Converging Dialogues

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephen Clouse about political theory, philosophy, and Aristotelian concepts in general and for current day application. They talk about the differences between political philosophy and political science and also the ways in which they intersect. They have a discussion about political theory using various examples. They talk about the importance of etymology and also about primordial concepts underlying the American political system. They also give a brief history of 20th century philosophy and discuss some of the challenges with postmodern/deconstructionist philosophy.They provide a background and history of Greek philosophy and talk about the importance of Aristotelian philosophy for modern times. More specifically, they talk about Aristotle's concept of purpose and how this interacts with leisure. They also talk about his concept of tragedy and pity and many other topics. Stephen Clouse is a political science PhD candidate with his primary focus on ancient Greek philosophy, specifically Aristotelian philosophy, along with early American political thought. You can find his writing here and here. You can also follow him on Twitter: @sclouse2 Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Angel Eduardo about the need to focus on ideas and also about viewpoint diversity with the Latino community.  They discuss the distinctions between words and ideas and the value of intentions along with context. They also talk about revisionist history with society and how individuals should be patient and more sanguine in their reactions.They also discuss Latino diversity by starting with some background from their own Latin roots. They parse out the differences between the terms Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish. They discuss the complex nuances within the Caribbean and the regional differences within the United States for Latinos. They discuss the underlying and encompassing themes of Latin culture and how these themes disperse with acculturation among Latinos in the United States. Angel Eduardo is a writer, musician, photographer, and designer based in New York City. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from CUNY and is a staff writer at Idealist. You can find his piece on ideas here and his more recent piece on selfishness here. Find him at his website and on twitter: @strangeledweird   Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ashley King about the various components of psychotherapy and some of its challenges currently. They provide an overview of the major therapies and talk about the practice of "circling." The practice of circling is discussed in terms of its application for individual and group therapies. There is a discussion about the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of existential-humanistic therapy/treatment along with depth/insight-oriented therapy. They both talk about the various aspects of manualized/directive treatments and why theoretical conceptualizations are important. They discuss the differences between therapy and being a life coach. They also talk about Ashley's work as a somatic therapist and what that means. Finally, they discuss the limits and boundaries of personal ideology in therapy and current trends with self-help, "thought leaders," and motivational speakers.Ashley King has two Masters of Education and is a Licensed Professional Counselor where she works in her private practice in the Philadelphia area. She has numerous trainings with various methods that incorporate a wholistic lens on psychotherapy. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @AKpsychoalchemy Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Cory Clark about bias within the social sciences, the replication crisis, and the concepts of free will and determinism. They start by defining the social sciences and discussing the challenges and problems with the social sciences. There is a discussion about publication and research bias. An example of unconscious/ implicit bias and the controversy surrounding the Implicit Association Test (IAT)is used. They discuss the replication crisis and, more specifically, the challenges with some quantitative and qualitative studies replicating. They also talk about the value of meta-analyses for replication studies and discuss pragmatic solutions for improving research within the social sciences to truncate the replication crisis. Finally, they discuss free will and its correlation with moral retribution/punishment. They talk about the differences between free will and determinism and how one can maintain personal responsibility. Cory Clark is a social psychologist and current visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania where she continues to do research on morals, political polarization, and bias. You can find her scholarly and popular publications on her website. Twitter: @Iamhardcory  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe

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