Converging Dialogues

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

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Russell about Sovereignty. They discuss a definition of sovereignty and the historical arc on the claim of sovereignty. They discuss the idea of a deity giving sovereignty and the importance of Westphalia shifting from deity to state. They talk about what perfecting sovereignty is and the importance of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau on Sovereignty. They discuss popular sovereignty with the American and French revolutions along with the tragic history of sovereignty with indigenous peoples. They talk about federalism and the future of sovereignty. Peter Russell is a Canadian Political Scientist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, where he taught political science from 1958-1997. a Rhodes Scholar and Officer of the Order of Canada, he has served as the Director of Research for the McDonald Commission on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He was also a member of the Federal Task Force on Comprehensive Land Claims, President of the Canadian Political Science Association, and Chair of the Research Advisory Committee for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. He is the author of numerous books, including his most recent, Sovereignty: The Biography of A Claim, which can be purchased here.  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Coltan Scrivner about morbid curiosity. They define curiosity and morbid curiosity along with the origins of morbid curiosity with critiques on terror management theory and negative trait bias. They discuss state vs. trait morbid curiosity and how morbid curiosity correlates with personality. They talk about his measure of morbid curiosity, what factors he found, and why he used factor analysis. They engage on horror films and why many people are invested in this genre. They also talk about the potential clinical implications and challenges that horror could have on disorders such as anxiety and many other topics.Coltan Scrivner is a PhD Candidate and researcher at the University of Chicago in the Department of Comparative Human Development and a Fellow at the Institute for Mind and Biology. His research areas are on horror, and morbid curiosity and why people find enjoyment in fictionally dangerous scenarios. You can find all of his articles and popular writing at his website. Twitter: @morbidpsych Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Laura Galloway about her memoir where she details her experience of living in the Arctic Tundra. They discuss her professional background and reasoning for writing a memoir. They talk about the psychological impact of the death of her mother and how the  relationship with her father evolved. They discuss her time in Los Angeles and New York City and how she decided to move to the Arctic Tundra in Norway. They talk about what the Arctic was like and how the Sami people lived. They talk about her motivation for staying there for six years along with her themes of loss, abandonment, and belonging.Laura Galloway is a writer and communications strategist. She has a Bachelors in Political Science and Masters in Indigenous Journalism. She has worked for the Los Angeles Times and many other outlets. Her memoir, Dalvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra is available here. You can visit her at her website which can be found here. Twitter: @lauragalloway Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with George Bonanno on the many aspects of trauma. They discuss the many pitfalls of trauma and a working definition of trauma. They explain what potentially traumatic events (PTE) and acute stress reactions are and some of their differences. They describe the difference between PTSD and clinical trauma and trauma stressors. They also discuss risk factors and environmental variables along with complex and multi-generational trauma. They discuss resilience and the pros and cons of coping skills and emotional regulation strategies. They explain the flexibility sequence and mindset, goal directed self-talk, the challenges of pop psychology using trauma, and many other topics. George Bonanno is a professor of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is the Lab Director of the Loss, Trauma, and Emotion Lab at Columbia University. He is an expert on bereavement, loss, and trauma. He is well-published and cited within the scientific literature and is the recipient of the lifetime achievement awards from both the Association of Psychological Science (APS) and the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). His most recent book, The End of Trauma, is available here. You can find his research and lab work here. Twitter: @giorgiobee Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe