Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Salmon about the life and philosophy of Jacques Derrida. They discuss Derrida’s place in philosophy and within deconstructionism, the culture and identity in Derrida’s upbringing, and the impact of Husserl, Heidegger, and Levinas on Derrida’s philosophical thought. They talk about Derrida’s emphasis on language, his interactions with Nietzsche’s thought, how he was received in society, his social circle and his enduring legacy.Peter Salmon is a writer and has taught at schools in Liverpool and Cambridge. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Tablet, and Sydney Review of Books. He is the author of the biography on Jacques Derrida entitled, An Event, Perhaps. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @petesalmon Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Hoinski about different philosophical ideas and the importance of appreciation. They discuss the philosophy of the pre-socratics, logos, and the nature and role of philosophy. They also talk about immanence vs. transcendence, reality and the metaphysical, and the emotions of guilt and shame. They discuss Nietzsche’s idea about the death of god, universal and political implications of Nietzsche’s philosophy, capitalism, why appreciation is important and many more topics. David Hoinski is a philosopher and writer. He is an Assistant Professor of philosophy at West Virginia University where he emphasizes ancient philosophy, modern German philosophy, and ethical/political philosophy. David is an esteemed bibliophile and speaks German and Ancient Greek. Twitter: @davidfahoinski Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Merve Emre about literary criticism and how to engage with literature. They discuss what literary criticism is and why it is important. They talk about different ways of reading, author’s intent, and the contours of literary genre. They also discuss various forms of interpretation, themes of “becoming” in the philosophy of Nietzsche and writing of Mieko Kawakami, and many more topics. Merve Emre is a professor of literature at Oxford University, Critic at The New Yorker, and the Shaprio-Silverberg Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at Wesleyan University. She has her BA from Harvard University and her PhD from Yale University. Her essays have appeared in Harper’s, The Atlantic, and The New York Review of Books. She is the author of numerous books including Paraliterary and The Personality Brokers. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @mervatim Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Justin Gregg about animal intelligence. They discuss how one defines intelligence, g, and what intelligence means for humans and animals. They talk about animal minds, communication in animals, and concepts of deception. They discuss theory of mind, minimal concept of death, morality and norms in animals, torture and pain in animals, and many other topics. Justin Gregg is a science writer and communicator. He is Adjunct Professor at Saint Francis Xavier University and Senior Research Associate with the Dolphin Communication Project. He has a PhD from Trinity College, Dublin and has studied dolphin social cognition. He is the author of a few books including his most recent, If Nietzsche Were A Narwhal. You can find his work here. Twitter: @justindgregg Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lars Chittka about the cognitive abilities of bees. They discuss the individuality and evolutionary history of bees. They talk about the various aspects of vision in bees such as polarization, sun compass, and phylogenetic analysis. They discuss the antennae of bees and how they use this sense. They talk about the sociality of bees, the brains of bees, intelligence, and their personality. They also discuss robot bees, bee conservation, and many more topics. Lars Chittka is a zoologist and ecologist who is the founder of the research centre for psychology at Queen Mary, University of London. He is an editor of PLoS Biology, fellow of the Linnean Society, the Royal Entomological Society, and Royal Society of Biology. He is a well-established researcher on sensory physiology and cognition of bees. He is the author of The Mind of A Bee. You can find his work here. Twitter: @lchittka 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 the German Empire. They discuss what it means to be German, Prussia and its boundaries, and the importance of the German revolution in 1848. They talk about the character and rule of Otto Von Bismarck, the unification of Germany in 1871, and how the industrial revolution was economically important. They also talk about the changing of the Kaisers, Germany’s involvement in WWI and the aftermath, and many other topics. 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. Twitter: @hoyer_kat Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Freddie deBoer about marxism, education and society. They define marxism, how marxism works today and how it is connected with communism and socialism. They discuss the evolution of the cult of smart, manufacturing and technical jobs, and how educational systems globally are compared to the United States. They talk about capacity and achievement, genetics and the “hereditarian left,” equality and equity, and lack of quality of education. They also discuss No Child Left Behind, Common Core, charter schools, solutions for our education system, and many more topics. Freddie deBoer is a academic and writer. He has a Masters in writing and rhetoric from the University of Rhode Island and a PhD in english from Perdue University. He is the author of The Cult of Smart and writes consistently on his substack. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stuart Ritchie about fraud, bias, and hype within the social sciences. They talk about “trust the science” and some of the challenges of science during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discuss how the scientific method work and some of the dynamics within the scientific publishing world. They talk about how certain campaigns can promote what does and does not get accepted into scholarly journals, the replication crisis, and various fads within psychology. They also talk about the challenges of priming studies, censorship in journals, the Wakefield MMR vaccine study, p-hacking, growth mindset, and many more topics. Stuart Ritchie is a psychologist and Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College, London. His research interests are human intelligence and challenges within the social sciences. He is the author of Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth. You can follow his substack. Twitter: @stuartjritchie Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Matthew Cobb about the moral history of genetic engineering. They discuss his reasons for writing the book and why one should be worried about genetic engineering. They define genetic engineering and some of the precursor tools before the advent of recombinant DNA. They discuss recombinant DNA, Paul Berg, and Asilomar. They also talk about the genetic history of GMOs, gene editing/CRISPR, the future of genetic engineering, and many more topics. Matthew Cobb is Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester. He has interests in human and animal behavior and is a well-established science communicator. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, As Gods: A Moral History of The Genetic Age. Twitter: @matthewcobb Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue about the philosophy of Schelling, Spinoza, idealism, and realism. They talk about how he came to write his book on Schelling and Spinoza and how one can define idealism and realism. They talk about the three claims of idealism, Spinoza’s ethics, and the importance of Jacobi’s critiques on German idealism. They also talk about Spinoza’s god, the infinite and finite, modes and attributes of substance, principle of sufficient reason, and Kant’s synthetic judgements. They talk about Schelling’s philosophy of nature and his shift from philosophy of nature to philosophy of identity. They also mention the absolute, blotobjectivism, Kant’s antinomies, the problem of evil, and Schelling’s notion of potencies. They also mention Žižek’s three phases of Schelling’s philosophy, Schelling’s tripartite-tripartite soul, and many more topics. Benjamin Norris is a philosopher and professor at Rowan University. He has his PhD in philosophy from the New School for Social Research. His main interests are German idealism, history of philosophy, and social and political philosophy. He is the author of the book, Schelling and Spinoza: Realism, Idealism, and the Absolute. You can find his work here. Twitter: @absoluteorgan Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Geoffrey Miller about evolution, polyamory, and artificial intelligence (AI). They give an overview of natural selection and sexual selection and explain why sexual selection was lost to history for many years. They discuss mate choice, pair-bonding, cold and hot choosers, sexual ornamentation, the ornamental mind, and mate retention. They also discuss polyamorous relationships, the moral and ethical implications of polyamorous relationships, and the role of commitment. They also talk about effective altruism and its connection with AI, the alignment problem of AI, libertarianism, and many more topics.Geoffrey Miller is an evolutionary psychologist and associate professor at the University of New Mexico. He has a Bachelors in biology and psychology from Columbia university and a PhD in cognitive psychology from Stanford University. He is well cited in the scientific literature and has appeared in many mainstream outlets. His main research areas are in sexual selection, mate choice, creativity, and consumer behavior. He is the author of numerous books which can be found at his website. Twitter: @primalpoly Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ben Winegard about the 2022 US midterm elections. They discuss the main takeaways and why there was no “red wave” for the republicans. They talk about the Desantis juggernaut and whether abortion was as big of an issue for people to get to the voting polls. They also discuss the importance of the midwest states such as Michigan and Wisconsin. They also talk about the ballot measures, the Senate, House, and Governorships, looking ahead to 2024, and many other topics. Ben Winegard is currently an independent scholar who writes on many topics. He holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with an emphasis on evolution. His current interests are on human progress, polarization, and political issues. Twitter: @winega2benjamin Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with W. Keith Campbell about the research on narcissism. They define narcissism and explain the three types: grandiose, vulnerable, and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). They talk about state vs. traits vs. disorder and the three theoretical models of narcissism along with the 4 major models of narcissism. They discuss general personality traits such as the big-5 and some of the personality measures. They discuss NPD, dark triad, light triad, and energetic triad, and how narcissism can present in relationships, dating, leadership, and on social media. They also talk about the adaptive aspects of narcissism, managing narcissism, and many other topics. W. Keith Campbell is a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and is a leading expert on narcissism. He is widely published in scientific journals and has appeared in many major outlets. He is the author of The New Science of Narcissism. 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 Richard Reeves about the current issues for boys and men. They discuss how to talk about men's issues next to women's issues. They talk about the structural issues against men such as in education and in the workforce. They mention the gender pay gap, challenges for Black and Latino men, and failures of the political right and political left to provide answers for men's issues. They also talk about HEAL and some of the solutions for men's issues and many other topics. Richard Reeves is senior fellow and theJohn C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair for economic studies at Brookings. He is the Director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He is the author of several books including the most recent, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It. You can find his work here. Twitter: @richardvreeves Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Susana Monsó about animal minds. They talk about how animal minds are defined and why there is an emphasis on cognition. They also talk about a minimal concept of death and why this is important to understand animal minds. They talk about whether consciousness is essential for understanding animal minds and some of the arguments for and against moral individualism. They also talk about the ethics of eating farmed animals, how to treat domesticated animals, and many other topics. Susana Monsó is a philosopher who has a Bachelors in philosophy, Masters in ethics and human Values and a PhD in philosophy. She is also the co-founder of the Philosophy of Animal Minds and Behavior Association. Her main interest areas are on animal minds and animal ethics. You can find all of her published research at her website. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Rob Dunn about the natural history of the future of earth. They discuss the two laws of ecological diversity and how increased ecological diversity is helpful for growth. They also talk about the anthropocentric view of the world and different islands for diverse populations. They discuss the inadvertent ark and how corridors play a role here. They also talk about how humans stay concentrated in certain regions with GDP and violence being contributing factors. They also talk about biodiversity, gut microbiome, and the role of climate change for the future of the earth. Rob Dunn is a biologist and professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on the world around people in their local environments and his lab examines species, organs, cells, genes, and various ecosystems of everyday life. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, A Natural History of The Future. You can find his work at his lab. Twitter: @rrobdunn Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Aho about existentialism, life, and death. They discuss his background and heart attack which was the motivation for him writing his most recent book. They discuss the inevitability of death, existentialism and its major concepts, and authenticity. They also talk about "the herd" and negative impact of social media. They also discuss various ideas on disorders and neuroscience, Nietzsche's ideas on suffering well, and many other topics. Kevin Aho is a professor of philosophy at Florida Gulf Coast University. He has Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate in philosophy. He teaches and writes on existentialism, phenomenology, and hermeneutics. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, One Beat More: Existentialism and The Gift of Mortality. You can find his work here. Twitter: @kevinaho17 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Quammen about the origins and treatments for SARS-CoV-2. They discuss the lack of preparedness and missed warnings of SARS 2003. They talk about the two main schools of though on the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the 2 lineages, variants, and future variants. They also talk about herd immunity, drug therapies, and vaccines. They mention gain-of-function research, preparedness for future pandemics, and many other topics. David Quammen is a well-renowned science writer and has received a Rhodes Scholarship, Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous awards for his writing. He is the author of sixteen books including, The Song of the Dodo, Spillover, The Tangled Tree, and his latest, Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat A Deadly Virus. You can find his work here. Twitter: @davidquammen Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Massimo Pigliucci about the nature of virtues and character. They define virtue and why people seek virtue. They describe the differences between virtues and morals and discuss moral relativism. They talk about daemons and how they are important for moral character. They also talk about Plato's five ways of governing, trusting institutions, aspects of character, and many more topics.Massimo Pigliucci is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at City College of New York. He has a PhD in biology, a PhD in philosophy, and a doctorate in genetics. His main interests are philosophy of science, nature of pseudoscience, and stoicism. He is widely published in scientific journals and in mainstream outlets. He is the author of 16 books including his most recent book, The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders. 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 Siddhartha Mukherjee about cellular biology. They define what a cell is and talk about the importance of Leeuwenhoek and Hooke in observing and discovering the cell. They talk about the five basic principles of cell biology and explore the anatomy of a cell. They explain how important B cells and T cells are for the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system for fighting diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 and HIV. They also talk about the potential of stem cells for human medicine and many other topics. Siddhartha Mukherjee is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer researcher and physician. He has his Bachelors in biology from Stanford University. As a Rhodes Scholar, he has a DPhil in immunology from Oxford University and an MD from Harvard University. He has published articles in journals such as Nature and The New England Journal of Medicine and in mainstream outlets such as The New York Times. He is the author of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize winning, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, The New York Times best-Seller, The Gene: An Intimate History, and the author of the new book, The Song of The Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and The New Human. You can find his work here. Twitter: @drsidmukherjee Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hannah Bradshaw about same-sex friendships, opposite-sex friendships, and relationships in society. They discuss some of her background and research, dynamics of male friendships, and dynamics of female friendships. They discuss opposite sex friendships, different levels of friendship, boundaries in friendships, and intrasexual female competition. They also discuss men and women in the workforce together, potential careers for younger generations, and sex differences in disgust research. Hannah Bradshaw is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Washington and Jefferson College. She has her PhD in experimental psychology and her main interests include a multidisciplinary approach examining disgust sensitivity, women's sociality, and consumer behavior. You can find her work here. Twitter: @hkbradshaw Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robin Hanson about hidden motives, norms, and the sacred. They discuss how one understands motives and why they are hidden. They also talk about bias and not violating norms, free will, status and signaling and why dominance and prestige are important. They also talk about some aspects of cancel culture, large and small norms, and self-deception. They spend some time discussing the sacred, futarchy, and many other topics. Robin Hanson is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He has degrees in physics and a PhD in social sciences from Caltech. His interests include economics, philosophy, political theory, healthy policy, and regulation. He has many articles published in various scientific journals and is the author of many books, including the most recent (co-authored with Kevin Simler), The Elephant In The Brain. He is also the co-host (with Agnes Callard) of the podcast, Minds Almost Meeting. You can find his work at his personal website. Twitter: @robinhanson Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bruce Carruthers about credit, trust, and the American economic system. They discuss the point of emphasis on promise and trust when discussing credit and finances in the United States. They talk about why people willingly go into debt to be part of an American economic system. They spend time talking about the history and current use of the credit rating scale and its expanding evolution for society. They also talk about the national bank of the United States, student loans, and many other topics. Bruce Carruthers is a sociologist and John D. MacArthur Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University. His research focuses on the history of credit in the United States. He is the author of five books including the most recent book, The Economy of Promises: Trust, Power, and Credit in America. 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 Richard Polt about the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. They define and discuss Dasein, 3 forms of Dasein, and how it is different from other types of being. They talk about authenticity and inauthenticity, being as metaphysics, and the role of Aristotle's philosophy on Heidegger's thought. They discuss Heidegger's "turn" in the 1930s, being-in-the-world, 4 senses of the world, and what a shared world means. They also talk about environment, present-at-hand, and ready-to-hand. They engage on Heidegger's concepts of care, thrownness, and anxiety. They also mention Heidegger's thoughts on language and technology, along with his involvement in the Nazi party, and many other topics. Richard Polt is Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of philosophy at Xavier University. He has a Bachelors in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley and a PhD from the Committee on Social Thought from the University of Chicago. His major interests are in Greek and German philosophy and he has translated and written over seven books, mostly on German philosophy, namely Heidegger's philosophical thought. 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 Annie Wertz about her research on infant cognition and the interactions with plants. They discuss her background and how she came to study infant cognition and plants. They discuss infant development and cognition including object permanence, theory of mind, and various cognitive domains. They also talk about different types of plants such as toxic vs. non-toxic plants. They discuss the co-evolution of plants with humans and how infants can discriminate between edible and non-edible plants. They also discuss her PLANT experiment and the cross-cultural differences with infant cognition with plants.Annie Wertz is a research psychologist who researches infant cognition and infants’ interactions with plants. She has her bachelor’s in psychology from Boston University and PhD in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She completed her postdoc research at Yale University and is currently a lead researcher in the MPRG Naturalistic Social Cognition Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin. You can find her work here. Twitter: @anniewertz Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jack Ashby about the wonderful mammals of Australia. They talk about the distinctions between monotremes, marsupials, and placentals and where they are located around the world. They mention the ways in which the rest of the world discusses Australian mammals. They describe the features of the platypus, along with their mating and reproduction characteristics. They also talk about the features of the echidna including the males four-headed penis. They talk about the features of marsupials and some of the reproductive features of Tasmanian Devils. They mention the extinct Australian animals and the recent discussion of some trying to "resurrect" the thylacine. They talk about working in tandem with various Indigenous people groups in Australia and how to best understand Australian mammals. Jack Ashby is a scientist and author. Currently, he is the Assistant Director of the University Museum of Zoology at the University of Cambridge. He has his PhD in Zoology from the University of Cambridge and was previously the museum manager at the Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London. He is a trustee of the Natural Sciences Collections Association, an Honorary Research Fellow in UCL Science and Technology Studies, and sits on the Council of the Society for the History of Natural History. He is the author of the latest book, Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals. You can find his work here. Twitter: @jackdashby Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simon Morden about the natural history of Mars. They talk about the current data concerning Mars, origins of the universe and how Mars formed. They talk about the importance of the great dichotomy, features of Mars during the pre-Noachian period, and the 2 moons of Mars. They discuss the Noachian period and how water was on Mars. They talk about the change of climate and atmosphere in the Hesperian period, rust and how Mars became red, the Amazonian period, the difficulty of getting humans to Mars and many more topics.Simon Morden is a scientist and author. He has a bachelor’s in Geology and his PhD in Geophysics. He has spent much of his career writing science-fiction novels and has written over 10 novels and novellas. He has won the Philip K. Dick Award and been a judge for the Arthur C. Clarke Awards. He has returned to writing about the sciences with his latest book, The Red Planet: A Natural History of Mars. You can find him at his website. Twitter: @comrademorden Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Vanessa Bohns about her research on influence. They define influence and how it has a reciprocal nature. They discuss who we are influenced by and what are the social norms for influence. They talk about why it is hard to make requests and hard to say no. They mention the negative aspects of influence, influence in dating and romantic relationships, the role of power with influence, and many other topics.Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. She has an undergraduate degree from Brown University and PhD in Psychology from Columbia University. She has previously taught at New York University’s Stern School of Business and University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Her work as been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. She is the author of her first book, You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @profbohns Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert W. Merry about the life and presidency of William McKinley. They discuss the character and temperament of McKinley, his Ohio upbringing, impact of the Civil War, and why tariffs were a huge part of his policies. They talk about the brilliance of the 1896 election and his vision for his 1st term focusing on economic prosperity. They discuss the annexation of Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and how he managed the Philippines acquisition. They also talk about why he ran for a 2nd term, impact of Theodore Roosevelt, trade reciprocity, assassination, and the unfinished legacy of McKinley.Robert W. Merry has an extensive background as a reporter, newsroom manager, and publishing CEO. He has both his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Journalism. Currently, he is the author of numerous books on American history and foreign policy. His book, President McKinley: Architect of the American Century is now available everywhere. You can find his work at his website. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Deresiewicz about wokeness, academia, generational shifts, and the state of our culture. They talk about where one should place their energy and attention to events in society. They talk about how serious wokeness is and the misadventures of the extreme left in academia. They mention how society should progress towards balance, reforming/creating institutions, and the role of the internet and social media. They also talk about the various generational shifts and many more topics.William Deresiewicz is a writer, cultural critic, and speaker. He has published over 300 essays and reviews in places such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harper’s. He has previously taught at English Yale University and Columbia University and is now a full-time writer. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The End of Solitude: Selected Essays on Culture and Society. Find him at his website. Twitter: @wderesiewicz Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Troy Senik about the life and presidency of Grover Cleveland. They discuss how one defines a successful president and why this is important to consider when evaluating a presidential legacy. They talk about the philosophy and worldview in which Grover Cleveland governed, his temperament and contextual background, his absence from the civil war, and his time as mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York. They spend time discussing the case of Maria Halpin, his first term as president, his relationship with Frances Folsom, and his 2nd term as president along with what his legacy is as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Troy Senik is an author and former White House speechwriter. He has worked at various think tanks and has published many pieces in mainstream publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. He is the co-founder of the digital media company, Kite & Key. He is the author of the book, A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland. Twitter: @troy_senik Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Geoffrey Cohen about the science around the concept of belonging. They discuss Kurt Lewin's work on social psychology, specifically on his idea of situation building and the importance of the environment. They talk about the individual vs. collective dichotomy, five vital resources, belonging uncertainty, and belonging with identity. They also discuss us vs. them, interpersonal dynamics and perception, the negative side of belonging and fundamental attribution error. They talk about stereotypes and biases and how to foster belonging in schools, workforce, and in society. Geoffrey Cohen is a social psychologist and James G. Marsh Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. He has a bachelors in psychology from Cornell University and PhD from Stanford University. His main research areas are the psychology of the self and belonging. He is the author of the new book, Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides. Visit his website here. Twitter: @geoffcohen Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Douglas Kenrick and David Lundberg-Kenrick about the evolutionary adaptations of the human body and brain. They discuss their pyramid of needs being rooted in evolution and juxtaposing it with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. They talk about evolution mismatches and tradeoffs and the values of behaviorism for adaptive change. They discuss tribalism, friendships, prestige/dominance, romantic relationships, family, and many other topics. Douglas Kenrick is a social psychologist and professor of psychology Arizona State University. His interests are evolutionary biology and cognitive science to understand social interactions, decision-making, and creativity. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Solving Modern Problems with A Stone-Aged Brain. You can find his work here. Twitter: @douglastkenrickDavid Lundberg-Kenrick is the media outreach program manager at Arizona State University. He attended film school in New York and has an extensive background in multimedia education and working on various documentaries. He is the co-author of Solving Modern Problems with A stone-Aged Brain. Twitter: @lundbergkenrick Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ed Hagen about evolution, mental disorders such as depression, and suicidality. They begin talking about the power of evolution, providing a defense of evolutionary psychology and the evolutionary history of humans. They discuss the evolutionary model for mental health disorders, the clinical taxonomy of the DSM-5, and defining depression. They provide some criticism of the new prolonged grief disorder, discuss the epidemiological data on depression, and explain the evolutionary model for understanding postpartum depression. They also discuss suicidality and some of the cross-cultural elements of mental disorders. Ed Hagen is an anthropologist who specializes in conducting research on evolutionary medicine. He has his Bachelors in mathematics from UC Berkeley and his PhD in anthropology from UC Santa Barbara. His research takes an evolutionary approach to understanding non-infectious diseases, specifically mental health. He has researched depression, postpartum depression, suicide, and self-harm. You can find his research here. Twitter: @ed_hagen Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Thomas R. Verny about his work on the embodied mind. They discuss Thomas' background and motivation for writing his most recent book and how the embodied mind is an extended mind. They discuss the importance of the gut microbiome and the enteric nervous system. They talk about the vagus nerve, epigenetics, and stem cells and CRISPR. They also provided details on regeneration, hibernation, and metamorphosis using the example of the Planarian flatworm. They also talk about consciousness, the self, and many other topics. Thomas R. Verny is a psychiatrist and author. He has taught at many academic institutions such as Harvard, University of Toronto, and York University, Toronto. He founded the Pre- and Perinatal Psychology Association of North America (PPPANA, renamed APPPAH—Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health – in 1995), and served as its president for eight years. He also launched the APPPAH Journal – the Journal of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health (JAPPAH) (Human Sciences Press, New York), which he edited from its inception until 1990. He is a member of the Ontario Review Board (ORB) and Associate Editor of the Journal of the Association for Pre- and Peri-natal Psychology and Health (JAPPPAH). He has almost 50 papers in the scientific journals and is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Embodied Mind: Understanding the Mysteries of Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and Our Bodies. You can find his work at his website. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Christakis about cooperation, social networks, and tribalism. They discuss how humans are more cooperative and have a propensity for good than many people emphasize. They talk about the social suite and examples of unintentional, intentional, and artificial communities. They discuss positive and negative aspects of cooperation, punishment, and social networks. They discuss friendship, in-group tribalism, social learning, teaching, and culture. They also provide a brief update on where COVID-19 is at the moment and what we can expect in the next few years. Nicholas Christakis is a physician and sociologist who conducts research at his Human Nature Lab at Yale University on social networks. Currently, he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, Internal Medicine, & Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. He has his MPH and MD from Harvard University along with his PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2009, he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is the author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of A Good Society, and Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. You can find his lab here. Twitter: @nachristakis Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lori Marino about the ethics of eating animals and whether they have conscious states. They define intelligence in non-human animals and discuss the brains of whales and how they communicate. They discuss consciousness in animals and how humans can ethically cohabitate with animals. They talk about how domesticated animals, including farmed animals, have sentience, personality, and consciousness. They also talk about the ethics of eating animals and artificial meat, and many more topics.Lori Marino is a neuroscientist and expert in studying animal intelligence and behavior. She has her PhD in biopsychology and has done extensive research on whale and dolphin intelligence. She is well-published in the scientific literature on animal minds. She is the President of The Whale Sanctuary Project and is also the founder and Executive Director of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. You can read her essay mentioned in this episode here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Skye Cleary on authenticity and the feminism of Simone de Beauvoir. They define authenticity, discuss existence before essence, and dialogue on the "other" and subjectivity. They talk about de Beauvoir's mystifications and how to define what is a woman? They discuss roles, progress for women, and women's health. They also discuss de Beauvoir on friendship, love and marriage, motherhood, narcissism, and why rebellion is necessary. Skye Cleary is a philosopher who teaches at Columbia University and City University of New York. She was the editor-in-chief of the American Philosophical Association's blog and certified fellow with the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. She is the author of three books including her latest, How to be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment. You can find her work here. Twitter: @skye_cleary Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla moderates a dialogue between Patrick Lockwood and Colin Wright on gender and sexuality. They begin by defining biological sex and defining gender. They spend some time discussing the various complexities around gender dysphoria and they discuss the idea of being born in the wrong body. They end the dialogue by emphasizing how to have honest and compassionate conversations about sex and gender. Patrick Lockwood is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California. He works at a premier addiction clinic for LGBTQ+ population in Los Angeles. He has over 15 years of experience in clinical practice, mainly with individuals that have substance abuse challenges. He is the author of The Fear Problem and has his own youtube channel. Twitter: @psychplockwoodColin Wright is an evolutionary biologist with an emphasis on behavioral ecology. He is widely published in the scientific journals with his research on paper wasps, spiders, and ant colonies. He has written a variety of pieces on evolution, sex, and gender differences. You can follow his substack and on Twitter: @swipewright Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Gregory Forth about the search for a hidden human species. They discuss his background working in Indonesia, an overview of different species of humans, and where the "ape-men" fit into the broader picture. They talk about the environment on Flores, Indonesia and the characteristics of the Lio people who are the primary eyewitnesses. They give a profile of the ape-men, discuss the role of myths and legends, and give specific details of the eyewitness accounts of the ape-men. Gregory Forth is an anthropologist and was professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta for over 30 years. He is well published in the scientific journals and has authored various academic books. He is the author of Between Ape and Human. 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 Will Beischel about the most recent research on gender. They discuss their background for studying sex and gender and then provide an exhaustive analysis of the sex configuration theory. This theory includes understanding sexual orientation and its broader horizon along with three aspects including gender, sex, and gender/sex. They talk about how the social environment interacts with testosterone and power, interactions with others and some of the connections between biology and sociality for gender/sex. They talk about the traditional view of biological sex and understanding brain development in utero along with genetics to understand the variances with gender. They also talk about the roles of masculinity and femininity and how to adjust these ideas in the 21st century. Will Beischel has a PhD from the University of Michigan. They have a degree in biology and neuroscience and their main interest is in sexual and gender identities, with a focus on sexual and gender minorities. You can find their work here. Twitter: @willbeischel Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a wide-ranging dialogue with Tania Reynolds about her research on female intrasexual competition, attractiveness privilege, and free speech. They provide a sexual selection overview such as preferences for mate choice. They talk about sexual selection for cooperation, heritability in mate preferences, and the aspect of female mate choice. They discuss monogamy and polygamy in mate choice, evolutionary and moral features of attraction, and an emphasis on youth. They also mention female standards of beauty in modern society and body positivity. They discuss in detail the specific aspects of intrasexual female competition, types of aggression, and the influence of patrilocal and matrilocal societies. They discuss attractiveness privilege and how it fits within other types of privilege, menstruation and anxiety, and gender bias. They end the conversation with a discussion on the limits and boundaries of free speech. Tania Reynolds is a Social Psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico. She was also a postdoctoral research at the Kinsey Institute. She is well-published in many scientific journals and her research focuses on female intrasexual competition and cooperation, biases in social and and moral evaluations, sexual selection and life history theory. You can find her research here. Twitter: @taniaArline Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Isaac Butler about the history of method acting in the 20th century. They discuss who was Stanislavski and how he started his theater studio and system. They discuss the impact of Tolstoy and Chekhov on Stanislavksi. They explain the expansion of the method globally and how Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler became involved with the method. They talk about the differences between the system and the method and what is composed of the Method. They discuss how Marlon Brando was a genius and legend, origins of the actors legend, and some of the current modern actors that use the actors studio. They talk about current-day method acting and many more topics. Isaac Butler is a cultural critic, historian, theater director, and podcaster. He is the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward (with Dan Kois) and of his most recent book, The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act. He is the host of the Slate's podcast, Working. Twitter: @parabasis Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli on game theory and how this can be used to understand human behavior. They define game theory, discuss how primary and secondary rewards can be used, and explain Nash equilibrium and hawk-dove theory. They discuss the importance of signals and the costly signaling model, signals with different audiences, and how evidence and persuasion are spun differently. They also discuss the prisoners dilemma, altruism, cooperation, punishment, and may other topics. Moshe Hoffman is a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Behavior, research fellow at MIT's Sloan School of Management and lecturer in Harvard's Economics department. His work focuses on game theory used with topics on human motivation, learning and evolution, and preferences. You can find his work here. Twitter: @moshe_hoffmanErez Yoeli is a research scientist at MIT's Sloan School of Management and Director of MIT's Applied Cooperation Team (ACT), and also a lecturer in Harvard's Economics department. His work focuses on altruism, and how using game theory can help in working with governments and products. Purchase Hidden Games. You can find his work here. Twitter: @erezyoeli Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Avram Alpert about the good enough life. They define what is the good enough life, pluralism and relativism, and spend time on what greatness is and maybe why it should not be emphasized. They discuss the elements of a good enough life for social policies, work, virtue ethics, and many other topics. Avram Alpert is a writer, lecturer, and organizer. Currently, he is a fellow at the New Institute in Hamburg, Germany. He has taught at Rutgers and Princeton University and his work has been published in places such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. He is the author of a few books, including the most recent, The Good Enough Life. You can find his work here. Twitter: @avramalpert Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daryl Davis about his career as a musician and his encounters with extreme hate groups. They discuss his background in music and how he came to be a professional musician. They talk about writing and performing music, the music industry, and his exposure of living abroad. They discuss his first encounter with a member of the KKK, his first interview with a KKK member, and subsequent meetings. They also talk about how race functions differently around the world, how people can be involved in combating extreme hate, and many other topics. Daryl Davis is a musician, actor, writer, author, and lecturer. As a musician and actor, he has performed with The Legendary Blues Band and Chuck Berry. He has also appeared in shows such as HBO's The Wire. As a race relations lecturer and speaker, he has appeared in many major outlets such as CNN, NBC, and The Washington Post. He is the author of Klan-Destine Relationships and the documentary Accidental Courtesy. You can find his work here. Twitter: @realdaryldavis Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this dialogue, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Antone Martinho-Truswell about parrots and some of their striking similarities with humans. They discuss the importance of the phylogenetic tree, ways in which birds are connected with humans, and the specifics of bird brains. They discuss animal intelligence, corvids' use of tools, and various bird categories. They mention songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds and how birds communicate. The also talk about the features of parrots and their parallel with humans and many other topics. Antone Martinho-Truswell is the Dean and Head of Graduate House at St. Paul's College at the University of Sydney. He is also a Research Associate in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on learning and cognition in birds and is interested in animal minds and animal cognition. He is the author of his latest book, The Parrot in the Mirror: How Evolving to be like birds made us human. You can find his research here and here. Twitter: @antonemartinho Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Steve Brusatte about the rise and fall of dinosaurs and the rise and reign of mammals. They discuss how his two books are connected and overlap, first dinosaurs, and how dinosaurs survived the great dying and diversified. They talk about the taxonomy of dinosaurs, the T. Rex, and dinosaurs connection with birds. They also discuss what makes a mammal a mammal, importance of the jaw, and how mammals coexisted with dinosaurs. They also mention how mammals survived the asteroid, their proliferation, humans, and the future of mammals. Steve Brusatte is a Palaeontologist who has a Bachelors in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago, a Masters in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, and a PhD in Earth and Environmental Studies from the Columbia University, New York. He has over 150 peer-reviewed studies published and has discovered over a dozen dinosaur and mammal species. He is the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and his latest book, The Rise and Reign of the Mammals. He has also been a lead consultant on BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Planet, and Jurassic World: Dominion. You can find his work here. Twitter: @stevebrusatte Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jaimie Arona Krems about her research on friendship. They discuss the basic features and sex differences between how males and females have relationships. They talk about the different levels and dimensions of friendships and some of the stereotypes of friendships. They define friendship and talk about the dynamics of friends and family. They discuss jealousy and how it appears in friendships, status and trust, and opposite sex friendships. They talk about female competition in the workforce, attractiveness privilege, female cooperation, and many more topics.Jaimie Arona Krems is a Social Psychologist with a degree in Classical and Near Eastern Archeology, Masters of Liberal Arts in physiology, Masters in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, and a PhD in Social Psychology. Currently, she runs the Krems Social and Evolutionary Psychology Lab at The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN) at Oklahoma State University. The research in her lab focuses on female cooperation and competition, friendship, stereotyping and prejudice, religion, reputation, ecological variable. Twitter: @jaimiekrems Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with John Milton Cooper about the life and presidency of Woodrow Wilson. They discuss the impact of the South, racism, and living in the North for Wilson. They talk about why the practice of law was not suited for Wilson and how he was more academic and cerebral in many ways. They talk about his book, Congressional Government, the infamous presidential election of 1912, and the first term domestic successes. They talk about Wilson's challenges with race while in office, why he kept the United States out of World War I, and the 14 points and League of Nations. They also mention his stroke, legacy, and many other topics. John Milton Cooper is a Historian and author who is a worldwide expert on Woodrow Wilson. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he taught history for 40 years. He the author of numerous books including the Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Woodrow Wilson: A Biography. You can find his work here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe