Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with C.W. Goodyear about the life and presidency of James Garfield. They provide an overview of Garfield and talk about the background context and temperament of Garfield. They discuss how he rose to being a General in the Civil War very quickly, his tenure in the US House of Representatives, and his emphasis on Civil Service reform and a Department of Education. They discuss the moderate platform he ran on for President, his assassination, his legacy, and many more topics. C.W. Goodyear is a historian and author who has a degree in Global Affairs from Yale University. He has worked as a ghostwriter for various projects. He is the author of the new book, President Garfield: From Radical To Unifier. Website: https://www.cwgoodyearbooks.com/Instagram: @cwgoodyear Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Salomé Sibonex about identity, creation, and embracing the ambiguity of life. They share immigration stories, shifting political sides, and being incentivized for being “anti.” They discuss why people believe in their belief systems so hard, being undefined, broad spectrum of opinions, and many more topics. Salomé Sibonex is an artist, writer, and critic. She has written numerous articles on the self, identity, and spans topics in psychology and philosophy. She is also the Content Manager at the Foundation for Economic Education. Substack: Salomé Sibonex Website: https://www.salomesibonex.com/Twitter: @salomesibonexInstagram: @salomesibonex Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Wolin about the dark side of Martin Heidegger. They discuss the black notebooks of Heidegger and what are the nature and intentions of these black notebooks. They dialogue about reading the antisemitic and Nazi themes in these notebooks with Heidegger’s philosophy. They talk about Heidegger being a member of the Nazi party, editing and re-editing his works, his views on race, and the impact these views have on his philosophy. They also talk about the New Right, Dugin, reading Heidegger in the 21st century, and many more topics. Richard Wolin is a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature, History, & Political Science at The City University of New York. He has a PhD in Social and Political Thought from York University. His main interests are on 20th century French and German political thought. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, Heidegger In Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology. Website: https://www.gc.cuny.edu/people/richard-wolin Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Randy Nesse about evolutionary psychiatry. They define evolutionary psychiatry, critics of evolutionary psychiatry, and how we define disorders. They also discuss emotions mood regulation, disease model of addiction, and many more topics. Randy Nesse is Research Professor of Life Sciences, and Founding Director of The Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University. He is also Professor Emeritus, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, and Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan. He is the founding President of The International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. He is the author of many books including, Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Website: https://www.randolphnesse.com/homepageTwitter: @randynesse Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lewis Dartnell about his triptych of books on the earth and humanity. They talked about how he came to write his trilogy of books, our essentials for survival, and diversification of hominids. They also discuss plate tectonics, fertile crescent, and East African rift. They talk about the differences and similarities of different human species, importance of the oceans through time, and different materials for different civilizations. They also discuss the impact of wind on colonization and exploration, cooperation for humans, pair bonding, royal families, disease, war, and many more topics. Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter, and author. He has a degree in Biological Sciences from Oxford University and PhD from University College London. Currently, he is a professor of science communication at the University of Westminster. His current research is on astrobiology. He has written numerous books including, The Knowledge, Origins, and his latest book, Being Human. Website: lewisdartnell.com/en-gb/ Twitter: @lewis_dartnell Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Celine Kasem about the various ways she culturally identifies, her work in Syria, and activism in our current age. They begin by discussing how she became involved in activism and political work in Syria, and Gen Z’s use of digital media tools to spread awareness about issues. They also talk about the various places she has lived, concept of home, ethnic and cultural identities, Circassians, and the various ethnic groups in Syria. They discuss the history of the Syrian conflict and the Arab Spring, how the conflict escalated and failed attempts at peace, the recent Assad Anti-normalization bill, and refugees. They mention the recent Turkish election, activism in the 21st century, and many more topics. Celine Kasem is a human rights activist and public speaker. Currently, she is the Director of media at the Syrian Emergency Task Force. She has her Bachelors in Political Science and will continue her education in Qatar for her Masters in Intercultural Communication. She has Syrian, Circassian, Canadian, and Armenian backgrounds and has a deep passion for Syrians around the world. Website: https://setf.ngo/Twitter: @celinekasemInstagram: @celinekasem Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Toby Matthiesen about Sunni and Shiism within the Islamic religion. They talk about the “divide” between Sunni and Shia Muslims and how this is not an accurate framing of these groups. They discuss the origins of Islam with the prophet Mohammad and the role of succession, school of jurisprudence, and the Shia century and interactions with the crusades. They also talk about the role of the Ottoman Empire and impact of the Safavids with the Ottomans. They talk about the rise of Wahaabism, British rule in India, modernization of the Ottoman Empire, pan-Islam and nationalism in the 20th century, and Turkey becoming more modern in the 20th century. They discuss Baathism, Muslim brotherhood, US involvement in the Middle East, the Arab Spring, Syrian conflict, and many more topics. Toby Matthiesen is a historian and political scientist on Middle East studies and Global Islam. He is the Marie Curie Global Fellow at Stanford University and Ca’Foscari University in Venice, Italy. Starting in Fall 2023, he is Senior Lecturer in Global Religious Studies/Global Islam at the University of Bristol. He remains an Associate Member of Oxford University’s Department of Politics and International Relations. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The Caliph and The Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shiism. Website: tobymatthiesen.com/wp/Twitter: @tobymatthiesen Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Kramer about psychiatry and the role of anti-depressants. They discuss the inspiration for his new book and some of the major themes, the Goldwater rule and role of diagnosis, and the importance of truth. They discuss whether therapy is always valued for everyone, past and current depression research, anti-depressants, and many more topics. Peter Kramer is a psychiatrist who practiced and taught psychiatry for over 40 years. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Brown University. He has done extensive research on depression and anti-depressants. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent novel, Death of the Great Man. Website: https://www.peterdkramer.com/Twitter: @peterdkramer Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with James Costa about the life of Alfred Russel Wallace. They discuss the radical and revolutionary nature of Wallace, his inquisitiveness about nature since an early age, apprenticeship, trip to the Amazon, and scientific publications. They also talk about his trip to Asia, the interactions with Darwin, spiritualism, social justice, his legacy, and many more topics.James Costa is an entomologist and evolutionary biologist who is professor of biology and executive director Western Carolina University-Highlands Biological Station. He has co-taught in Harvard’s summer Darwin program at the University of Oxford and has been a long-time Research Associate in entomology at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. His main interests and research are on Darwin, Wallace, and the history of evolutionary thinking. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Radical By Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace. Website: https://jamestcosta.com/Twitter: @jimcostahbs Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lawrence Sherman and Dennis Plies about the neuroscience of music. They discuss how they wrote the book together, define music, discuss the different parts of the brain involved in music, and the different elements of music. They also discuss musical preferences, differences between composing and improvising, curiosity, memory, truth in art, and many more topics. Lawrence Sherman is a neuroscientist and professor of neuroscience at the Oregon Health and Science University where he also runs a lab. His widely published on brain development and disease and has investigated the neuroscience connections with music. You can find his work here. Dennis Plies is a musician and music professor at Warner Pacific University. He has played the marimba and has recorded albums in various genres such as jazz and classical. They are the author of the book, Every Brain Needs Music. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Koppelman about Libertarianism. They discuss why Libertarianism is so popular, how it is a mutated form of liberalism, Hayek and his views, and on rights. They also talk about taxation, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, role of regulation, Liberalism today, Obamacare, and many more topics. Andrew Koppelman is the John Paul Stevens Professor of Law, Professor (by courtesy) of Political Science, and Philosophy Department Affiliated Faculty at Northwestern University. His research focuses on issues at the intersection of law and political philosophy. He has received numerous awards and has written more than 100 scholarly articles and numerous books, including the most recent, Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed. Website: https://andrewkoppelman.com/Twitter: @andrewkoppelman Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Veevers about the various perspectives around the British Empire. They talk about why people ignore some parts of history but emphasize others, Irish resistance, how the British colonized North America, and their interactions with various Native peoples. They discuss the British empire and the hegemony in Asia, meeting resistance in Africa, and having a full and complete picture of the history of the British Empire.David Veevers is an award-winning historian and Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Bangor. His holds a PhD from the University of Kent. His research areas are on the international role of the British Empire. He is the author of the latest book, The Great Defiance: How the World Took on the British Empire. Twitter: @davidveevers1 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jaime Green about the origins of life, other planets, and meaning. They discuss the origins of life on earth, why humans ask the big questions of life, and life on other planets. They talk about AI, machine learning, utility of sci-fi films, UFOs and many more topics.Jaime Green is a writer, editor, and essayist. She is the series editor for The Best American Science and Nature Writing. She is also a lecturer at Smith College. She is the author of the latest book, The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos.Website: https://www.jaimegreen.net/Twitter: @jaimealyse Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peggy O’Donnell Heffington about women’s rights, choice, and children. They talk about some of the reasons why women don’t have children, Millennials having children later, and structural aspects of choice. They discuss the history of abortion, contraception laws, Roe V. Wade, Dobbs ruling, the history and origins of the nuclear family, grandmother hypothesis, public perceptions of people without children, and many more topics. Peggy O’Donnell Heffington is an Assistant Instructional Professor in the Department of History at the University of Chicago. Her interests are on historical research, gender, and women’s history. She is the author of the latest book, Without Children: The Long History of Not Being A Mother. Website: http://poheffington.com/Twitter: @peggyohdonnell Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Scott Fulford about the economical paradox during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss what is the pandemic paradox ( spending less and saving more), income vs. wealth, state of the economy pre-pandemic, and the economy during the beginning of the pandemic. They talk about the CARES act, subsequent acts after the CARES act, the American Rescue Plan, childhood poverty, childcare and women’s labor, the work revolution, inflation, and many more topics. Scott Fulford is Senior Economist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). He was also Assistant Professor of Economics and International Studies at Boston College. He holds a BA in Economics and a BS in Mathematics from Stanford University. He has a MA and PhD in Economics from Princeton University. He is the author of numerous economics papers and of the new book, The Pandemic Paradox: How the COVID Crisis Made Americans More Financially Secure. Website: https://www.scott-fulford.com/ Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lionel Page about rational decision-making and behavioral economics. They discuss the history and contours of behavioral economics, work of Kahneman and Tversky, and why an evolutionary framework is important for behavioral economics. They also talk about heuristics, cognitive biases, gains and loses, game theory, Nash equilibrium, cooperation, belief systems, and many more topics. Lionel Page is an economist and Professor of economics at The University of Queensland in Australia. His research interests are in decision-making, game theory, and economics. He has been widely-published in economic journals and is the author of the book, Optimally Irrational. Substack: Optimally Irrational Twitter: @page_eco Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andy Clark about prediction processing, embodiment, and reality. They discuss the predictive processing model, Bayesian brain, and the role of human growth and development for the brain. They question what is reality, Friston’s Free Energy Principle, controlled hallucinations, and computational psychiatry. They also talk about reward vs. salience, prediction error, body budget, consciousness, the extended mind, and many other topics.Andy Clark is a Philosopher and Professor of Cognitive Philosophy at the University of Sussex. His main research interests are embodied cognition, computational neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He is the author of numerous books including his most recent book, The Experience Machine. You can find his work here.Twitter: @cogsandy Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kaya Sahin about Sultan Süleyman and the Ottoman Empire. They provide an overview of the Ottoman Empire and how Süleyman was a critical leader, his upbringing, succession, and spreading the boundaries of the Empire. They also talk about the importance of the Grand Vizier, conflicts with the Hungarians and Hapsburgs, his legacy, and many more topics. Kaya Sahin is a Historian and Associate Professor of History at Indiana University, Bloomington. His major research areas are focused with the early Ottoman Empire and the spread of governance, religion, and political and economic challenges. He has written a handful of books including the most recent, Peerless Among Princes. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonathan Losos about the evolutionary story of cats. They discuss how cats are semi-domesticated and similar around the world. They talk about how cats meow and purr to humans and less so with other cats. They discuss the sociality of cats, feral cats, and the evolutionary history of cats. They talk about the five different groups of cats, where cats originate from, different breeds of cats, genetics, where they roam, the future of cats and many other topics. Jonathan Losos is an evolutionary ecologist who studies rapid evolution, ecology, and phylogenetics. He has his PhD from the University of California and taught at Harvard University for over 10 years. Currently, he is a professor at Washington University (St. Louis) and is the founder of the Living Earth Collaborative. He is the recipient of the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal, the Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize, the Edward O. Wilson Naturalist Award, and the David Starr Jordan Prize. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, The Cat’s Meow. Website: https://biology.wustl.edu/people/jonathan-lososTwitter: @jlosos Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Frankopan about a natural history of climate change on the earth. They discuss how the climate was different on earth for billions of years and the impact the past climate has on earth today. They discuss the evolution of Hominids in the Holocene, formation of early cities, trading, domestication of horses in the Steppe, industrial age and fossil fuels, Rachel Carson and the rise of environmentalists, and many more topics. Peter Frankopan is a Historian and Professor of global history at Oxford University. He is also the Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research and Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. His main areas of research are on the history and politics of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, climate, and natural resources. He has won numerous awards for his books which include, The Silk Roads, The New Silk Roads, and his most recent book, The Earth Transformed.Website: https://www.peterfrankopan.com/Twitter: @peterfrankopan Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jean Twenge about the current generations in our society. They discuss how we define generations and why its important, technological changes being central to generational changes, and the ranges of generations. They talk about upcoming trends for Polars/alphas, Gen Z and the connection between increased mental health with increased social media use, and the changing social, economic, and educational dynamics with Millennials. They discuss Gen X as the middle child of generations and their emphasis on toughness, Boomers centrality and the ripple effects of the deaths of despair. They talk about the bipartisan nature of Silents, future generations, and many more topics. Jean Twenge is a social psychologist and professor of psychology at San Diego State University. She is an expert on generational differences and technology from a dataset of 39 million people. She is the author of over 180 scientific publications and books which include Generation Me, iGen, and her latest book, Generations. Website: http://www.jeantwenge.com/Twitter: @jean_twenge Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Marissa Harrison about female serial killers. They discuss media sensationalizing serial killers, morbid curiosity, and defining serial killers. They talk about the average profile of a female serial killer, motives for female serial killers, and mental illness. They discuss psychopathy, PCL-R, and the need for improved mental health services. They also talk about neurobiology of serial killers, future research, and many other topics. Marissa Harrison is a research psychologist and Associate Professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg. She has her PhD in Biopsychology (Evolutionary Psychology) from the University of Albany. Her primary research areas are in serial murder and human sexuality. She is the author of the book, Just As Deadly: The Psychology of Female Serial Killers.Website: https://www.justasdeadly.com/Twitter: @mharrisonpsu Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Inês Hipólito about neuroscience and embodiment. They talk about the different models of the brain, the embodied mind, and Free Energy Principle. They discuss Artificial Intelligence as a living system, Merleau-Ponty’s work on the phenomenology of embodiment, the role of perception, the self, and many more topics. Inês Hipólito is a philosopher, researcher, and lecturer at Berlin School of Mind and Brain. Her research focuses on topics in cognitive neuroscience such as complexity, E-cognition, and Free Energy Principle. She has a BPhil, MPhil, MSc, and DPhil. She is also the co-founder and vice-president of the International Society of the Philosophy of the Sciences of the Mind. Website: https://ineshipolito.my.canva.site/Twitter: @ineshipolito Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Fisher about the long view and our future. They talk about how society started thinking more short-term and not long-term. They discuss the historical aspects of longtermism, positive outlooks for different futures, longtermism and capitalism, and how our politics has become more short-term. They talk about the evolutionary framework for foresight and longtermism, deep time both past and future, climate change, and many more topics.Richard Fisher is a senior journalist with the BBC-London. He is an Honorary Research Associate at University College, London. He has also been a fellow at MIT. His work covers science, technology history, health, and philosophy. He is the author of the book, The Long View. Website: https://richardfisher.carrd.co/Substack: The Long View: A Field Guide Twitter: @Rifish Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Brian Lowery about the social construction of the self. They provide a definition of the “self,” how the self is only understood in the context of others, self as autonomous, and why the self is an illusion. They discuss the idea of a core self, different identities with different communities, switching identities, freedom and free will, and many other topics. Brian Lowery is the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. He is a social psychologist and is the director of many leadership groups. His research focuses on racial attitudes, perception of inequality, and the social context. He is the author of the book, Selfless: The Social Creation of You. He is also the host of Know What You See podcast. You can find his work here. Twitter: @brianloweryphd Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Heather about the spread of Christianity. They discuss how the spread of Christianity is a story of conversion, the religious landscape at the end of the Roman empire, and the four phases of Constantine’s conversion. They talk about the essential aspects of the Council of Nicea, Augustine’s legacy, and Homoean Christianity. They also discuss the arrival of Islam in the 5th Century, the spread of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxon world, Charlemagne and the papacy, and the Great Schism of 1054. They also talk about the Crusades, Christianity’s spread, and many more topics. Peter Heather is a historian of Medieval history and Late Roman Empire. He is Professor and Chair of Medieval History at King’s College, London. His primary interests are in the later Roman Empire and is published on the Goth and Visgoth kingdoms of the Medieval period. He has written numerous books including the most recent, Christendom: The Triumph of A Religion-A.D. 300-1300. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Eckart Frahm about the Assyrian Empire. They give an overview of the various Assyrian periods, discuss the importance of the “fertile crescent,” and talk about the impact of language in Assyria. They talk about the importance of Ashur as a god and as a city, the initial rulers in the old Assyrian period, the middle Assyrian period, and the distinctions between Assyrian and Babylon. They also discuss the fall of Nineveh, Biblical accounts of the Assyrian empire, the second destruction of Assyrian artifacts by ISIS, and many other topics. Eckart Frahm is Professor of Assyriology in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department at Yale University. He is one of the world’s leading expert on the Assyrian Empire. He has written or co-written over six books including the most recent book, Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Charles Freeman about the history of intellectualism in the West. They discuss the preservation of texts after the fall of the Roman Empire, Charlemagne and his interactions with the Papacy, the importance of Augustine on Western thought, and the Great Schism of 1054. They also talk about rationality in the Middle Ages, impact of Islam, importance of Thomas Aquinas incorporating Greek philosophy into Christian theology, and the rise of Humanism. They also discuss impact of colonialism and conversion, the Reformation and the figures of Calvin and Luther, the reopening of the Western mind, and many more topics. Charles Freeman is an independent historian and author. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has written over half a dozen books. He has wide spanning interests in the history of European culture and thought. He is the author of the last book, The Reopening of The Western Mind. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ashley Ward about the senses and understanding our world. They define what a “sense” is and why we focus on the five senses. They question whether we can know reality outside of our senses and discuss the complexity of the human eye and how they human eye is different from other eyes. They talk about the role of beauty and aesthetics, impact of sound and music, taste and how it evolves over time, smell, the importance of touch, and many other topics. Ashley Ward is a biologist and professor of animal behavior in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at The University of Sydney. He studies a wide range of animals and researches learning, communication, and decision-making in many animals. He is the author of the book, The Social Lives of Animals, and the most recent book, Where We Meet The World. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @ashleyjwward Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bart Ehrman about armageddon and the apocalypse as detailed in the Bible. They discuss why many people have a fascination with the end times and many of the things detailed in the book of Revelation. They talk about the role of interpretation, various views of the tribulation, and where the idea of the rapture originated. They discuss the importance of genre in the Bible, the historical view of Revelation, negative messaging of Revelation, and many more topics. Bart Ehrman is James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has both his M. Div and PhD from Princeton University. He has served as President of the Southeast Region of the Society of Biblical literature and chair of the New Testament textual criticism section of the Society. He has served as associate editor for the Journal of Early Christian Studies, book review editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature, and editor of the monograph series The New Testament in the Greek Fathers (Scholars Press). He currently serves as co-editor of the series New Testament Tools, Studies, and Documents (E. J. Brill), co-editor-in-chief for the international journal of early Christian studies, Vigiliae Christianae, and area editor (early Christianity) for the Encyclopedia of Ancient History. An expert on the New Testament and the history of Early Christianity, has written or edited thirty books, numerous scholarly articles, and dozens of book reviews. He is the author of numerous books including his new book, Armageddon. Website: https://www.bartehrman.com/Blog: https://ehrmanblog.org/Twitter: @bartehrman Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with Judith Herman about trauma and justice. They discuss how her new book on trauma is connected to her previous book on trauma. They define trauma and its potential overuse, role of dominance and submission before violence in intimate partner violence (IPV), and the role of patriarchy in our society. They talk about modern feminism working for trauma work, acknowledgement, apology, and forgiveness in trauma work, and restorative justice. They also talk about resilience, exposure therapy, and many other topics. Judith Herman is the clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at Cambridge Hospital. She obtained her MD from Harvard Medical School. She has received numerous honors such as a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship, a Bunting Institute fellowship at Radcliffe, a Manfred S. Guttmacher Award from the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, and a Women in Science Award from the American Medical Women’s Association. She is the author of three books including the classic, Trauma and Recovery and her latest book, Truth and Repair. You can find her work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simon Baron-Cohen about various components of autism. They define autism, discuss the systematizing mechanism and the if-and-then logic, and talk about the empathy circuit. They discuss how the systematizing quotient (SQ) and the empathy quotient (EQ) correspond with research on Big-5 personality and intelligence research. They mention some of the sex differences between between the SQ and EQ, evolutionary elements of invention, autism in present times, and many other topics.Simon Baron-Cohen is a Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry University of Cambridge and Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is Director of the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, which he set up in 1997. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the American Psychological Association. He is Vice-President of the National Autistic Society, and was President of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR, 2017-19). He was Chair of the NICE Guideline Development Group for Autism (Adults) and was Chair of the Psychology Section of the British Academy. He is coeditor in chief of the journal Molecular Autism which has the highest impact factor of all autism research journals. He received a knighthood in the New Year’s Honors List 2021. He has published over 700 peer reviewed scientific articles, which have made contributions to many aspects of autism research. He is also the author of five books including the most recent, The Pattern Seekers. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @sbaroncohen Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Bloom about major themes in psychology. They discuss how he wrote his latest book, Psych, and some of the origins of the book. They talk about dualism and understanding the brain, consciousness, and why we should still study Freud. They also discuss Piaget’s contributions to psychology, how serious is the replication crisis, core personality, the future of psychology and many more topics. Paul Bloom is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. Paul's interests are on morality, pleasure, and development. He is the past president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. He is the author of numerous books such as Against Empathy, The Sweet Spot, and his latest book, Psych, which you can purchase here. You can find much of his research and writing at his website. Twitter: @paulbloomatyale. Bonus: Make sure you read Nicole’s fantastic review below and subscribe to her excellent Bookmarked Reads📚. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Dirks about science communication and various issues in academia. They discuss his background as chancellor and dean of various academic institutions, problems and solutions for higher education, and why liberal arts are still needed. They also cover free speech and culture wars issues, COVID-19, science communication, and many other topics. Nicholas Dirks is President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences. He was the 10th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley and was also Dean of faculty at Columbia University. He has a background in history and anthropology and has written numerous books. You can find his work here. Twitter: @nickdirks Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lindsay Chervinsky about death and mourning of U.S. Presidents. They discuss how the book came about and how certain essays were chosen for the volume. They talk about the themes of race, political party, and family. They discuss the ideas of legacy, and how U.S. presidential funerals compare with other global heads of state. They talk about Washington and his private funeral, Jefferson and his descendants, Taylor and his mixed legacy, and the global impact of Lincoln. They also discuss Theodore Roosevelt through a current lens, generational impact of FDR and JFK, the long goodbye of Reagan, the bipartisan mourning of H.W. Bush, and many other topics. Lindsay M. Chervinsky is a historian, author, and speaker. She obtained her PhD in history from the University of California, Davis and is a fellow at the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. She has also been a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. She is the author of The Cabinet: George Washington and The Creation of An American Institution and co-editor (with Matthew R. Costello) of Mourning The Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. You can find her work at her website and on her substack, Imperfect Union. Twitter: @lmchervinsky Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Clayton Bohnet about protest through a philosophical lens. They discuss what a montage is and why he used it for his book, defining protest, and the functionality of protest. They talk about protest as spectacle, differences between protests and mobs/riots, Kant’s contribution to understanding critique, and many more topics. Clayton Bohnet is a philosopher, writer, and professor. He has Master’s in Psychology from the University of West Virginia and a PhD in Philosophy from Duquesne University. He has taught at Fordham University, Gonzaga University, and Central Washington university. Currently, he is pursing a law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He is the author of the book, Toward a Philosophy of Protest. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Shadi Hamid about democracy, liberalism, and foreign policy. They discuss democracy and how it is usually defined, what constitutes a “real” democracy, and the differences between liberalism and democracy. They discuss Islam and its various strands, challenges with democracy during the Arab spring, and why the United States chooses to get involved in some countries and not others. They also talk about positive examples of democracy abroad, the future of democracy in the Middle East, and many more topics.Shadi Hamid is a Senior Fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. He is also the Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at Fuller Seminary. He is the Contributing Writer at The Atlantic. He has his Bachelors and Masters from Georgetown University and his DPhil in Politics from Oxford University. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The Problem of Democracy: America, the Middle East, and the Rise and Fall of an Idea. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @shadihamid Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Craddock about the history of transplant surgery. They discuss the overarching movement of transplant surgery, skin grafting, and blood transfusions. They also talk about the long history of teeth and their various surgeries through time. They talk about vascular surgery, first organ transplants, advances in medical technology and future transplants, and many more topics.Paul Craddock is a cultural historian and award-winning author. He is a Science Museum Group Senior Research Associate, Honorary Senior Research Associate of UCL’s Division of Surgery, and Visiting Lecturer at Imperial College London. He is the author of Spare Parts: A Surprising History of Transplants. You can find him at his website. Twitter: @pwcraddock1984 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with William Costello about incels. They define sexuality more broadly and define incels and some of the features of incels. They discuss the importance of sexual selection and how incels are part of online culture and also outside of online culture. They talk about the “manosphere,” modern masculinity, and the different messages that men receive from society. They discuss the cultural perceptions of incels, violence, clinical treatment for incels, and many more topics.William Costello is a current PhD student in evolutionary psychology in David Buss’ lab at the University of Texas, Austin. He has his MSc in psychology: evolution and culture from Brunel University, London. His research focuses on incels, individual differences and evolutionary psychology. You can find his work here. Twitter: @costellowilliam Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adam Bulley about foresight and its evolutionary history. They define what foresight is and how it is different from prospective memory. They discuss how much executive functioning is involved, episodic foresight, abstraction, and theory of mind. They talk about the evolutionary history of foresight, cultural evolution, human development, and predictive models and perception. They also talk about brain systems involved with foresight, new technology, social dynamics, clock time, and many more topics. Adam Bulley is a postdoctoral fellow at the Brain and Mind Centre and School of Psychology, The University of Sydney and the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His primary research areas are in the evolution, mechanism, and psychology of imagination, foresight, and decision-making. He is the co-author (with Thomas Suddendorf & Jon Redshaw) of the book, The Invention of Tomorrow: A Natural History of Foresight. You can find his research here. Twitter: @adamdbulley Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Pinar Yildirim about marketing in our current society. They begin by defining marketing, how marketing influences consumers, and the importance of design and branding in marketing. They also discuss consumer loyalty within marketing and global marketing. They talk about content moderation within social media, public vs. private organizations, Tik Tok and data privacy, and many other topics. Pinar Yildirim is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, Associate Professor by courtesy at the Penn Department of Economics, NBER Faculty Fellow, Senior Fellow at the Center for Technology and Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD degree in Marketing and Business Economics and a PhD in Engineering, both from the University of Pittsburgh.Pinar’s research areas are technology, media and information economics. She focuses on applied theory and applied-economics of online platforms, advertising, networks, media, and politics. Her research appeared in leading management, marketing journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science, and Journal of Marketing. She has received numerous grants and honors including, Marketing Science Institute Scholar, and earlier the Young Scholar, Awards, Seenu Srinivasan Young Scholar Award in Quantitative Methodology and the Erin Anderson Award for Emerging Mentor and Scholar. Her research has been covered by numerous media outlets such as CNN, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Forbes, Politico, Vox, San Francisco Chronicle, among others. She is on the Editorial Board of Marketing Science and Journal of Marketing Research, two leading academic journals of marketing.Website: www.pinaryildirim.comTwitter: @prof_yildirim Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Joseph Graves Jr. about his life experiences and research in evolutionary biology. They talk about why he wrote his most recent book as half memoir/half popular science book, his early beginnings in the Jim Crow South, and how he became interested in the biological sciences. They talk about his work on Drosophila and broader research areas in evolutionary biology, his work on race and IQ, and many other topics.Joseph Graves Jr. is an evolutionary biologist and Professor of Nanoengineering at North Carolina A&T State University. He has his BA in Biology from Oberlin College and his PhD from Wayne State University. He has studied the evolutionary theory of aging and race and IQ. He is the author of the most recent book, Voice In The Wilderness. You can find his work here. Twitter: @gravesjl55 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Brian Lowery about racial equality and equity, privilege, and selfhood. They discuss the major data points and reasons for continued racial inequities, systemic racism, and different types of privilege. They also talk about the differences between equity, equality, and equality of opportunity. They also discuss the efficacy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) departments in academia and in the workforce. They also discuss the self and how one defines the self, why a social context is important, the uniqueness of individuals, and many more topics.Brian Lowery is the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. He is a social psychologist and is the director of many leadership groups. His research focuses on racial attitudes, perception of inequality, and the social context. He is also the host of Know What You See podcast. You can find his work here. Twitter: @brianloweryphd Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ken Sheldon about free will, determinism, the self, and positive psychology. They talk about why studying free will is important, the three horsemen of determinism, grand hierarchy of human interaction, and the illusion of free will. They also talk about the self, self-determination theory, the symbolic self, and many more topics. Ken Sheldon is the Curator’s Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri. He is well-established in the Positive Psychology field and is well-published in the scientific literature. His main interests are in motivation, well-being, personality, and values. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including the most recent book, Freely Determined. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alex Ross about Richard Wagner and his legacy. They discuss why he wrote a book on Wagner and what is Wagnerism, Wagner’s relationship with Nietzsche, and the many interpretations of Wagner. They talk about Wagner’s antisemitism, alternative Wagnerisms, Wagner’s impact on literature, Nazi Germany, and cinema. Alex Ross is a writer and music critic who has been writing for The New Yorker for over 25 years. He writes on classical music from opera to avant-garde and has published pieces on literature, history, and film. He is the author of the Pulitzer prize winning, The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. He is also the author of the latest book, Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @alexrossmusic Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Michael Stein about healthcare vs. public health. They talk about the narratives around healthcare and public health, biopsychosocial model, and progress of health in the USA. They talk about how to get people to care about the health of their fellow citizens, global health vs. USA public health. They talk about preventative vs. reactionary care, pandemic issues, public health as process and practice, and many more topics. Michael Stein is a physician and health policy researcher in public health. He is the current Chair and Professor of Health, Law, Policy, and Management at Boston University School of Public Health. He has done research for over three decades on sleep, pain addiction, HIV/AIDS, and health care access. He is the author of eleven books including the more recent, Me Vs. Us. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kat Rosenfield about stories and culture. They discuss her process for writing novels and essays, writing a gothic mystery novel, and how she writes strong female protagonists. They also talk about the stories we tell in our society, outrage culture, and many more topics. Kat Rosenfield is a freelance pop culture writer. She is a former reporter for MTV News and has written articles for Entertainment Weekly, Unherd, Vulture, Wired, and many other places. She is the author of many books including Alliances: A Trick of Light with Stan Lee. Her newest novel is You Must Remember This and can be purchased here. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @katrosenfield Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Aynne Kokas about digital sovereignty and our data in the digital world. They discuss the US-China relationship with the tech industry. They define digital sovereignty and data trafficking, discuss ownership and management of personal data, and what are the three risks of data trafficking and three limitations of the US system for data. They also talk about China’s cyber sovereignty and China’s use of military for data surveillance. They discuss digital sovereignty and social media, the dangers of Tik Tok, and many more topics. Aynne Kokas is the C.K. Yen Professor at the Miller Center and associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. She is also a non-resident scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy, a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a fellow in the National Committee on United States-China Relations’ Public Intellectuals Program. Her work mostly focuses on US media and technology relations. She is the author of Hollywood Made in China and her latest release, Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty. Website: https://www.aynnekokas.com/ Twitter: @aynnekokas Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Marchick about the presidential transfer of power. They discuss the podcast he hosted on the transfer of power and how the book was developed. They talk about presidential transitions, the importance of the Office of Presidential Personnel, and importance of the General Services Administration. They discuss four key features of leading in crisis and discuss the presidential transitions of Presidents Carter, Reagan, and other presidents. They talk about the importance of Chris Liddell, presidential transitions for the future, and many more topics. David Marchick is the Dean of the Kogard School of Business at American University. He has served as the Chief Operating Officer of the United States Development Finance Cooperation for the Biden Administration. He also held several positions in the Clinton Administration. He was also Director of the Center for Presidential Transition. He is the co-author of the book, The Peaceful Transition of Power: An Oral History of Presidential Transitions based on conversations he had on the podcast, Transition Lab. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christopher Ferguson about masculinity, homelessness, and mental health. They discuss his APA resignation letter and APA’s guidelines for boys and men. They also discuss the challenges and potential solutions for homelessness and institutionalization. They also review some of the political progress over the past two years and many other topics. Christopher Ferguson is a clinical psychologist, professor, and writer. He teaches psychology at Stetson University and continues to conduct research on mass media violence. He is the author of two non-fiction books. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, Catastrophe! How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Decisions Worse. You can find many links to his various publications and articles at his website. Twitter: @cjferguson1111 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe