Parfit: A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality. Website: http://www.davidedmonds.info/Twitter: @davidedmonds100 You might also like: Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alfonso Martinez Arias about the cell and its importance for organisms. They talk about why many people overemphasize genes and underemphasize cells, provide a basic overview of the cell, and discuss the role of gametes. They talk about cells and embryos, embryonic stem cells, bioethics, science communication, polygenic index scores, cancerous cells, and many more topics.Alfonso Martinez Arias is a developmental biologist and ICREA Research Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He is the leader of the Martinez Arias Lab where his research is focused on embryonic stem cells. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell is Rewriting the Story of Life. Website: https://amapress.upf.edu/Twitter: @amartinezarias Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jacob Mikanowski about the past and present history of Eastern Europe. They define the contours of Eastern Europe and why this region is often forgotten. They talk about the Slavs possibly originating from Romania, Ashkenazi Jews, Paganism, Christianity, and Judaism in Eastern Europe. They talk about Muslim majority countries in Eastern Europe, impact of the Ottoman Empire, the “almost empire” of Poland-Lithuania, and Transylvania. They also discuss language and nationalism, modernization in the 20th century, communism, and many more topics.Jacob Mikanowski is a writer and journalist who focuses on on many topics within art, anthropology, and history. He has been studying the history of Eastern Europe for many years and his writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other places. He is the author of the latest book, Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of A Divided Land. Website: https://jacob-mikanowski.com/Twitter: @jmikanowski Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Jones about the impact that Kant had on biology. They discuss philosophy of science, Kant’s influence on biology, and how transcendental idealism of Kant impacts biology. They talk about Kant’s idea of the natural world and reality, Straussian interactions with Kant, the need for distinct disciplines, and some spiritualism in biology. They also talk about the impact of judgement on science, Kant and Hume, Kant’s relevance on Darwin, on biological organisms, and many more topics. Andrew Jones is a philosopher and Postdoctoral Impact Fellow at the University of Exeter. He has a variety of interests in philosophy, interdisciplinary research, theology, and biology. He is the author of the book, How Kant Matters for Biology.Website: https://andyjonesphilosophy.wordpress.com/Twitter: @andyjonesphd Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Mackenzie Cooley, Anna Toledano, & Duygu Yildirim about natural things in early modern worlds. They discuss how they wrote and edited their book together, Bezoar stones and their medicinal purposes, and ambergris and its medicinal purposes along with aesthetic uses. They also talk about coffee in the middle Ottoman Empire and the relationship of coffee with the body. They discuss Felix de Azara as an engineer turned naturalist, use of local terms and labels, how we see natural things in the past and present, and many more topics. Mackenzie Cooley is a historian and Assistant Professor of History and Director of Latin American Studies at Hamilton College. She has her PhD from Stanford University and completed her postdoc fellowship from Cornell University. Her main interests are uses and abuses of the natural world in early modern science. She is the author of The Perfection of Nature and co-editor of Natural Things in Modern Worlds. You can find her work here. Twitter: @newworldnature1Anna Toledano is a historian and museum professional studying objects in early modern science. She is completing her PhD in History of Science from Stanford University. You can find her work here. Twitter: @annatoledanoDuygu Yildirim is a historian of science and medicine and Assistant Professor The University of Tennessee. She has her PhD in history from Stanford University. Her main interests are in the early Modern Mediterranean and Ottoman Empire. You can find her work here. Twitter: @historiandiary Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue about the life and impact of J. Robert Oppenheimer. They talk about the elusive nature of Oppenheimer, how he became involved with theoretical physics, and the creation of the atomic bomb. They discuss his involvement with communism, AEC hearings, his last years, the legacy of Oppenheimer, and many more topics. Kai Bird is a historian, journalist, and writer. He is executive director and distinguished lecturer at CUNY Graduate Center's Leon Levy Center for Biography in New York City. He is the author of numerous books and is the recipient (along with co-author Martin J. Sherwin) of the 2005 National Book Critics Circle Award, the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, and the 2008 Duff Cooper Prize for American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. He is also the author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter. Website: https://www.kaibird.com/Twitter: @kaibird123 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nancy McWilliams about psychoanalysis and the evolution of psychoanalytic theory and practice. They discuss the origins of psychoanalysis and misconceptions about Freud and the evolution of psychoanalytic theory from drive theory to object relations to self psychology to relational theory. They talk about the strengths and areas of improvement for psychoanalytic clinicians, case conceptualization, level of personality organization, defenses, transference, and countertransference. They also discuss psychoanalytic training for graduate students, clients looking for psychoanalytic clinicians, and many more topics. Nancy McWilliams is Visiting Professor at Rutgers University and is a psychoanalytic clinician in private practice. She is a former president of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological Association. She is a specialist in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and supervision. She is the author of numerous books including, Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, Psychoanalytic Case Formulation, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Website: https://nancymcwilliams.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sean Kirkland about Heidegger’s destruction of Aristotle. They discuss how he came to write on Heidegger and Aristotle together, destruction of the philosophical tradition, and the differences between positive and negative destruction. They provide and overview of Heidegger’s philosophy and provide an overview of Aristotle’s philosophy. They talk about the threefold aspects of Nietzsche, Aristotle’s idea of concepts, and three tactics of the destructive method. They also talk about the phenomenological reduction, construction, and destruction, truth and art, and many more topics. Sean Kirkland is a philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at DePaul University. He has his PhD in philosophy from State University of New York, Stony Brook. His main research interests are in Greek philosophy and contemporary continental philosophy. He is the author of the recent book, Heidegger and the Destruction of Aristotle: On How to Read the Tradition. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Blair LM Kelley about the roots of the Black working class in the United States. They discuss why she wrote the book with some biographical content along with the historical events, class and race for Black Americans, and the impact of slavery for Black working class folks. They talk about the role of the church for building and organizing community, history of Black washerwomen and their involvement with unions, and the great migration. They also discuss the Porter union, Black maids, current themes with the Black working class, and many more topics. Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. is an award-winning author, historian, and scholar of the African American experience. Currently, she is the Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the incoming director of the Center for the Study of the American South. She has her B.A. from the University of Virginia in History and African and African American Studies. She also has her M.A. and Ph.D. in History, and graduate certificates in African and African American Studies and Women’s Studies at Duke University. She is the author of two books, Right to Ride: Streetcar Boycotts and African American Citizenship, and the latest, Black Folk: The Roots the Black Working Class. Website: https://www.profblmkelley.com/Twitter: @profblmkelleyInstagram: @profblmkelley Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Frank Putnam about our various states of being. They discuss states of being, the continuous self, and states of being in development. They also talk about different states of being in rapid cycling with those that have Bipolar Disorders, importance of memory, and how critical is personality and the Big-5. They discuss mental disorders within a state model, the fragmented self and therapy, trauma and PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), psychedelics, and many more topics. Frank Putnam is a Physician and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He was formerly a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He is an esteemed research on topics of violence, abuse, DID, and trauma. He is the author numerous books including, The Way We Are: How States of Mind Influence Our Identities, Personality, and Potential for Change. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe