Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Peña-Guzmán on dreams in animals. They discuss how we know animals dream, history of studying dreams, and how the sleep cycle works in animals. They talk about how animal dreaming is phenomenological and not necessarily computational, whether animals have consciousness, and the various models of consciousness. They discuss lucid dreaming, imagination, moral entitlements, and many more topics. David Peña Guzmán is an Associate Professor at San Francisco State University. He teaches on history and the philosophy of science, animal studies, and social theory. He has his PhD in Philosophy from Emory University and his work has appeared in many journals. His newest book, When Animals Dream: The Hidden World of Animal Consciousness is now available. You can find his work here. Twitter: @drpenaguzman1 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Steven Koonin about climate change and how to best engage with climate science. They discuss how people can trust the science on climate from institutions and published data. They mention the differences between weather and climate, radiative equilibrium, and greenhouse gases. They review the data on carbon, discuss various forms of energy such as fossil fuels, clean energy, and nuclear energy. They talk about rising temperatures, increased precipitation, and rising sea levels. They discuss how much responsibility humans have on the changing climate, balanced responses to tackle climate change, and many other topics. Steven Koonin is a theoretical physicist and Professor of Information, Operations, & Management Sciences and Director for Urban Science and Progress at Stern School of Business at New York University. From 2009-2011, he was the Undersecretary for science, Department of Energy during the Obama administration. Formerly, he was BP's Chief Scientist and Provost and Vice President of California Institute of Technology. He has his Bachelors in Physics from California Institute of Technology and PhD in theoretical physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the member of numerous academies such as the American Physical Society, the American Association of the Advancement of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. He is the author of the most recent book, Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What it Doesn't, and Why it Matters. You can find his work here and here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla had a dialogue with Elizabeth Popp Berman about the economic style and how it has permeated American economics over the 20th Century. They start the conversation by giving an example of the economic style limiting the Obama Administration. They define and explain what the economic style is and how it will emphasize efficiency. They discuss the history of the economic style, how it became institutionalized, along with an overview of Macro and Micro economics. They also talk about the shift to public policy and how we got things like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). They discuss how the economic style was used in the Reagan and Clinton administrations and what are other alternatives besides the economic style. Elizabeth Popp Berman is a sociologist and Associate Professor of Organizational Studies at the University of Michigan. She has her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley and studies economic sociology and the sociology of science and knowledge. She is the author of the most recent book, Thinking Like An Economist. You can find her work here and here. Twitter: @epopppp Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Megan Kate Nelson on the western theater of the Civil War and the history of Yellowstone National Park. They discuss the reasoning for fighting in the western theater of the Civil War, location specifics, and various characters involved. They discuss the involvement of various Native American tribes, White Americans forcible removal of Native peoples, and how the Civil War was fought on various stages. They also talk about the difficult history of Yellowstone, President Grant's role in the reconstruction period, and how Yellowstone went from expedition to the first National Park. They discuss how one can have a well-rounded view of National Parks and many other topics. Megan Kate Nelson is a historian and writer. She has a PhD in American Studies from the University of Iowa and has previously taught at Texas Tech University, Harvard University, and Brown University. Her main interest areas are on the Civil War, US West, and has been published in many major publications. She is the author of numerous books including The Three Cornered War of which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and Saving Yellowstone. You can find her here. Twitter: @megankatenelson Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Zoe Chance about the power of influence. They discuss what influence is and why it is important for humans. They discuss some of the misconceptions of influence, her reframing of Daniel Kahneman's system 1 and system 1, and the necessity of saying no. They talk about the elements of negotiation, how to spot red flags, and many other topics. Zoe Chance is researcher and teacher with her main interests being in influence. She has her PhD from Harvard University and is currently a professor at the Yale School of Management. She is the author of Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen. Twitter: @zoebchance Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jomana Qaddour and Gissou Nia about many of the human rights atrocities in the Syrian conflict. They discuss the origins and data on the Syrian conflict, a chronology of events in the conflict, and allies of the Syrian government. They discuss the atrocities of human rights violations and why the international community has been on the sidelines. They discuss the international law dynamics and pragmatic ways in which aid could be delivered to the Syrian people. Jomana Qaddour is a Senior Fellow of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. Currently, she is a doctorate student at Georgetown University Law Center where her work focuses on ethno-sectarianism in Syria, Iraq, and Bosnia. She has been a Senior Policy Analyst at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Senior Research Assistant and Publications Manager for the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy. Twitter: @jomanaqaddourGissou Nia is the Director of the Strategic Litigation Project for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. She is a human rights lawyer and is the board chair of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. Her main interests focus on human rights advocacy, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Twitter: @gissounia Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Harris about the origins of the human brain. They discuss the evolutionary history of the brain, rise of the neuron, and genesis of the neural tube and neuroepithelium. They talk about the phylotypic stage, neural stem cells to neurons, and four cycles of the cell. They discuss the important neuron theory, contributions of Ramon y Cajal, and how neurons "wire up." They talk about growth cones, Sperry's theory of neural connections, cell death, neural plasticity, and many other topics. William A. Harris is professor emeritus of anatomy at the University of Cambridge. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society, Academy of Medical Sciences, and was awarded the Waddington Medal by the British Society for Developmental Biology for his specialization on the visual system in the human brain. He is widely published within the scientific literature and author of many books including his most recent book, Zero to Birth: How the Human Brain is Built. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kai Bird about Jimmy Carter. They discuss the context and environment of rural Georgia in the 1920s in which Carter was born. They talk about the impact of racism in his upbringing, importance of his Christian faith, and steady bond with his wife Rosalynn. They discuss his presidency and inflation and unemployment, Panama Canal, Camp David accords, and the Iran hostage situation. They also discuss why he did not get re-elected in 1980 and his enduring legacy. Kai Bird is a historian, journalist, and writer. He is executive director and distinguished lecturer at CUNY Graduate Center's Leon Levy Center for Biography in New York City. He is the author of numerous books and is the recipient (along with co-author Michael J. Sherwin) of the 2005 National Book Critics Circle Award, the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, and the 2008 Duff Cooper Prize for American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. He is also the author of The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter. You can find his work here. Twitter: @kaibird123 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Douglas Futuyma about the evolution of birds. They discuss how evolutionary biology can be a very helpful lens to understand birds. They talk about the importance of the phylogenetic tree for birds, their genetics, and why variation in birds is so important. They explain the three important questions for evolution, speciation, developmental life cycles, social lives of birds, and many more topics.Douglas Futuyma is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Stonybrook University. He has a PhD in Zoology from the University of Michigan, Ann Harbor and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, Guggenheim Fellow, and Fulbright Fellow. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals About Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jon Alexander about a citizens story for humanity. They begin by talking about the consumer's story, how reciprocity and interdependence work in a citizens story, and how one sees the subject, consumer, and citizen story in a our present society. They talk about Taiwan as a case study of the citizen model and where populism fits into the citizen story. They discuss whether institutional reform is possible, practical features, and many other topics. Jon Alexander is the Co-Founder of the New Citizenship project, a company design to shift individuals and companies from a consumer model to citizen model. He has an extensive background in advertising and three Masters degrees. He is also the former Chair of the Food Ethics Council. You can find his book, Citizens, and the project here. Twitter: @jonjalex Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christia Spears Brown about the various aspects of bias. They give a definition and overview of bias in our current society. They question whether bias can be positive and some of the human differences in the reception of bias. They talk about implicit vs. explicit bias and provide a history of institutional bias. They discuss how bias shows up in schools and Title IX expansion. They talk about girls in STEM programs, progress and needed work with children in the LGBTQIA+ community, culture change, and many other topics. Christia Spears Brown is a developmental psychologist who is a Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Kentucky. She is also the Director of the Center for Equality and Social Justice at the University of Kentucky. She has her PhD from the University of Texas, Austin. Her research focuses on how children develop gender and ethnic stereotypes and how they perceive individual and group level discrimination. She is the author of many books including the most recent, Undoing Bias: How Prejudice Has Shaped Children for Generations and Why It's Time to Break the Cycle. You can find her work here. Twitter: @christiabrown Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Riley Black about the last days of the dinosaurs. They discuss what life on earth was like with dinosaurs being very prominent and so successful in diversifying. They mention the importance of fossils for understanding dinosaurs. They discuss the asteroid and its impact on the earth. They talk about the animals that survived after the asteroid and how earth survived post-impact. They discuss how plants showed subsistence on the post-impact earth and how this was important for life to happen again. They talk about the similarities between how dinosaurs were prominent in their age and how humans are prominent now and many other topics. Riley Black is a freelance science writer with a background in paleontology. She has written for many publications such as Scientific American, Smithsonian Magazine, and National Geographic. She continues to do work in the field and is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Last Days of the Dinosaurs. Twitter: @laelaps Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nancy Foner about immigration and some of the current data on immigration in the 21st century. They provide and overview of current immigration data, discuss the more recent waves of immigration and why the 1965 immigration bill was very important. They discuss the current racial composition of the United States, culture change, and immigrants positive influence on school, economy, and within communities. They also talk about the role of politics, mixed race relationships, and many other topics. Nancy Foner is Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She has her Bachelors from Brandeis and her PhD from the University of Chicago. Her main interest is in studying various aspects of immigration in the United States. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is the author of numerous books including the most recent, One Quarter of The Nation: Immigration and the Transformation of America. 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 Steven Nadler about the philosophy of Spinoza. They discuss Spinoza's definition of god and the connection with nature. They talk about how humans are included within nature and the role of free will. They discuss Spinoza's moral philosophy, humans move towards preservation, and how Spinoza defines the free person. They also talk about how Spinoza views the emotions, honesty, and how to live the good life. Steven Nadler is the Vilas Research Professor and William H. Hay II Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the director of the UW-Madison's Institute for Research in the Humanities. His main research interests are on philosophy in the 17th century, specifically the philosophy of Spinoza. He has written numerous books, including his most recent, Think Least of Death: Spinoza On How to Live and How to Die. 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 Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff about a canine future without humans. They talk about how dogs could potentially survive and evolve in a post-human world. They mention the difference between breeds vs. individualized dogs, generations of dogs post-human, and how dogs have evolved with humans thus far. They also talk about features of dogs in a post-human world, skull morphology, ethics, and how people can treat dogs better in the present. Jessica Pierce is a bioethicist and serves on the faculty at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center. She has her PhD from the University of Virginia. Her main interests are on ethical issues in biomedical sciences, human-animal relationships, and animal welfare. She is the author of numerous books, including the most recent with Marc Bekoff, A Dog's World: Imagining the Lives of Dogs In A World Without Humans. You can find her at her blog and her website. Marc Bekoff is a biologist and is professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is a fellow of the Animal Behavior Society and past Guggenheim Fellow. His main interests are animal behavior, cognitive ethology, and behavioral ecology. He is well-published in the scientific literature and is the author of numerous books, including his most recent with Jessica Pierce. You can find all of his work at his website. Twitter: @marcbekoff Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Knoll about the geological history of the earth. They discuss how light, gravity, dark energy, and dark matter explain the early origins of the universe and earth. They also talk about the various layers of the earth, zircons, tectonic plates, and how one defines life. They also talk about how geology can assist in telling the time of earth, why the geologic timescale is important, and the early Ediacaran and Cambrian periods. They also talk about the impact of climate change, human involvement, and many other topics. Andrew Knoll is the Fisher Professor of Natural History at Harvard University. He has a BA and PhD in Geology. He has been an Associate Professor of Biology at Harvard University since 1982. For the past decade, he has served on the science team for NASA’s MER mission to Mars. He is the author of the most recent book, A Brief History of Earth. 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 Jenara Nerenberg about the complexities of neurodiversity. They begin by defining neurodiversity and highly sensitive people. They also talk about Jenara's critiques of psychiatry and psychology, specifically the diagnostic process. They discuss the curious evolution of diagnoses and the grey areas where people have challenges but not a full diagnosis. They also talk about the difference between diagnosis and treatment and many other topics. Jenara Nerenberg is a journalist, author, and founder of The Neurodiversity Project. She has interdisciplinary training from Harvard in public health, business, and government. She is the author of the book Divergent Mind: Thriving In A World That Wasn't Designed For You. You can find her work and writing here. Twitter: @bopsource Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra about animal domestication. They define domestication and how it is a process. They talk about niche construction and the three pathways of domestication. They mention the impact of agriculture, wild and semi-domestication, hybridization and adaptive radiation, as well as the impact of globalization and urbanization. They discuss the ethics of domestication, evolutionary developmental biology, morphological variation and feralization. They also talk about fish and insect domestication, cultural evolution, and many other topics. Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra is a professor of paleobiology and is the director of the palaeontological Institute and Museum at the University of Zurich. He is well published in his field and is the author of many books. His most recent book, The Process of Animal Domestication, can be found here. You can find his published papers here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David McPherson about the virtues of limits. They discuss the six limiting virtues and 4 limits. They discuss the origins of virtues and the two stances of these virtues. They talk about the difference between virtues and values and the importance of worldviews. They also discuss various opinions about Nietzsche's ideas on values and engage about authenticity, political and economic limits, healthy nationalism, and many other topics.David McPherson is a philosopher and Associate Professor at Creighton University. His main interest are in ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of religion. He is the author of two books, including the most recent, The Virtues of Limits. You can find his research publications here. Twitter: @davidlmcpherson Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with Karl Friston about the Free Energy Principle, Bayesian Brain, and many neurobiological principles. They give an overview of the history of the models of the brain and discuss the evolutionary components of the brain. They also mention how important executive functioning and abstraction are for various organisms. They give an overview of the Bayesian brain, discuss predictive coding, and the two classes of neurons for prediction and prediction error. They discuss the free energy principle, Markov blanket, and homeostasis. They discuss consciousness and the role of active inference, artificial intelligence, and various neuroimaging techniques. They mention how the free energy principle could be used pragmatically and many other topics. Karl Friston is a theoretical neuroscientist at University College, London. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society in Biology. He has been awarded numerous awards for his contributions to neuroimaging. Those contributions include the creation of Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM), and Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM). These contributions were heavily used in helping clinicians understand individuals with Schizophrenia and other disorders. You can find his published research here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this special episode, Xavier Bonilla has an extended and wide ranging discussion about emotions, current state of psychology, and sexuality. They discuss emotions and their function, expression of emotions, fear as a spectrum and instinctual vs. learned fear. They discuss the history of substance abuse and challenges with the American Psychological Association (APA) such as their reduction in scientific rigor and focus on activism. They discuss APA's recent guidelines and their shift to social justice work, their problems with supporting psychology students, along with fads and self-help in psychology. They also talk about the history of the LGBTQ+ population, bisexuality, culture wars, and many more topics. 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: @psychplockwood Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Mel Cosentino about whales, their behavior and their communication. They give an overview of the taxonomy of whales, interactions between porpoises and orcas, and how whales communicate. They talk about memory and executive functioning in whales, how humans can understand how they communicate, and the environment in which they reside. They also talk about the impact of climate change, science communication, and many other topics. Mel Cosentino has degrees in biology and ecology. She obtained her PhD in electronic and electrical engineering. Her main interests are on porpoises and whale at large. She also has interests in conservation. She is the lead scientist at Breathing Andenes, which is located in Norway. You can find her work here. Twitter: @melanthropics Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Dalrymple about the origins of the East India Company (EIC). They start by discussing his quartet of books on the EIC and his motivations for writing this history. They talk about the origins of the EIC, what was traded, and the large influence the company had in India. They discuss how the EIC went from trading to overthrowing the Mughal empire and ruling India. They also discuss how the EIC dealt with famine and became semi-nationalized, the demise of the EIC, and many other topics.William Dalrymple is a Historian, Journalist, and Broadcaster. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and has held visiting fellowships at Princeton, Brown and Oxford. In 2018, he was the recipient of the prestigious President’s Medal by the British Academy for his outstanding literary achievement. He is the author of numerous award-winning books, including his most recent, The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @dalrymplewill Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ashley Ward about cooperation and the social lives of various animals. They talk about the importance of krill and how they cooperate, locusts and their exchange of serotonin, and the social lives of roaches. They also talk about inclusive fitness with bees, ant colonies, social connection of birds, and the adaptive flexibility of rats. They also discuss animal domestication and the ethics of farmed animals. They talk about the social hierarchy of elephants, lions and hyenas, deception used by primates, and how all of these animals help inform elements in humans. 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, which can be found here. 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 Fredrik Logevall about the early life of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. They discuss why JFK's story is important for telling America's story. They mention the Irish immigrants that came to the United States and how his family gravitated to politics shortly after their immigration from Ireland. They provide the familial, national, and global backdrop for Jack along with the major characteristics of his psychological profile. They discuss the importance of Jack's various relationships, his foreign affairs experience, serving as US Representative and US Senator, and many more topics. Fredrik Logevall is the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and Professor of History, Harvard University. He is a specialist in US foreign affairs and international history. He won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for History, 2013 Francis Parkman Prize, as well as the 2013 American Library in Paris Book Award and the 2013 Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council on Foreign Relations for his book, Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam. His latest book, JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956, is the first of two volume biography on JFK. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Meghan Daum about various aspects of culture and society. They discuss how the focus in society is about many cultural challenges. They talk about generational and technological shifts and the impact of fear and loneliness. They mention the new thought leaders, the ethics of podcasting, and much more. Meghan Daum is an author and podcaster who has previously been an op-ed columnist for the The Los Angeles Times. She is the recipient of the 2015 Guggenheim Fellowship and 2016 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She is the author of five books including her most recent, The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the New Culture Wars. She is also Host of The Unspeakable Podcast. You can find many of her pieces at her website. Twitter: @meghan_daum Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Monica Guzman on the power of curiosity. They discuss the main theses of her book on seeing the humanity of others by using curiosity. They talk about the three challenges of human nature (sorting, othering, & siloing). They mention the challenge of scaling individual interactions to the group level, us vs. them, and whether people change their opinions. They discuss the assumptions of other groups, the intoit model, filling the knowledge gaps, and how not to make assumptions. Monica Guzman is a journalist, writer, and Director of Digital and Storytelling at Braver Angels. She was a 2019 at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and co-founder of The Evergrey. She is the author of her first book, I never Though of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. You can find her main website here and other work here. Twitter: @moniguzman Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Neil Shubin about the building blocks of life over billions of years. They discuss why the fossil record is so essential for understanding the history of the earth and for understanding the history of past and present organisms. They talk about the importance of the discovery of Tiktaalik. They also talk about the four arches that make up all heads within embryology along with the continuity that is seen with eyes and ears. They discuss Darwin's concept of "by a change of function," and the importance of embryonic comparison. They have a discussion on how DNA and genes are important for change of function, the sonic hedgehog gene, and the future of the human body. Neil Shubin is a Paleontologist and Evolutionary Biologist. He is the Robert Bensley Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago and the Associate Dean for academic strategy of the Biological Sciences Division. His research focuses on the evolution of new organs and he and his team discovered the 375 million-year-old Tiktaalik fossil. He is the author of three popular science books: Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body, The Universe Within: The Deep History of the Human Body, and Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA. You can find his research and published works here. Twitter: @neilshubin Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daniel Sznycer about the theoretical and empirical data on anger and shame. They discuss the recalibration theory of anger and the place of social valuation of anger. They also mention some of the recent cross-cultural finding of anger. They discuss the global self in how shame is defined. They talk about the other-dependent aspects of shame and the attributional theory of shame. They also explore how much pride impacts shame. Daniel Sznycer is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and is principal Investigator of his own lab at OSU. His main research areas are on the evolutionary nature of emotions, morals, and value computation. You can find his research here and also here. Twitter: @dsznycer Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daniel Lieberman about the evolutionary history of exercise. They discuss why evolution and adaptation are important to understand the human body, use of energy, myths of sitting, and how much sleep do we really need. They talk about why speed and endurance are important for humans, aggression, walking and running, the active grandparent hypothesis, and many other topics. Daniel Lieberman is a paleoanthropologist and is a Professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, and the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences at Harvard University. He is also a member of Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. He has spent his career researching the evolutionary history of the human body, walking and running, and the evolution of the human head. His most recent book, Exercised: Why Something We Never evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding, can be found here. You can find his research here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonathan Losos about convergent evolution. They begin by defining convergent evolution and what the role of the environment is for convergent evolution. They discuss the importance of phenotypes and behaviors, speciation, and adaptive radiation. They mention how evolution can work fast using examples from nature. They also talk about evolution in the lab, the LTEE, and E. Coli. They also discuss the future of evolution, life on other planets, 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. His book, Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution, can be found here. 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 Jennifer Raff about the genetic history of the Americas. They discuss why respect and care for the histories and cultures of indigenous groups should be respected when doing research. They talk about the Clovis peoples, diversification of early people groups, and coastal migration. They outline the earliest evidence of humans in the Americas, Indigenous groups in Latin America, and past and present Inuit peoples. They discuss the ethics of genetics for studying various people groups and the future of population groups. Jennifer Raff is an anthropological geneticist and assistant professor in the anthropology department at the University of Kansas. Her interests are concerned with North American pre-history and the peopling of the Americas. Her first book, Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas, can be found here. You can find her work here and here. Twitter: @jenniferRaff Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with John Macready about many figures and concepts in continental philosophy. They begin the conversation by talking about the two camps of analytic and continental philosophy. They talk about Plato and his conception of reality, allegory of the cave, and the logos. They discuss Descartes' methodology, cogito, and free will. They mention Hume and his epistemology, sentiments, free will, and racial naturalism. They discuss Kant and his concepts of apriori, aposteriori knowledge. They talk about Nietzsche as a philosopher of difference, his ideas around self-knowledge and self-education, culture, and many challenges to culture. They also dialogue about Hannah Arendt and her ideas about the political life as authentic living, plurality, intersubjectivity, human dignity ,and human rights. John Macready is a professor of philosophy at Collin College. His main interests are in ethics, logic, social, and political philosophy. He has heavily researched Hannah Arendt and writes on ethics and political theory. He is the author of two books, Hannah Arendt and the the Fragility of Human Dignity and A Continental Guide to Philosophy. You can find his website here. Twitter: @jdmacready Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Raghuveer Parthasarathy about four basic principles of the living world. They define what is the hybrid discipline of biophysics and why he chose the four physical laws he lays out in his book. They discuss the mechanics of self-assembly, regulatory circuits, browning motion, predictive randomness, and scale. They provide an overview of genes and discuss sheaths, helices, histones and how they contribute to humans genetic makeup. They also discuss lipids, gut microbiome, CRISPR, and many other topics. Raghuveer Parthasarathy is a physics professor at the University of Oregon where he studies biophysics, lipid membranes, and multicellular structures. He holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago and is the Senior Research Scientist at the University of Oregon. His book, So Simple a Beginning: How Four Physical Principles Shape Our Living World, can be purchased here. You can find his website here and his blog here. Twitter: @rparthasarathy7 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Geoffrey West about scale and sustainability. They begin by discussing scale and how it is typically defined. They give an overview of the major relevant scaling laws including the logarithmic scale. They discuss the importance of metabolic rate and the magic number four. They talk about growth and scale and how these concepts are applied with aging along with the role of temperature on metabolism. They discuss fractals and how they work with scale in cities. They talk about the social connectedness of cities, rural areas, and a grand unified theory of sustainability. Geoffrey West is the Shannan Distinguished Professor and past President at the Santa Fe Institute. He is a theoretical physicist and has done extensive research in elementary particles and general scaling phenomena. He is Fellow of the American Physical Society and was one of their Centenary Speakers in 2003. He has won the Mercer Award from the Ecological Society of America, the Weldon Memorial Prize (2005), and the APS Szilard Award (2013). He was named Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2006 and is the author of several books. His most recent book, Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life IN Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies, can be found here. You can also 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 Michael McCullough on cooperation and kindness with humans. They discuss his professional background and why he wrote his most recent book along with how one can understand kindness and cooperation. They discuss the four instincts of care, reciprocity, judgments, intentions, and character evaluation. They also discuss a taxonomy of emotions, compassion, empathy, and other emotions. They talk about the axial age and development of the golden rule. They also mention humanitarianism in the modern age, effective altruism and the future of compassion. Michael McCullough is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Evolution and Human Behavior Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego. He is an experimental psychologist whose work has been on forgiveness, revenge, empathy, and prosocial behavior. He has over 150 scientific papers to have appeared in publication such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology, and Psychological Bulletin. He is the author of numerous books including his most recent, The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented A New Moral Code, which can be found here. You can also find his work at his website. Twitter: @me_mccullough Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Benjamin Lipscomb about four women philosophers in the early 20th century who revolutionized ethical studies. They discuss how he came to write this book and how these four women came to know each other and discuss ethics. They talk about how facts and values are different and the towering presence of Aristotle's philosophy. They describe the environment of Oxford in the 1920s and how much misogyny and sexism played a part in academia during this period. They discuss the life and philosophy of Iris Murdoch, Anscombe's philosophy and the impact of Wittgenstein, the philosophy of Philippa Foot, and contributions of Mary Midgley to philosophy and other fields of study. They also mention whether these women saw themselves as feminists and their legacy within philosophy. Benjamin Lipscomb is a professor of philosophy and Director of the Honors Program at Houghton College where he specializes in ethical theory and history of philosophy. He has his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and is active in his religious community. His book, The women are up to something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionize Ethics can be found here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Marie Favereau about the Horde and the Mongol empire. They discuss the Horde and the distinction between the Mongol empire and Mongol exchange. They talk about common misconceptions of the Mongols and the legacy and impact of the powerful figure in Chinggis Khan. They discuss the golden lineage and how the Mongols continued to be very organized after the death of Chinggis Khan with the hierarchy of the blue and white horde. They explain the concept of the moving city and how their social and economic issues were revolutionary. They discuss the Pax Mongolica period, expansion to Russia, black death, and the legacy of the Mongols. Marie Favereau is Associate Professor of History at Paris Nanterre University. She is a member of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology, visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study, and research associate at the University of Oxford for Nomadic Empires. She has her PhD in history from the University of La Sorbonne-Paris IV and the Universita Degli Studi Di San Marino. Her research interests are in the Golden Horde and Asian and European history from the 13th to 16th century. Her recent book, The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World, is available here. 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 Bill Sullivan about genes and how they impact various aspects of humanity. They define genes and DNA and the roles of genes within the environment. They also discuss the complicated dynamics of epigenetics. They talk about the genetics of taste and caffeine and how some genes are implicated in addictions to various substances. They also talk about the genetics of appetite and the gut microbiome, emotional states, and beliefs. They also discuss CRISPR, the ethical landscape of genetics, and many more topics. William J. Sullivan is the Showalter Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Microbiology & Immunology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He has his PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Pennsylvania and researches genes and some parasites. He is the author of Pleased to Meet me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are, which can be purchased here. You can find his work on his website. Twitter: @wjsullivan Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Haig about evolution, causes, and the meaning of life. They discuss how bits of matter can help us understand purpose and value. They talk about the four causes of Aristotle, adaptation, group selection vs. cooperation, and the three types of genes. They discuss replicators and vehicles, types and tokens, memes, and the extended phenotype. They mention the gene selection network, instinct, using biology for understanding meaning, various interpretations, and many other topics. David Haig is the George Putnam Professor of biology at Harvard University. He has multiple degrees in biology including his PhD in biology from MacQuarie University. He was a Royal Society fellow at St. John's College at Oxford University. He is an independent researcher, professor, and author of numerous books. His most recent, From Darwin to Derrida: Selfish genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life, can be found here. You can also find much of his research at his website. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Mark Atwood Lawrence about the foreign policy of the United States in the 1960s. They discuss why his book focuses on other foreign policy elements outside of Vietnam during the 1960s. They mention the political opinions of communism, how lower officials managed day-to-day foreign affairs, and why he used the term “third world.” They talk about the transition from Eisenhower to Kennedy and the style of governance that Kennedy used for foreign affairs. They dialogue about the four strands of thinking on American foreign policy and how Johnson used the “Johnson treatment” to manage foreign affairs diplomacy. They discuss the five case studies in Brazil, India, Iran, Indonesia, and Southern Africa, and how Nixon’s foreign affairs was different.Mark Atwood Lawrence is Associate professor of History, Distinguished Fellow at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and Director of Graduate Studies at the Clements Center for National Security at The University of Texas, Austin. He has his PhD in history from Yale where he also taught before joining UT Austin in 2000. He is the author of several book including his most recent, The End of Ambition: The United States and the Third World in the Vietnam Era. 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 Wolfram Eilenberger about four German philosophers at the turn of the 20th century. They focus on the central theme of whether one can separate the ideas from the biography of a person. They talk about the embodied view vs. the pursuit of eternal truths. They discuss how institutional changes have impacted philosophy in the modern era. They mention the challenges of analytic philosophy and why the four philosophers in his book do not focus on morals/ethics. They talk about Heidegger's relationship with Hannah Arendt along with Heidegger's dark political preferences. They mention why Wittgenstein is seen as so great, the philosophy of soccer, and where the future of philosophy lies. Wolfram Eilenberger is a writer and philosopher. He is the founding editor of Philosophie Magazin and is the program director of phil.cologne and is moderator of the TV program Sternstunde Philosophie. He is the author of the book, Time of the magicians: Wittgenstein, Benjamin, Cassirer, and Heidgger, and the Decade that Reinvented Philosophy. Additionally, he holds DFB football trainer's license and writes for the monthly football column, Eilenbergers Kabinenpredigt for the online German newspaper ZEIT ONLINE. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @weilenberger Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kenneth Catania about various animals that are outliers for evolution. They discuss how evolution helps understand these animals that are outliers. They talk about the anatomy and features of the star-nosed moles. They mention the importance of the neocortex in moles and shrews. They discuss the fascinating features of the tentacled snake and the electric eel along with the "zombie" effect the female jewel wasp conducts and many other topics. Kenneth Catania is a professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University. He has his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. His research focus is on comparative neurobiology in different animal sensory systems. His latest book, Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved, can be purchased here. You can also find his lab here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Lane about the neuroscience of psychotherapy and enduring change. They give an overview of how the neuroscience of psychotherapy can impact enduring change. They provide an overview of memory and the integrated memory model. They mention experiences outside of memory and the three types of unconscious memory along with the cognitive map model. They discuss emotion focused therapy, defining emotion, the social constructivist model, and many other topics. Richard D. Lane is a Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at the University of Arizona. He is a clinical psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and holds a PhD in Experimental Psychology. He is a renowned expert on emotion research and is the author of over 190 papers and book chapters. He was President of the American Psychosomatic Society in 2005-2006, elected member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and elected Honorary Fellow of the American College of Psychoanalysts. He is the co-editor of the new book, Neuroscience of Enduring Change: Implications for Psychotherapy. 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 Owen Flanagan about emotions, specifically the emotions of anger and shame. They discuss a definition of emotion and the distinction between feelings and affect. They discuss how emotions are active and whether one can choose their emotions. They dialogue about the social constructivist model of emotions and some of the critiques. They define anger and distinguish between different types of anger. They talk about why pain-passing and payback anger should be significantly minimized and also how we see emotions cross-culturally. They discuss shame and the global self and the difference between an emotion and the expression of an emotion. They mention how shame is expressed in pop culture and what a mature sense of shame looks like. Owen Flanagan is the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Duke University. He has his PhD from Boston University. He taught philosophy at Wellesley College before arriving at Duke. He has written many books including the most recent, How To Do Things with Emotions: The Morality of Anger and Shame Across Cultures, which can be purchased here. 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 Richard Firth-Godbehere about the history of human emotions. They provide a definition of emotion and how it is different from affect and feelings. They explain emotional regimes, communities, and scripts. They talk about how the Greeks understood emotions and some of the differences between positive and negative emotions. They discuss the system of desire developed by the Hindus in India and the distinction between desire and disgust. They also talk about Paul and the stoics, Mohammad and the emotion of fear, and how abomination fits with disgust. They mention the witch trials and the role of dogma and misogyny. They discuss the role of shame in various cultures, anger in some African cultures, and some of the modern-day theories of emotion.Richard Firth-Godbehere is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for the History of Emotions, Queen Mary University of London. He has his MPhil from the University of Cambridge and his PhD from Queen Mary, University of London. He is a leading researcher on emotions, specifically disgust and desire. His latest book, A Human History of Emotions: How the way we feel built the world we know, can be purchased here. You can follow his work here. Twitter: @drrichfg Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stuart Shanker about the neuroscience and philosophical underpinnings of self-regulation. They discuss his clinical and research background in working with children and why he emphasizes a just society with self-reg. They discuss the 5-step method of self-reg and why stress management is important. They talk about infant development and the "4th trimester." They expound upon the evolutionary development of the triune brain and the current critiques of this concept. They talk about the complexities of the cortical and subcortical systems of the limbic system and prefrontal cortex in brain development. They discuss the interbrain and the importance of Allan Schore's work on attachment and the developing brain. They engage about Wittgenstein's concepts around aspects shifts and first person psychological utterances and how we understand temperament and personality in development. They mention the vagus nerve and his ideas about virtue.Stuart Shanker is the Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Psychology at York University. He is also the CEO of MEHRIT Centre, Ltd. He is the author of many books including, Reframed: Self-Reg for a Just Society. You can purchase his books here. You can find his work, research, and resources at his website. Twitter: @stuartshanker Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Danna Staaf about the history of cephalopods. They discuss the taxonomy of cephalopods and some of their anatomical features. They talk about how scientists understand cephalopods from the fossil record. They discuss the genesis of cephalopods and their first common ancestor along with the three sub-categories: ammonoids, coleoids, and nautiloids. They explain the importance of ammonoids, their shell, and how it became internalized. They mention the distinct features of Coleoids and the fascinating mystery of the enduring nautilus. They end by discussing current-day cephalopods and where their future is headed. Danna Staaf holds a PhD in invertebrate biology from Stanford university and is an expert on cephalopods. She continues to do research on cephalopods and has had her writing published in the Journal of Experimental Biology and numerous textbooks. She is the author of, Monarchs of the Sea: The Extraordinary 500-Million-Year History of Cephalopods which can be purchased here. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @dannastaaf Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Coleman regarding toxic polarization in society. They define toxic polarization and what makes the current moment unique from other moments in social history. They talk about in-group/out-group dynamics and why dialogue is essential. They discuss attractors and the importance of Kurt Lewin's field theory. Peter explains his five-factor model of the way out (reset, bolster, complexity, movement, and adaptation) and how we can use complexities to have dialogue with others. They discuss how people can fix polarization at the individual level and possibly at higher scales. Peter Coleman is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University at Teachers College and The Earth Institute. Peter directs the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR), is founding director of the Institute for Psychological Science and Practice (IPSP), and is co-executive director of Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4). He is the first recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association (APA), Division 48: Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence, and has also been awarded the Morton Deutsch Conflict Resolution Award by APA and a Marie Curie Fellowship from The European Union. In 2018, Dr. Coleman was awarded the Peace Award from Meaningful World, in celebration of their 30th anniversary and the UN’s International Day of Peace. He is the author of numerous books, including his most recent book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization which can be purchased here. You can find many of his published work here and here. Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Gabriel Gottlieb about German idealism and the philosophies of Immanuel Kant and Johann Gottlieb Fichte. They define German idealism and where this period sits within the history of philosophy. They discuss the interaction between subject and object and how intersubjectivity plays a role. They mention the impact of Hume on German idealism and define Kant's terms of Apriori and Aposteriori. They talk about how one could understand experience from reason and why Kant was hyperfocused on the rational functions of humans. They also mention Kant's arguments for the existence of god and how German idealism evolved after Kant. A background of Fichte is provided and what his beliefs were about the self as activity. They discuss Fichte's moral system and how that lends towards a moral psychology. They mention Fichte's ideas about drives and how his ideas are juxtaposed with Freud's ideas concerning drives. They mention Fichte's nationalism and Fichte's complications with Judaism. They also talk about the philosophy of Schelling and the impact of German idealism on 20th Century philosophy. Gabriel Gottlieb is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Xavier University. His primary interests are on German idealism, specifically the philosophy of Fichte. He is the editor of Fichte's Foundations of Natural Right: A Critical Guide. You can find some of his writing here. Twitter: @xgabegottliebx Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe