Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Colin Wright on topics of evolution, biological sex, and gender identity. They provide an overview of evolution and understanding it as fact and theoretical mechanism. They explore how Darwin outlined evolution and published his findings. They discuss the function and process of natural selection as well as the controversy and polarization within academia between individual kin selection vs. group selection. They also talk about the various aspects of sexual selection, evidence for evolution, and some of the critiques of creationism. They also discuss the definition and distinctions of biological sex and gender. They talk about the legal and biological ways of identification. They also discuss the nuanced and specific aspects of intersex, the practical implications around discussions of biological sex and gender, and many other topics. Colin 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 is currently the managing editor at quillette. 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 Rod Graham about sex work, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and the social sciences in general. They discuss Rod's research on cyber security and criminology. They talk about his research in sex work, particularly online sex work. They discuss the stigma and pushback received about sex work.The definition, origins, and criticisms of Critical Race Theory are also discussed in this episode. Some of the differences between scholarly and popularized elements of CRT along with the goals and underlying assumptions of CRT. There is some discussion about the popularity of the anti-racist model espoused by Ibram X. Kendi. Lastly, there is a discussion about Rod's idea of scientific fascism, along with a discussion on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of statistical research methods and the applied benefit. They also talk about the state of the social sciences and many other topics. Rod Graham is a Sociologist and Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Old Dominion University. He runs the University's Undergraduate Cyber criminology program and conducts his research on sex work. You can find his aforementioned piece here. He has a channel on youtube and is on Twitter @roderickgraham   Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonah Paquette about the emotion of awe. They talk about the positive and negative aspects of awe. They discuss the taxonomy of awe and subsequent emotions. They talk about moving awe from a state to a trait. They also discuss the current state of positive psychology, the role of political involvement for psychologists and clinicians, and many other topics.Jonah Paquette is a clinical psychologist, clinical trainer, and author of three books. His first book, Real Happiness, is a self-help book detailing seven ways to have improved well-being. His second book, The Happiness Toolbox, is a more interactive book for tangible solutions towards building better well-being. His third and most recent book, Awestruck, describes the science and pragmatic applications of awe. You can follow Jonah and his work at his website. Twitter: @doctorpaquette  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Brittany Talissa King about race and the wide diversity within this topic. We discuss Brittany's background within the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and her evolution with various thinkers. We discuss her collegial experience with Ta-Nehisi Coates and her journey into exploring other black writers. We talk about why some black writers are embraced by progressive culture and others are not. We discuss the savior complex of white "allyship" and the differences between the civil rights movement and today's movement. We also talk about the use of institutions to create change and many other topics.Brittany Talissa King is a freelance writer, journalist, and critic. She holds a Master's in Journalism from New York University. She has had her pieces published in The Daily Beast, Tablet, and The Republic. You can find the piece mentioned in this episode here. Twitter: @KingTalissa Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ben Winegard about centrism, pragmatic institutionalism, and how these impact society. They discuss experts and their use and limits. They talk about epistemic humility, the working class, and transforming liberalism. They also engage on moderate centrism being more vocal within their own parties and many other topics. Ben Winegard is an assistant professor of Psychology at Hillsdale College. He holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with an emphasis on evolution. His current interests are on human progress, polarization, and political issues. His work can be found here. Twitter: @benwinegard Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bo Winegard about Conservatism and some of its implications for today's society. They talk about Bo's past academic history, academic integrity, and intellectual honesty. They discuss Trump, the 2020 US Presidential election, and wokeism. They also touch on immigration and some of the implications immigration has on national identity. Bo Winegard is a former Assistant Professor of Psychology. He holds a Ph.D. in social psychology with an emphasis on Evolutionary psychology. Currently, he writes on conservatism, human nature, group behavior, and socially conservative thought in society. His articles can be found here and here. Twitter: @epoe187  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tyler VanOstrand about various philosophical and psychological theories and themes. They talk about Freud and the power of his theory, Freud's model derived from Plato's model of the psyche, differences in psychodynamic framework with more mainstream models, and the lasting power of the Freudian model for modern-day therapy. Also, discussed is the philosophy of Heraclitus and its connection with Nietzsche's philosophy along with  Nietzsche's concepts of eternal recurrence and will to power. Tyler VanOstrand is a former seminarian and has a Master of Arts in New Testament. He also has a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and a Master of Arts in Philosophy, with a minor in psychoanalysis. He is currently pursuing studies towards a Ph.D. in Philosophy analyzing Nietzsche's thought.  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe