Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with John Wood Jr. about race, ethnicity, and conservatism. They discuss John's background both publicly and personally and the Braver Angels Organization. They dialogue about how biracial/multiracial people view race differently from people that are not biracial. They talk about the individual as a starting line for understanding people and then moving outward towards their group identity. They also talked about conservatism and how he identifies with black conservatism. They also talk about how he reconciles Burkean conservatism with modern-day conservatism and many other topics. John Wood Jr. is a writer, speaker, and National leader for Braver Angels. He is a former nominee for congress, former Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. He is also a musical artist. You can find his page with his articles here. Twitter: @johnrwoodjr Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Hoinski about the personal implications of philosophy and some of the major works of Nietzsche and Heidegger. They discuss how philosophical ideas are connected with each philosopher's life and give a broad overview of both continental and analytic philosophy. They talk about how philosophy works through time and seeing philosophy as a type of hyperlinking ideas. They provide a background of Nietzsche and discuss his main concepts of will to power, eternal recurrence of the same, Zarathustra, and religion. They also discuss the personal life and philosophical ideas of Heidegger. They question whether philosophers should be morally good along with some of the pragmatic elements of philosophy in society. 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 Bret Alderman concerning postmodernism, phenomenology, and lived experiences. They provide an overview of postmodernism and deconstructionism along with explaining why language is central for this perspective. They talk about Saussure's structuralism of language as juxtaposed with a postmodern view of language. They discuss the problems with postmodernism/deconstructionism and talk about the concepts of the other, power, and oppression. They provide a detailed analysis of lived experiences and the original intent of Husserl's thinking behind coining this term. They also discuss some of Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology and many other topics. Bret Alderman has a PhD in depth psychology and is also a life coach. Outside of his clinical work and life coach capacity, he has taught courses in human behavior, neuroscience, biopsychology, and intercultural communication. He is the author of Symptom, Symbol, and the Other of Language: A Jungian Interpretation of the Linguistic Turn. You can find his work at his website.          Twitter: @drbretalderman Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

Gregg Caruso, a respected philosopher and author specializing in free will and moral responsibility, delves into profound topics with Xavier Bonilla. They explore the definitions of free will and moral desert, questioning traditional justice systems. The conversation touches on the influence of luck and social determinants on behavior. Caruso advocates for rehabilitative justice over retributive methods, emphasizing the need for systemic change and better mental health care within the criminal justice system. They challenge conventional views of accountability, highlighting the complexities of human nature.

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lindsay M. Chervinsky about George Washington's creation of the cabinet. They discuss how Washington created the cabinet and constructed the framework for future presidents. They talk about the initial makeup of the cabinet and some of the individuals within the cabinet. They discuss the four major principles that Washington used as general and then transferred to his creation of the cabinet. They explore the use of "homework" that Washington gave for his cabinet members. They describe how Washington set the tone for future administrations and how his administrative genius was similar to Grant and Eisenhower presidencies. They also mention some of the other presidential cabinets such as FDR and Lincoln and their own imprint on the institution. They also talk about the current Biden cabinet and many other topics.  Lindsay M. Chervinsky is a historian, author, and speaker. She obtained her PhD in history from the University of California, Davis and is a scholar at the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies. She is also a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @lmchervinsky Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Allie Choate about the statistical aspects of measuring personality. They start the conversation by giving a general definition of psychopathology and p-factor. They discuss some internalizing and externalizing factors of p-factor and how it operates laterally with the g-factor of intelligence. They talk about which disorders the p-factor correlates most and how it is implicated. They provide a larger discussion around personality disorders along with the co-morbidity of personality disorders with other clinical disorders. Allie shares findings from her research with borderline personality disorder and psychopathy and the surrounding literature on these topics. They discuss the bifactor model/factor analyses that are used to understanding psychopathology research and many other topics. Allie Choate is a PhD candidate in clinical psychology with her research focused on personality pathology and quantitative methods to understand psychological phenomena. Twitter: @alliemchoate Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Camilo Ortiz about evidence-based treatments and elimination disorders within clinical psychology. They discuss the differences in degrees and programs between PhD's and PsyD's in clinical psychology. They talk about the three waves of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) along with the efficacy and effectiveness of CBT for many disorders. They mention the importance of theoretical case conceptualization over just techniques alone. They discuss disruptive behaviors and the importance of training parents with good behavioral parenting skills. They also discuss elimination disorders and the importance of encouraging children to have independence and many other topics.Camilo Ortiz is a clinical psychologist and an associate professor of clinical psychology. He is trained in CBT and focuses his research and work with children and their parents. He specializes in treating elimination disorders. You can find his work here. Twitter: @drcamiloOrtiz Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Talia Welsh about the phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty. Talia provides her background in philosophy and with Merleau-Ponty specifically. She also discusses her work in gender and feminine studies. They discuss the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty and how one understands the experience of their own being. They provide an overview of phenomenology and Merleau-Ponty's contribution to this branch of philosophy. They also talk about how his philosophy can be applied and the juxtaposition that it has with psychology. They also talk about feminism and gender studies generally along with other topics.Talia Welsh has a PhD in philosophy and is currently a UC Foundation professor of Philosophy and Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She spends most of her research with Merleau-Ponty and has translated his lectures given at Sorbonne in the volume, Child Psychology & Pedagogy: The Sorbonne Lectures 1949-1952. 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 Nicole Barbaro about evolutionary psychology, attachment theory, and challenges with higher education. They give an overview of evolutionary psychology and some of the changes over the years. They also talk about how evolutionary psychology has become more integrated and multidisciplinary. They discuss sexual selection and, specifically, about mate selection and pair bonding. An overview of attachment theory and the 3 sub-categories are presented. They discuss the problems with attachment theory and how forging a new model with some behavioral genetics shows promise. A discussion of higher education and the innumerable challenges are presented. They engage about the challenges of college degrees being less valued in the workforce due to the degree arms race. They also touch on the impact that these challenges have for certain groups and how improved qualitative teaching is one major factor to ameliorate this problem. They also discuss asynchronous vs. synchronous teaching and many other topics. Nicole Barbaro holds a PhD in psychology with an emphasis on evolution and human development. She is currently a research scientist at WGU labs and continues to publish in academia on attachment. You can find all of her publications at her website. Subscribe to her substack to have weekly content on current trends within higher education. Twitter: @Nicolebarbaro  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Wilfred Reilly about the complex data around race in the United States. Wilfred provides some of the current statistics on racial groups and how this can be received in a mixed way in the media. They discuss some of the differences between equality and equity and the importance of both quantitative and qualitative data. They also talk about the current state of politics and many other topics. Wilfred Reilly is a political scientist and Associate professor at Kentucky State University. He is the author of Hate Crime Hoax and Taboo both of which can be found here. Twitter: @wil_da_beast630 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe