Converging Dialogues

#355 - Nomadic Empires of the Steppes: A Dialogue with Kenneth Harl Jul 08, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kenneth Harl about the various nomadic empires of the steppes. They discuss the origins of nomadic peoples, Tocharian texts, and why language is essential for understanding nomadic peoples. They talk about the Turkish language, nomadic spread over 35 centuries, the Steppe, and nomadic identity. They discuss the Scythians, impact of China, Kublai Khan, Uyghurs, administrative might of the Mongols, Orkhon valley and Mongolia, legacy of the Nomadic peoples, and many more topics.

Kenneth Harl is Professor Emeritus of Classical and Byzantine history at Tulane University. He has his Bachelors in history from Trinity College, Masters in history from Yale University, and PhD in history from Yale University. He specializes in ancient history, specifically in classical Anatolia and on Imperial Roman Coinage. He is the author of many books including, Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilization.

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#354 - Liberalism As A Way Of Life: A Dialogue with Alexandre Lefebvre Jun 30, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alexandre Lefebvre about the many facets of liberalism. They discuss morals and values from liberalism, Christianity’s impact on liberalism and Western society, defining liberalism, and the differences between liberalism and conservatism. They also talk about the philosophy of Rawls, swearing, fairness, spiritual exercises, public dialogue, liberalism as a way of life, and many more topics.

Alexandre Lefebvre is Professor of Politics and Philosophy at The University of Sydney. He has his PhD from Johns Hopkins University and his teaching and his research are in political theory, the history of political thought, modern and contemporary French philosophy, and human rights. He is the author of the latest book, Liberalism As A Way Of Life.

Website: https://www.alexlefebvre.com/

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#353 - A History of the Muslim World: A Dialogue with Michael Cook Jun 23, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a conversation with Michael Cook about the history of the Muslim world. They discuss Islamic civilization from origins to modernity, early antecedents before Islam, genesis of Islam, and the Prophet Muhammad and his creation of a monotheistic religion and state. They discuss succession after the death of Muhammad and the caliphate, the Umayyid dynasty, the Abbasid dynasty, and how important Islam and the Arabic language were for an Islamic civilization. They talk about the origin of the Turks, Bilga Qaghan, Turks being pagan and interacting with Islam, and the three ways the Turks spread out of the Steppe. They discuss the Mongols and their relationship with Islam, the Seljuk dynasty, the Safawid dynasty and the impact of Shiism. They also talk about the Ottoman Empire and their administration and integration of other cultures. They discuss the spread of Islam into India by conquest and merchants, Islam in Southeast Asia and around the Indian Ocean, Sahara and central Africa, and conflict between Christians and Muslims in Ethiopia. They also discuss Arab identity, Islam’s spread through conquest, Islam juxtaposed with other religions and cultures, Islam in the modern period, future of Islam, and many other topics.

Michael Cook is the Class of 1943 University Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. He was educated at Cambridge studying English and European history and learned Turkish and Persian. He was also educated at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London, emphasizing research into Ottoman population history in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. He spent many years teaching and researching Islamic history at the School of Oriental and African Studies. He is the author of numerous books, including the most recent book, A History of the Muslim World: From its Origins to the Dawn of Modernity.

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#352 - Our Bayesian Priors: A Dialogue with Tom Chivers Jun 20, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tom Chivers about Bayesian probability and the impact Bayesian priors have on ourselves. They define Bayesian priors, Thomas Bayes, subjective aspects of Bayes theorem, and the problematic elements of statistical figures such as Galton, Pearson, and Fisher. They talk about the replication crisis, p-hacking, where priors come from, AI, Friston’s free energy principle, and Bayesian priors in our world today.

Tom Chivers is a science writer. He does freelance science writing and also writes for Semafor.com’s daily Flagship email. Before joining Semafor, he was a science editor at UnHerd, science writer for BuzzFeed UK, and features writer for the Telegraph. He is the author of several books including the most recent, Everything Is Predictable: How Bayesian Statistics Explain Our World.

Website: https://tomchivers.com/

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#351 - RNA as Catalyst: A Dialogue with Thomas Cech Jun 17, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Thomas Cech about RNA as a major catalyst in organic systems. They discuss why RNA does not get discussed as much as DNA, basics of DNA, RNA as a catalyst, and the splicing capabilities of RNA. They also talk about transcription, translation, and splicing, RNA as internal catalyst and external catalyst, and the origins of life. They talk about telomeres and extended life, different types of RNA, mRNA vaccines, CRISPR, and many more topics.

Thomas Cech is distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He has been an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) since 1988 and was President of HHMI in 2000-2009. He has his PhD from the University of California-Berkeley and completed his postdoctorate at MIT. His main interests are in RNA and telomeres. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (with Sidney Altman) in 1989 and the National Medal of Science in 1995. He is the author of the latest book, The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets.

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#350 - Voices From The New Syrian Diaspora: A Dialogue with Wendy Pearlman Jun 13, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Wendy Pearlman about the voices from the new Syrian Diaspora. They discuss the various reasons for telling Syrian stories, protests around the world, the ongoing Syrian conflict, concept of home and internal displacement. They also talked about leaving Syria and rebuilding elsewhere, maintaining culture, future of the Syrian diaspora, and many other topics.

Wendy Pearlman is Crown Professor of Middle East Studies and Interim Director of Middle East and North Africa Studies Program at Northwestern University. Her main interests are comparative politics of the Middle East. She has her Bachelors from Brown University and her PhD from Harvard University. She is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Home I Worked to Make: Voices from the new Syrian Diaspora.

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#349 - A Damascus Massacre: A Dialogue with Eugene Rogan Jun 10, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Eugene Rogan about the 1860 Damascus massacre. They discuss why the 1860 Damascus massacre is still relevant, relationship between Egypt and the Ottomans, Mishaqa as US Vice-Consulate in Damascus, Ottoman Tanzimat Reforms, Druzes and Maronites with rising tensions in Lebanon and Damascus. They also talk about al-Qadir’s influential role, events about the Damascus massacre, defining genocide, aftermath of the massacre, rebuilding Damascus, impact on the modern Middle East, and many more topics.

Eugene Rogan is Professor of modern Middle Eastern History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of the British Academy. He has a Bachelors in economics from Columbia University and Masters and PhD in Middle Eastern history from Harvard. His main interests are the Arab world from the 18th to 20th century. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Making of the Modern Middle East.

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#348 - Parliamentary America: A Dialogue with Maxwell Stearns Jun 06, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Maxwell Stearns about potential changes to the Constitution. They discuss the general narrative about the US Constitution, overview of his proposed reforms, third parties as spoilers, generational shifting of parties, and history of political parties in the 19th century. They also talked about positive vs. negative rights, gerrymandering, Germany’s Mixed Member Proportionality, problems with ranked choice voting, and many more topics.

Maxwell Stearns is Venable, Baetjer & Howard Professor of Law at the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland. His main interests are in Constitutional law and law & economics. He has his Bachelors from the University of Pennsylvania and his JD from the University of Virginia. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy.

Website: https://www.blindspotblog.us/

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#347 - Failures of the Constitution: A Dialogue with Aziz Rana Jun 03, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Aziz Rana about the failures of the US Constitution. They discuss the timeframe of 1887-1987, why people resist criticisms of the US Constitution, and creedal constitutionalism. They discuss the positive aspects of the Constitution, empire settlerism and the US state in post-reconstruction era. They discuss the Socialist Party of America, WWI and pro-constitutionalism, the New Deal, and government elites post WWII. They talk about justices with more authority over the Constitutionalism, originalism, Black Panther movement, the future of the Constitution, and many other topics.

Aziz Rana is professor of Law at Boston College Law School where his main interests are American Constitutional law and political development. He has his Bachelors from Harvard College, JD from Yale Law School, and PhD in political science from Harvard University. He has written for The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and The Law and Political Economy Project. He is the author of the latest book, The Constitutional Bind: How Americans came to idolize a document that fails them.

Website: https://www.azizrana.com/

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#346 - Rethinking the End of Empire: A Dialogue with Lynn Tesser May 30, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lynn Tesser about the various ways of thinking about empire. They discuss moving from empire to nation states, define nationalism vs. nation states, and sovereignty and modular nationalism. They talk about rebellions in the Americas as being more mixed, the Greek revolution as performed by elites, the Balkans and Anatolia in the post-Ottoman period, Armenia, empire today, and many more topics.

Lynn Tesser is an Associate Professor of International Relations at Marine Corps University with a focus on comparative politics, international relations, and history. She has Bachelors in political science from Reed College and her Masters and PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. She has received fellowships from the Social Science Research Council, Fulbright Commission, and the MacArthur and Mellon Foundations. She was a Visiting Fellow at the European University Institute (2019), a Research Fellow at the University of Helsinki’s Aleksanteri Institute for Russian and Eastern European Studies (2011), and an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the International University of Sarajevo (2008-10) as well as at the American University, Girne-Cyprus (2011-12). She is the author of her latest book, Rethinking the End of Empire: Nationalism, State Formation, and Great Power Politics.

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#345 - How Culture Creates Emotions: A Dialogue with Batja Mesquita May 27, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Batja Mesquita about the impact of culture on emotions. The discuss the distinctions between emotions, feelings, and affect, universalist vs. social constructionist theories, and the expression of emotions. They discuss the MINE vs. OURS framework, emotions in other cultures, shame and how it presents differently in other countries, emotionally acculturating to a new environment, and many other topics.

Batja Mesqutia is a is a social psychologist, an affective scientist, and a pioneer of cultural psychology. She is a professor of psychology at the University of Leuven, Belgium, and director of the Center for Social and Cultural Psychology at the University of Leuven. Previously, she was affiliated to Wake Forest University, the University of Michigan, Stanford University, and the University of Amsterdam. Mesquita is one of the world’s leading authorities on the psychological study of cultural differences in emotions. Her most recent research focuses on the role of emotions in multicultural societies. She studies how emotions affect the belonging of minorities in middle schools, and the social and economic integration of “newcomers” (i.e. newly arrived immigrants). She has been a consultant for UNICEF and the WHO, and most recently, she was a member of the core group of scientific advisors for the Happiness and Well-being (SEH) Project, and initiative of the Vatican in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). She is the author of the book, Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions.

Website: https://www.batjamesquita.com/

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#344 - Economic Guarantees: A Dialogue with Natalie Foster May 23, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Natalie Foster about the guarantee framework for economic stability for all Americans. They discuss what is the guarantee and why government involvement is essential, FDR and basic rights, the rise of neoliberal and neoconservative policies, and the features of the guarantee over the past 15 years. They discuss the importance of community organizing, the great recession and bank bailouts, the rise of right-wing and left-wing populism, debt and inflation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the future of the guarantee framework.

Natalie Foster is the President and co-founder of the Economic Security Project and a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative. Previously, she was the CEO and co-founder of Rebuild the Dream, a platform for people–driven economic change, with Van Jones. She served as digital director for President Obama’s Organizing for America (OFA) and the Democratic National Committee. She built the first digital department at the Sierra Club and served as the deputy organizing director for MoveOn.org. She’s been awarded fellowships at the Institute for the Future, Rockwood Leadership Institute and New America California, and is a board member of the California Budget and Policy Center, the Change.org global foundation and Liberation in a Generation, a project to close the racial wealth gap. She is the author of the latest book, The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy.

Website: https://nataliefoster.me/

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#343 - Metaracism: A Dialogue with Tricia Rose May 20, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tricia Rose about systemic racism in the United States. They discuss why and how racism persists, how it looks different from decades past, and how it evolves in institutions. They define metaracism, discuss individuals vs. institutions, understanding systems theory, colorblindness, and many more topics.

Tricia Rose is Chancellor’s Professor of Africana Studies, Associate Dean of the Faculty for Special Initiatives, and Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America. She has her Bachelors in Sociology from Yale and her PhD in American Studies from Brown University. She has received numerous scholarly fellowships including from the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Mellon Foundation and the American Association of University Women. She is the author of the latest book, Metaracism: How Systemic Racism Devastates Black Lives—And How We break Free.

Website: https://www.triciarose.com/

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#342 - The Presidency of James Polk: A Dialogue with Robert Merry May 16, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert Merry about the Presidency of James Polk. They give and overview of James Polk, influence of Andrew Jackson, Polk’s personality and trajectory, and the four major issues he tackled as President. They discuss Polk’s expansionism, the Mexican-American War, Polk’s one-term deal, legacy, and many more topics.

Robert W. Merry has an extensive background as a reporter, newsroom manager, and publishing CEO. He has both his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Journalism. Currently, he is the author of numerous books on American history and foreign policy, including, A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent.

Website: https://www.robertwmerry.com/

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#341 - How NOT To Do Your Own Research: A Dialogue with Alex Edmans May 13, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alex Edmans about misinformation and the role of human biases. They discuss how to look at data, confirmation bias, statements not facts, facts not data, and the value and limits of the scientific method. They also discuss data mining and ethics with stats, correlation not being causation, data with social issues, and many more topics.

Alex Edmans is Professor of Professor of Finance at London Business School. He has a degree from Oxford University and a PhD in Finance from MIT Sloan as a Fulbright Scholar. Prior to teaching at LBS, he taught at Wharton and became tenured in 2013. He is a Director of the American Finance Association, Vice President-Elect of the Western Finance Association, Fellow, Director, and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Financial Management Association, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. From 2017-2022, he was Managing Editor of the Review of Finance, the leading academic finance journal in Europe.

Alex’s research interests are in corporate finance, responsible business and behavioral finance. He is a Director of the American Finance Association, Vice President-Elect of the Western Finance Association, Fellow, Director, and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Financial Management Association, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. From 2017-2022 he was Managing Editor of the Review of Finance, the leading academic finance journal in Europe.

Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, presented to the World Bank Board of Directors as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, and given the TED talk What to Trust in a Post-Truth World and the TEDx talks The Pie-Growing Mindset and The Social Responsibility of Business. He has written for the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review and World Economic Forum and been interviewed by Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, CNN, ESPN, Fox, ITV, NPR, Reuters, Sky News, and Sky Sports. He is the author of the latest book, May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – And What We Can Do About It.

Website: https://alexedmans.com/

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#340 - How the American Heartland Turned Red: A Dialogue with Stephanie Ternullo May 09, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephanie Ternullo about the political shift from liberal to conservative in the American heartland over the 20th century. They discuss how she constructed her study, makeup of the three Midwest cities used in the study, New Deal coalition, place-based partisanship, role of unions, and many more topics.

Stephanie Ternullo is Assistant Professor in Government at Harvard University. She has her PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago. Her research uses multiple methods to explore the bidirectional relationship between place and politics – both how politics shape places, and how places shape political identity and behavior. She is the author of the book, How the Heartland Went Red: Why Local Forces Matter in an Age of Nationalized Politics.

Website: https://stephanieternullo.com/

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#339 - Planta Sapiens: A Dialogue with Paco Calvo May 06, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paco Calvo about the intelligence of plants. They discuss plant blindness, plant intelligence, sun tracking and internal representations, predictive processing, and what is it like to be a plant. They discuss domesticated and wild plants, time, individuality of plants, ethics, and many more topics.

Paco Calvo is a cognitive scientist and philosopher of biology, known for his groundbreaking research in the field of plant cognition and intelligence. He is a professor at the University of Murcia in Spain, where he leads the Minimal Intelligence Lab (MINT Lab), focusing on the study of minimal cognition in plants. Calvo’s interdisciplinary work combines insights from biology, philosophy, and cognitive science to explore the fascinating world of plant behavior, decision-making, and problem-solving. He is the author of the book (with Natalie Lawrence), Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Plant Intelligence.

Website: https://www.um.es/mintlab/

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#338 - Victim: A Dialogue with Andrew Boryga May 02, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Boryga about his novel on victimhood. They discuss how he approaches writing novels vs. non-fiction pieces, choosing themes for the novel, personal influence on fictional characters, evolution of characters, and using tragedy and victimhood for clout. They also discuss dealing with social justice themes, shaped by environment, stereotypes, talking about experiences honestly, and many more topics.

Andrew Boryga is a writer, editor, and author who’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, The Daily Beast, and many other outlets. He has also taught fiction and non-fiction writing to elementary school students, college students, and incarcerated men in Florida. He is the author of the new novel, Victim.

Website: https://www.andrewboryga.com/

Substack:

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#337 - Wahhābism: A Dialogue with Cole Bunzel Apr 28, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Cole Bunzel about the Islamic branch of Wahhābism. They talk about the current landscape of Wahhābism, extreme and non-extreme uses of Wahhābism and some of the differences between terrorists groups that use Wahhābism. They discuss Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and how he started a movement, modeling himself after the Prophet Muhammad, being against polytheism and the cult of saints, and why Wahhābism was designed to be aggressive. They discuss the critics of Wahhābism, role of Sufism, major doctrines, three Saudi states, legacy of Wahhābism, and many other topics.

Cole Bunzel is a historian and fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He studies the history and contemporary affairs of the Islamic Middle East, with a particular focus on violent Islamism and the Arabian Peninsula. He has his MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and his BA and PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. He has been a research fellow in Islamic law and civilization at the Yale Law School, and is a nonresident fellow at the George Washington University Program on Extremism. He is the editor of the blog Jihadica and has written widely on the ideology of Sunni jihadism, including his most recent book, Wahhābism: The History of A Militant Islamic Movement.

Twitter: @colebunzel

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#336 - The Secular Gospel of Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Dialogue with James Marcus Apr 25, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with James Marcus about the life and work of Ralph Waldo Emerson. They discuss how the book is formed and how themes are pulled from Emerson’s life, his religious background and relationship with religion over his lifetime, unitarianism, and when do we find our identity. They talk about first and second marriages, self-reliance and individualism, nature, slavery, his legacy, and many more topics.

James Marcus is an editor, translator, critic and writer. He was editor-in-chief at Harper’s Magazine and worked at Columbia Journalism Review. He is the author of the latest book, Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Twitter: @jamesamarcus

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#335 - Hubert Humphrey: Giant of Liberalism: A Dialogue with James Traub Apr 21, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with James Traub about Hubert Humphrey. They define liberalism, background and context of Humphrey and his internal motivations, how he governed as mayor in Minneapolis, and how he was a liberal and a progressive. They talk about his time as a U.S. Senator, a cold war liberal, and his relationship with Lyndon Johnson. They discuss Humphrey’s foreign affairs work, his time as Vice President of the U.S., Senate years post-Vice Presidency, legacy of Humphrey, and many more topics.

James Traubis a journalist and scholar specializing in international affairs. He is a columnist and contributor to the website foreignpolicy.com. He worked as a staff writer for The New Yorker from 1993 to 1998 and as a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine from 1998 to 2011. He has also written extensively about national politics, urban affairs, and education. He has written many books, including the most recent, True Believer: Hubert Humphrey’s Quest For A More Just America. He teaches classes on American foreign policy and on the history of liberalism at NYU Abu Dhabi and at NYU. He is a fellow of the Center on International Cooperation and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Website: https://www.traubjames.com/

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#334 - Recognizing Others: A Dialogue with Michèle Lamont Apr 19, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Michèle Lamont about recognition and interpersonal dynamics. They define recognition and worth, the three avenues of building recognition and ordinary universalism, and what blocks change. They talk about inequality, individualism/collectivism, and challenges of the American dream. They also discuss using media, role of institutions, how we can recognize others, and many more topics.

Michèle Lamont is Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies and the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies at Harvard University. An influential cultural sociologist who studies boundaries and inequality, she has tackled topics such as dignity, respect, stigma, racism, class and racial boundaries, and how we evaluate social worth across societies. She served as President of the American Sociological Association in 2016, was a Carnegie Fellow in 2021-2022, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and the British Academy. She is the author of numerous books, including her most recent, her most recent book is Seeing Others: How Recognition Works and How It Can Heal a Divided World.

Website: https://www.michelelamont.org/

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#333 - The Genius of Ibn Sina and Biruni: A Dialogue with S. Frederick Starr Apr 17, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with S. Frederick Starr about the lives and work of Ibn Sina and Biruni. They discuss who were Ibn Sina and Biruni, their time and context, and the correspondence between Ibn Sina and Biruni. They discuss their interactions in the Muslim world, Ibn Sina as vizier, the canon of Ibn Sina and the canon of Biruni. They also discuss work post-canon, how their works were preserved, legacy of both thinkers, and many more topics.

S. Frederick Starr is the founding chairman of the Central Asia -Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program, a joint transatlantic research and policy center affiliated with the American Foreign Policy Institute (AFPC) in Washington and the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm. Dr. Starr is Distinguished Fellow for Eurasia at AFPC.

Starr is author of the widely acclaimed Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane. In this book on the history of the region between the 8th and 11th centuries, he argues that Central Asia was the center of the world. Lost Enlightenment has been translated into 20 languages, and received widespread praise by regional leaders, including Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Starr has focused on the challenge of reopening continental-wide transport passing through Central Asia and Afghanistan. This issue was the subject of a series of articles between 2000 and 2008 and of a book, The New Silk Roads, published in 2007. He is a frequent commentator on the affairs of the region, and the author of numerous articles in journals including Foreign Affairs and op-eds in various leading American and international newspapers.

Starr was the founding Chairman of the Kennan Institute in Washington, and served as Vice President of Tulane University and President of Oberlin College (1983-94). He was closely involved in planning the University of Central Asia and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy and is a trustee of the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. He earned his PhD in History at Princeton, MA at King’s College, Cambridge, and his BA at Yale, and holds five honorary degrees. Starr is also a founding member of the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble of New Orleans and founded the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the single largest non-governmental sponsor of post-Katrina recovery in that city. He has written four books on New Orleans, including New Orleans Unmasqued, Southern Comfort, and Inventing New Orleans: The Writings of Lafcadio Hearn.

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#332 - Nostalgia: A Dialogue with Clay Routledge Apr 15, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Clay Routledge about nostalgia. They define nostalgia, nostalgia being forward thinking, nostalgia with positive and negative memories, and the downsides of nostalgia in pop culture. They discuss nostalgia with self-concept, self-continuity, and self-esteem, nostaglia for understanding existential anxiety and death, best ways to use nostalgia, and many more topics.

Clay Routledge is an existential psychologist, writer, and consultant. He is Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at Archbridge Institute and co-editor of Profectus, a magazine on human progress and flourishing. He has published more than 100 academic papers, co-edited three books, authored three books, and received numerous awards for his scholarly research and student mentorship. He is the author of his most recent book, Past Forward.

Website: https://www.clayroutledge.com/

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#331 - Making Sense of Our Delusions: A Dialogue with Lisa Bortolotti Apr 12, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lisa Bortolotti about delusions. They talk about why we should think about delusions, delusions as emotional and rational beliefs, defining delusions, clinical and non-clinical delusions, and why we believe delusions. They talk about when delusions cause harm, can people change their delusional beliefs, and many more topics.

Lisa Bortolotti is a philosopher and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham. She is Editor in Chief of Philosophical Psychology. She has her PhD in philosophy and her main interests are in philosophy of science, irrational beliefs, and epistemic injustice.

Website: https://lisabortolotti.blogspot.com/

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#330 - Deceiving Ourselves: A Dialogue with Ajit Varki Apr 10, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ajit Varki about the evolutionary origins of denial and self-deception. They discuss the evolutionary perspective of human origins, self-awareness in humans, theory of mind, and how false beliefs and denial evolved. They also discuss lying, self-deception, religion, positive uses of deception, climate change, future of Mind Over Reality theory, and many more topics.

Ajit Varki received training in physiology, medicine, biology, and biochemistry at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, The University of Nebraska, Omaha, and Washington University, St. Louis. He was trained and board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology. He joined the faculty of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 1982.Dr. Varki is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Society for Clinical Investigation, Association of American Physicians, and of Sigma Xi. He has been a recipient of a MERIT award from the NIH, the American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award, as well as three of the highest honors in the field: the Karl Meyer Award (2005), the International Glycoconjugate Organization Award (2007), the Rosalind Kornfeld Award for Lifetime Achievement in Glycobiology (2020), and the ASBMB Herbert Tabor Research Award (2023). He was also elected President of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (1998–1999), President of the Society for Glycobiology (1996) and served Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation (1992–1997). He is recognized for creating the first major open access research journal, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, JCI (1996), as well as the first major open access textbook, Essentials of Glycobiology (2008). Dr. Varki was honored with the Old Cottonian of Eminence Award at the 150th Anniversary of Bishop Cotton Boy's School in Bangalore, India (2015) and he was also honored with the Annual Research Day Distinguished Faculty Medal and Oration at his medical school alma mater, the Christian Medical College, Vellore, India (2020). Dr. Varki's interests in human evolution also led him to propose a novel Mind Over Reality Transition theory about human origins, in the book, Denial.

Link to paper: https://cmm.ucsd.edu/research/labs/varki/_files/publications/b200.pdf

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#329 - Fighting for Women's Rights Around the World: A Dialogue with Sima Samar Apr 08, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sima Samar about her life and work for women’s rights. They discuss her reasoning for writing her memoirs, history of modern Afghanistan, impact of Islam, and the rule of the Taliban. They talk about her work in medicine and human rights advocacy, women’s rights in Afghanistan, becoming Vice President and Minister of Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan. They also discuss her work on the human rights commission, being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, women’s rights around the world, the future of Afghanistan, and many more topics.

Sima Samar is a human rights advocate, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and global influential female figure. She received her MD from Kabul University Medical College. Since 2002 she has been the Chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) which holds human rights violators accountable and sets the human rights agenda in Afghanistan. She is also the Chairperson of the Commission for the Prevention of Torture and was the Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF).

Prior to her appointment as the chair of AIHRC, she was the Vice President of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan and the first Minister of Women’s Affairs. She served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan between 2005 and 2009 and has been appointed as a member of the United Nation’s Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. Samar also served as member of High Level Panel for Internal Displacement.

Her commitment to her community is evident through her NGO Shuhada Organization’s work in operating 55 middle and high schools for girls and boys in Afghanistan, and three schools in Quetta, Pakistan for Afghan refugees. In addition to this Shuhada operates 12 clinics and three hospitals in Afghanistan and one hospital in Quetta for refugees, dedicated to providing education and healthcare, particularly focusing on women and girls.

Website: https://shuhada.org.af/

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#328 - Listening to Prozac: A Dialogue with Peter Kramer Apr 05, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Kramer about Prozac. They talk about the 30th anniversary of Listening To Prozac and antidepressants, origins of antidepressants, classes of antidepressants, selfhood, criticisms of SSRIs and the serotonin hypothesis, risk of suicide with Prozac, future of SSRIs, and more more topics.

Peter Kramer is a psychiatrist who practiced and taught psychiatry for over 40 years. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University. He has done extensive research on depression and anti-depressants. He is the author of numerous books including the bestseller, Listening to Prozac.

Website: https://www.peterdkramer.com/

Twitter: @peterdkramer

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#327 - The Invention of Prehistory: A Dialogue with Stefanos Geroulanos Apr 03, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stefanos Geroulanos about the history of prehistory. They talk about why studying history is important and why it is not final, the emphasis on the nature of man, why Rousseau and Hobbes’ ideas still persist, human nature and equality, and the impact of Darwin. They also talk about the impact of Marx, Neanderthals, thin veneer, and the instincts, Freud’s contribution, Nazi party, how we continue to understand history, and many more topics.

Stefanos Geroulanos is Director of the Remarque Institute and a professor of history at New York University. He has his BA from Princeton and his PhD from Johns Hopkins. From 2015-2017, he was Director of the Center for International Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences at NYU. His research focuses on histories of the concepts that weave together understanding of the human, of time, and of the body. He has written many books, including the most recent book, The Invention of Prehistory: Empire, Violence, and Our Obsession with Human Origins.

Website: https://www.stefanos-geroulanos.com/

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#326 - Puerto Rico: A Natural History: A Dialogue with Jorell Meléndez Badillo Apr 01, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jorell Meléndez Badillo about the history of Puerto Rico. They talk about the origins of the island of Puerto Rico, Taino peoples, reasons for Columbus coming to Puerto Rico, and indigenous peoples fighting back. They talk about enslaved peoples in the mid 16th century, origins of the term “Puertorriqueños,” impact of race and colorism, and hardship in Puerto Rico in the 19th century. They discuss the Lares revolution, coming to New York, Spanish-American war and the United States acquiring Puerto Rico, cultural shifts from Spanish colony to American colony, the great migration in the mid 20th century, history of parties, status of Puerto Rico, and the future of Puerto Rico.

Jorell Meléndez Badillo is a historian of Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. He is currently Assistant Professor of Latin American and Caribbean History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before arriving at UW-Madison, he was a Mellon Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor of History at Dartmouth College. His work focuses on the global circulation of radical ideas from the standpoint of working-class intellectual communities. He is the author of the book, Puerto Rico: A Natural History.

Website: https://www.jorellmelendezbadillo.com/

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#325 - Health Problems: A Dialogue with Elizabeth Barnes Mar 29, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Elizabeth Barnes about the ideas surrounding health. They discuss why we care about health and how we define health, social impact of health, and discussing health publicly. They also talk about shame and stigma with health, disability and health differences, ameliorative skepticism, and many more topics.

Elizabeth Barnes is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Virginia. Her research interests are divided between metaphysics, political philosophy, feminist philosophy, and ethics. She has written a handful books, including her most recent book, Health Problems.

Website: https://elizabethbarnesphilosophy.weebly.com/

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#324 - Paying Attention In A Distracted World: A Dialogue with Christian Madsbjerg Mar 27, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christian Madsbjerg about perception in the world. They discuss why perception and observation are important, the work of Merleau-Ponty, perception being reality, and intersubjectivity. They discuss the role of the body in phenomenology, phenomenology of space, the “other,” practical ways of paying attention in the world, and many more topics.

Christian Madsbjerg is an author, entrepreneur, and academic who focuses on the practical and commercial application of the Human Sciences. He is the co-founder of the global consulting firm Red Associates which addressing strategy questions through empirical, organized observations of the human world. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board at the world-class architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, holds a non-executive director position at Fritz Hansen A/S, is an independent Director and Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee at The Metals Company (Nasdaq: TMC), and is a member of the US board of Kvadrat A/S. He also serves as a director of the Revs Institute, a design museum and research institute. He has held the Professor of Applied Humanities position at The New School in New York City. He is the author of several books, including the most recent book, Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World.

Website: https://madsbjerg.com/

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#323 - Wonderstruck: A Dialogue with Helen De Cruz Mar 25, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Helen De Cruz about wonder and awe. They define awe and wonder as distinct emotions, awe in other animals, social and cultural aspects of awe, and philosophy being born in wonder. They discuss the history of awe and wonder from ancient Greece to the Enlightenment, theories of emotions, magic and wonder, religion and wonder, Merleau-Ponty and habits, spiritual naturalism, and many more topics.

Helen De Cruz holds the Danforth Chair in the Humanities at Saint Louis University. She holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Groningen and a PhD in archaeology and art sciences from the Free University of Brussels. Her work examines why and how humans engage in pursuits that seem remote from the immediate concerns of survival and reproduction, such as theology, mathematics, and science. She is the author of many books including the most recent, Wonderstruck: How Awe and Wonder Shape the Way We Think.

Website: https://helendecruz.net/

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#322 - Democracy Birthed in Darkness: A Dialogue with Katlyn Carter Mar 22, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Katlyn Carter about the origins of the United States during the revolutionary period. They discuss the concern about secrecy and transparency in government, representative government and representative democracy, pros and cons of democracy, and how democracy is different from 1776. They also talk about shifting from colonies to states, reasons for secrecy in the founding, comparisons with France, Madison’s speed bumps for democracy, how we see transparency now in government, and many more topics.

Katlyn Carter is a historian and Assistant Professor in History at the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on the origins of modern representative democracy through the study of political practices and institutions. She has a Bachelors in History from the University of California, Berkeley and a PhD in History from Princeton University. She is the author of, Democracy In Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions.

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#321 - Homer and His Iliad: A Dialogue with Robin Lane Fox Mar 20, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robin Lane Fox about Homer and his Iliad. They discuss how to best read the Iliad, structure of the poem, and the use of speeches, language, and movement. They talk about the location of Troy, Homer’s authorship, Homer’s description of the Trojan war, Homer’s illiteracy, Iliad’s transcription, genius of Homer, and many more topics.

Robin Lane Fox is a historian and Emeritus Fellow of New College, Oxford, and taught Ancient History at Oxford University from 1977 to 2014. He has taught on Greek and Latin literature and Islamic history for many years. He has written many books on classical history, including his most recent book, Homer and His Iliad.

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#320 - The Art of Public Conversation: A Crossover Episode with Where We Go Next Mar 19, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla and Michael Callahan have a discussion about their respective podcasts. They discuss why they decided to do this crossover episode, how Converging Dialogues started, how Where We Go Next started, and how they treat guests. They discuss their process for asking questions, motivations for interviews, importance of active listening, their process for each episode, legacy of the podcast, and many more topics.

Where We Go Next is a podcast focused on in-depth conversations with the people changing the ways we think, create, and live. Host Michael Callahan engages with visionary founders, best-selling writers, award-winning journalists, acclaimed educators, and innovative artists.

Website: https://wherewegonext.com/

Instagram: @wwgnpodcast

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#319 - Somebody's Gotta Win the 2024 US Presidential Election: A Dialogue with Tara Palmeri Mar 15, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tara Palmeri about the 2024 US Presidential election. They discuss why there is rematch of the 2020 US Presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Biden’s challengers, Biden’s age, and the Democrats “bench.” They talk about feelings mattering more than policy, immigration, predictions, and many more topics.

Tara Palmeri is a Senior political correspondent at Puck and host of the Ringer’s election podcast, “Somebody’s Gotta Win.” Previously, she has worked as a journalist for Politico and ABC News.

Twitter: @tarapalmeri

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#318 - Virtues and the Founding Fathers: A Dialogue with Jeffrey Rosen Mar 13, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jeffrey Rosen about the impact of Classical Writers on the founding fathers. They discuss why studying the influences of the founding fathers is important, pursuit of happiness, Franklin and the impact of Pythagoras, Adams on humility, and Jefferson as a complicated figure. They discuss Washington’s self-mastery, Hamilton and Madison on moderation, and many more topics.

Jeffrey Rosen is President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. Rosen is a graduate of Harvard College, Oxford University, and Yale Law School. His essays and commentaries have appeared in The New York Times Magazine; on NPR; in The New Republic, where he was the legal affairs editor; and in The New Yorker, where he has been a staff writer. He is the author of seven previous books, including the most recent book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America.

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#317 - The Five-Year Presidency: A Dialogue with Christopher Liddell Mar 11, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christopher Liddell about the five-year presidency. They discuss what is year zero and why presidential transitions are important, filling the government, and design, plan, and execution phases of year zero. They discuss the Romney transition, Trump transition, and Biden transition, standardization and flexibility with different presidents, Office of POTUS, first 200 days, the 2024 Presidential election, and many more topics.

Christopher Liddell has held senior roles in politics, the private sector, and philanthropy. He was White House Deputy Chief of Staff during the Trump Administration, and has been involved in three presidential transition cycles, including the White House operational head of transition to the Biden Administration, where he played a key role. In the private sector, he has been Chief Financial Officer of several major companies, including Microsoft and General Motors. He is also active in philanthropic projects, having been Chairman of New Zealand’s largest foundation focused on environmental preservation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering from Auckland University and a Master of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. He is the author of the book, Year Zero: The Five-Year Presidency.

Website: https://chrisliddell.com/

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#316 - The Brain From the Inside-Out: A Dialogue with György Buzsáki Mar 08, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with György Buzsaki about the inside out framework of the brain. They discuss the outside-in vs. inside-out framework for understanding the brain, causation as problematic for self-organizing systems, and perception and action on thought. They mention the Bayesian brain model, reinforcement and reward, brain systems and neural syntax, space and time within the hippocampus, the future of using the inside-out framework, and many more topics.

György Buzsáki is a neuroscientist and Biggs Professor of Neuroscience at the NYU School of Medicine. He has his MD and PhD in neuroscience from the University of Pecs in Hungary. His main interest areas are on neural syntax and hippocampal networks. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, The Brain From Inside Out.

Website: https://buzsakilab.com/wp/

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#315 - Regulating AI Systems: A Dialogue with Robert Trager Mar 06, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert Trager about international governance of AI systems. They discuss why questions of AI are important, defining intelligence and machine learning, and provide an overview of the current landscape of AI systems. They talked about the ethics and governance for AI systems, how other governance models have been used, controlling the creativity of AI, civilian AI, military AI, and enforcement rules with military AI. They also mention the alignment problem, how to discuss AI in public life, and many more topics.

Robert Trager is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and International Governance Lead at the Centre for the Governance of AI. He is a recognized expert in the international governance of emerging technologies, diplomatic practice, and institutional design. His research also focuses on economic models of technology races, and regulation and industry cooperation for the public benefit in safety-critical industries. He has written two books and numerous articles in leading social science journals, including the American Political Science Review, International Organization, International Security, Foreign Affairs and many others.

Website: https://robertftrager.com/

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#314 - A Central American Exodus and the Reshaping of America: A Dialogue with Jonathan Blitzer Mar 04, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonathan Blitzer about Central American immigrants coming to the United States and the evolving relationship in the region. They talk about the emphasis on Central America and, more specifically, El Salvador, when discussing immigration. They discuss the many narrative accounts of immigrants from El Salvador and some of the background information on El Salvador. They provide some of the history of El Salvador and the many brutal aspects of the 12+ years civil war. They also talk about the cyclical nature of US involvement with Central America, future goals, and many more topics.

Jonathan Blitzer is a journalist and writer who currently is a staff writer at The New Yorker. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and many other publications. He is the recipient of the 2018 Immigration Journalism Prize from French-American foundation and the Media Leadership Award from the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He is the author of the new book, Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of A Crisis.

Twitter: @jonathanblitzer

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#313 - The Mongol Storm: A Dialogue with Nicholas Morton Mar 01, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Morton about the Mongol empire. They discuss the background overview of Seljuck Turks, Karwazman Empire, and how the Mongols conquered and governed administratively. They talk about the environmental scope of the Mongols, religious tolerance, centralized hierarchy, the fifth crusade, how the Mongols splintered, and many more topics.

Nicholas Morton is Associate Professor of History at Nottingham Trent University. He is a member of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Conflict. His main research areas are on the Crusades and Medieval Near East between the 10th and 14th centuries. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East.

Website: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/arts-humanities/nicholas-morton

Twitter: @nicholasmorto11

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#312 - Empire of Refugees: North Caucasian Muslims and Late Ottoman State: A Dialogue with Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky Feb 28, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky about North Caucasian Muslims in the late Ottoman period. They discuss the landscape of the Caucasus, the Ottoman Empire, and the Russian Empire in the late 19th century. They talk about the diversity of ethnic groups in the Caucasus, the Ottoman Empire as a land of refugees, and why Russian troops perpetrated an ethnic cleansing. They discuss the term muhajir, four major migrations from the Caucasus, the Ottoman Empire as a refugee regime, 1857 immigration law, 1858 land laws, 1860 refugee commission, what happened to Circassian refugees in the Balkans, and Ottoman slavery. They discuss Circassians moving to the levant, the importance of Amman, resettlement in central Anatolia, return migration to Russia, and many other topics.

Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky is Assistant Professor of Global Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has his Ph.D. in History from Stanford University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. His main interest areas are in global migration and forced displacement, with expertise in the Ottoman and Russian empires and their successor states. He is the author of Empire of Refugees: North Caucasian Muslims and the Late Ottoman State.

Website: https://www.vladimirhamedtroyansky.com/

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#311 - Shifting Grounds: Territory, Society, and Conflict: A Dialogue with Burak Kadercan Feb 26, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Burak Kadercan about territory and nation states. They define territory and nation states, discuss empire, healthy nationalism, and ethnic groups in territories. They also define borders and discuss Westphalia, mosaic and monolithic order, Ottoman empire, war and conflict, Russia and Ukraine conflict, and many more topics.

Burak Kadercan is Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He has his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. He was an inaugural fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies, The Fletcher School, Tufts University. He was also a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Reading (UK) and Assistant Professor in International Relations and coordinator for the Master Program in International Security at Institut Barcelona D’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI). He is also Senior Associate at the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups (CIWAG). His main interest are in territoriality, international security, and state-formation. He is the author of Shifting Grounds: The Social Origins of Territorial Conflict.

Website: http://www.burakadercan.com/

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#310 - Comparative Cognition: A Dialogue with Nicola Clayton Feb 23, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicola Clayton about cognition across many animals. They define cognition in humans and in animals, intelligence, using magic to understand cognition in animals, embodied mind in animals, and comparative cognition as a type of convergent evolution. They discuss difficulties in using human measures for evaluating animal cognition, New Caledonian crows and their intelligence, consciousness, the future of comparative cognition research, and many more topics.

Nicola Clayton is Professor of Comparative Cognition in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Clare College and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Her main interests areas are comparative cognition and the evolution and development of intelligence in non-verbal animals and pre-verbal children. She is currently President of the British Science Association Psychology Section. She is also in residence at Rambert Dance Company.

Website: https://www.psychol.cam.ac.uk/people/nsc22%40cam.ac.uk

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#309 - Sex, Evolution, and the Female Animal: A Dialogue with Lucy Cooke Feb 21, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lucy Cooke about the female animals across many species. They discuss why the female species were neglected in Darwin’s studies, binary model of sex, female choice in sexual selection and the social and sexual monogamy in birds and sexual coercion with ducks. They talk about hierarchies with males and females, female dominance in lemurs, menopause, female bonding, and many more topics.

Lucy Cooke is a Zoologist, broadcaster, filmmaker, and author. She has a Masters Degree in Zoology from New College-Oxford. She has been a regular guest on Radio 4 and presented on BBC, ITV, and National Geographic. She is the author of numerous books, including her most recent book, Bitch: On the Female of the Species.

Website: http://www.lucycooke.tv/

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#308 - The Five Million Year History of Humans: A Dialogue with Peter Bellwood Feb 19, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Bellwood about the five million year history of humans. They discuss the genera and species of humans and the different types of humans that lived together at the same time, genes from early human species, and the four acts of human history. They talk about Hominins arising out of the Miocene, distinct features of Australopithecus, humans in the Pleistocene, Homo Erectus walking out of Africa, Homo Floresiensis, and Neanderthals. They discuss domestication and cultivation of plants and animals in the Holocene, rice and corn in the Fertile Crescent and in China, Maize in the Western Hemisphere, Anatolian hypothesis for languages, and many other topics.

Peter Bellwood is Emeritus Professor in archaeology at Australian National University. He has his PhD from Kings College-Cambridge. His research areas have focused on population migrations during prehistory eras and the spread of Austronesian languages. He is the author of numerous books, including his most recent book, The Five-Million-Year Odyssey: The Human Journey from Ape to Agriculture.

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#307 - Many Worlds in the Multiverse: A Dialogue with Paul Halpern Feb 16, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Halpern about the multiverse. They discuss the cosmological multiverse and many worlds interpretation, impact of Newton, Maxwell, and Einstein for general relativity, gravitational waves, and quantum mechanics. They also talk about different dimensions, dark matter, dark energy, string theory, the multiverse in popular culture, and many more topics.

Paul Halpern is Professor of Physics at Saint Joseph’s University. He has a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD in physics. He was is the recipient of the 2002 Guggenheim Fellowship and in 1996 received a Fulbright Scholarship. He was also awarded Athenaeum Society Literary Award. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, The Allure of the Multiverse: Extra Dimensions, Other Worlds, and Parallel Universes.

Twitter: @phalpern

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#306 - Heidegger's Culmination of German Idealism: A Dialogue with Robert Pippin Feb 14, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert Pippin about Heidegger’s philosophy in connection with German idealism. They discuss Heidegger’s ideas on the culmination of Western philosophy with Hegel, Heidegger’s emphasis on Being, meaningfulness of being, and present-at-hand and ready-to hand. They talk about the impact of Husserl on Heidegger and their different ideas concerning worldhood. They discuss Heidegger’s ideas on standing presence, unveiling and concealment, imagination and intuition, and the juxtaposition of Heidegger’s Dasein with Hegel’s Geist. They talk about Schelling’s ideas on nature, Hegel’s conceptual ideas, Heidegger as the first post-Hegelian European philosopher, poetic thinking, and many more topics.

Robert B. Pippin is the Evelyn Stefansson Nef Distinguished Service Professor in the Committee on Social Thought, the Department of Philosophy, and the College at the University of Chicago. He has been awarded a Guggenheim fellowship and was twice an Alexander von Humboldt fellow. He is a winner of the Mellon Distinguished Achievement Award in the Humanities and was recently a fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a member of the American Philosophical Society. He is also a member of the German National Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of several books and articles on German idealism and later German philosophy, including his most recent book, The Culmination: Heidegger, German Idealism, and the Fate of Philosophy.

Website: https://voices.uchicago.edu/rbp1/

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#305 - The Disillusionment of Suburbia: A Dialogue with Benjamin Herold Feb 12, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Benjamin Herold about the evolving state of suburbia. They discuss the fast development in Dallas suburbs, Black Americans in suburbs around Atlanta, Multiethnic heritage in Evanston, Illinois, potential multiple futures in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and the founding families and long history of Compton. They talk about culture and history in each of these locations, centrality of schools in suburbia, cultural issues, covid-19 pandemic, the future of suburbia, and many more topics.

Benjamin Herold is a journalist and author who primarily has written on urban education. He has a Masters in urban education from Temple University. His work has been heavily featured in Education Week, PBS NewsHour, Huffington Post, NPR, and many other outlets. He is the author of the latest book, Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America’s Suburbs.

Website: https://www.benjaminherold.com/

Twitter: @benjaminbherold

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#304 - Failures of the Clinton Presidency: A Dialogue with Nelson Lichtenstein Feb 08, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nelson Lichtenstein about the failures of the Clinton presidency. They discuss his collaboration with Judith Stein for the book, why Clinton focused on economic issues, Al From, Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), and the impact of Ross Perot on the 1992 Presidential election. They talk about important figures in Clinton’s economic team, failures of healthcare, economic negotiations with Japan and NAFTA. They also talk about the 1994 Crime Bill, repealing Glass-Steagall, legacy of the Clinton presidency, and many more topics.

Nelson Lichtenstein is Research Professor in the Department of History at University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he directs the Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy. He has his Bachelors from Dartmouth College and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Foundations, the University of California, and from the Fulbright Commission and the Oregon Center for the Humanities. He has also been elected to the Society of American Historians and received the Sidney Hillman Foundation’s Sol Stetin Award for lifetime achievement in labor history. He is the author of numerous books including his most recent book (co-authored with Judith Stein), A Fabulous Failure: The Clinton Presidency and the Transformation of American Capitalism.

Twitter: @nelsonlichtens1

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#303 - The Science of Mental Health: A Dialogue with Camilla Nord Feb 04, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Camilla Nord about the neuroscience of mental health. They define mental health and how the brain is central to mental health, measuring subjective vs. objective well-being, and chronic pain. They discuss depression, anhedonia, dopamine networks, behaviorism for motivation, and reward and valence. They talk about various emotional theories, gut microbiome, Bayesian brain and predictive processing, placebos, homeopathy, antidepressants, and many other topics.

Camilla Nord is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor and MRC Investigator at Cambridge University. She has a degree in physiology, psychology, and philosophy from Magdalen College-Oxford. She has her PhD from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience from University College, London. Her primary focus is on the physiology and neuroscience around mental health disorders. She is the author of the book, The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health.

Twitter: @camillalnord

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#302 - Modeling Social Behavior: A Dialogue with Paul Smaldino Feb 01, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Smaldino about agent-based models of social dynamics. They discuss why modeling in social sciences are important, quantitative and qualitative data, models and how we define them, and decomposition with complexity science. They also discuss modeling with multivariate questions, importance of theory, modeling with COVID19, modeling in politics, and many more topics.

Paul Smaldino is an Associate Professor of Cognitive & Information Sciences and faculty in the Quantitative and Systems Biology graduate program at UC Merced, where he is also affiliated with the Center for Analytic Political Engagement and the Center for Interdisciplinary Neuroscience. He is also an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. His primary interests are how behaviors emerge and evolve in response to social, cultural, and ecological pressures, as well as how those pressures can themselves evolve. He also has broad interests related to cultural evolution, cooperation, and complex systems. He is the author of the book, Modeling Social Behavior: Mathematical and Agent-Based Models of Social Dynamics and Cultural Evolution.

Website: https://smaldino.com/wp/

Twitter: @psmaldino

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#301 - Directionless Democrats: A Dialogue with Ruy Teixeira Jan 29, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ruy Teixeira about the current state of the Democratic party. They discuss how Democrats are running in 2024, why Democrats have abandoned the working class voters, and why they have pivoted to college educated voters. They talk about immigration challenges with Democrats, impact of populism on the Right and the Left, Latinos shifting to the Republican Party, cultural issues, and many more topics.

Ruy Teixeira is a sociologist and political commentator who writes on issues of party coalitions and American politics. He is nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and was previously senior fellow at the Center for American Progress from 2003 to 2022. He has a MS and PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the coauthor of The Emerging Democratic Majority and his latest book, Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

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#300 - A Leftist Reading of Nietzsche: A Dialogue with Daniel Tutt Jan 25, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daniel Tutt about the importance of the political left reading Nietzsche seriously. They talk about Nietzsche vs. Nietzscheanism, prolepsis and prophetic/esoteric and exoteric readings, and the Janus face of Nietzschean philosophy. They discuss building culture, caste and class, current leftist readings of Nietzsche, and Losurdo’s four stages of Nietzsche. They also talk about Nietzsche and Marx on religion, reading Nietzsche as a parasite, and many more topics.

Daniel Tutt is a philosopher and writer and has been trained in philosophy and psychoanalytic practice. He has taught philosophy at George Washington University and Marymount University. His interest areas and writing are focused on Marxist thought, Nietzsche’s philosophy, and social power of the intellectual. He is the author of Psychoanalysis and the Politics of the Family: The Crisis of Initiation and, his most recent book, How to Read Like A Parasite: Why the Left Got High on Nietzsche.

Website: https://danieltutt.com/

Twitter: @danieltutt

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#299 - Myths of Migration: A Dialogue with Hein de Haas Jan 22, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hein de Haas about migration and many of the myths surrounding immigration. They discuss why immigration is a major issue globally and its connection with nationalism, distinctions between immigration, emigration, asylum seekers, and refugees, and how migration is not at an all-time high. They also talk about internal/external migration, borders, labor demand in the USA, low-skilled vs. high-skilled workers, refugee crisis, hypocrisy on the political left and right, future of migration, and many more topics.

Hein de Haas is a sociologist and a geographer who has lived and worked in the Netherlands, Morocco and the United Kingdom. He is currently Professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). He has a Bachelor’s in cultural anthropology and Master’s degree in social and environmental geography from the University of Amsterdam and a PhD in social sciences from the University of Nijmegen. He has worked as a researcher at the University of Amsterdam and as a researcher and lecturer at the University of Nijmegen. He was visiting scholar at Bilkent University in Ankara (Turkey) the Program of Forced Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University of Cairo (AUC Egypt). He has been part of the International Migration Institute (IMI) at the University of Oxford and played a central role in lecturing and directing the newly established MSc in Migration Studies at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID). He was also a fellow at the Oxford Martin School and governing body fellow at Wolfson College. He is lead author of The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, a seminal text book in the field of migration studies. He is the author of the new book, How Migration Really Works: The Facts About the Most Divisive Issue in Politics.

Website: https://heindehaas.org/

Blog: https://heindehaas.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @heindehaas

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#298 - Origins of the Just War: A Dialogue with Rory Cox Jan 17, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Rory Cox about the multiple origins of the just war concept. They give an overview of the Egyptian empire, nile river and its importance for the Egyptian kingdom, and the three major kingdom periods with a central monarchy. They also talk about the Hittites, boundaries of their kingdom, and why they were so short lived. They discuss the Israelites, problems with the Hebrew Bible as a primary source, and the legacy of the Israelites. They also define just war, ius ad bellum, ius ad bello, ius post bellum, and describe what war looked like in the ancient Near East. They talk about authority and divine appointment for going to war with these three kingdoms, self-defense, military ethics, culture and identity, treatment of combatants and non-combatants, importance of Deuteronomy 20 for the Israelites, violence and genocide, just war theory up to the modern era, and many more topics.

Rory Cox is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of St. Andrews. He has held two international research fellowships: a Wallenberg Research Fellowship at the Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace (University of Stockholm) in 2016; and a Humanities Collaboration Research Fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Huntington Library, Los Angeles, in 2017-18. He has his Bachelors in Ancient History and a Masters in Medieval Studies from University College London. He has a DPhil in history from the University of Oxford. His main focus areas are on the ethics of war, history of violence, and intellectual history. He is the author of the book, Origins of the Just War: Military Ethics and Culture in the Ancient Near East.

Twitter: @drrorycox

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#297 - Social Construction of Our Emotions: A Dialogue with Lisa Feldman-Barrett Jan 15, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lisa Feldman-Barrett about emotions. They discuss what emotions are and how they are different from affect and feelings. They also discuss the social construction model of emotions with discussion on interoception, exteroception, allostasis and homeostasis. They talk about predictive processing, Bayesian brain, emotions as heuristics, nature of reality, discrete emotions, emotions in relationships, and many more topics.

Lisa Feldman Barrett is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Director of the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory (IASLab) at Northeastern University. She also holds research appointments at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard Medical School in the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program in the Department of Psychiatry, and at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging in the Department of Radiology. She is among the top 0.1% of the most-cited scientists in the world with more than 275 peer-reviewed scientific papers across several fields. Her research focuses on how the human brain, in continual conversation with the human body and the world, regulates the body and creates mental events, such as episodes of emotion.

Dr. Barrett has also received numerous awards for service to the field of psychology, including the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in Psychology (2021) and the Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science (2013), both from the American Psychological Association. She also received the Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association for Psychological Science (2018) and a Guggenheim Fellowship (2019). She has served on the editorial boards of psychology’s most important journals, including Psychological Science (since 2007), Psychological Review (2007-2012) and Current Directions in Psychological Science (2020-2023). She also served as president of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) in 2019–2020.

She is the author of How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain and 7 1/2 Lessons About The Brain. She has also edited five scientific volumes, including the 3rd and 4th editions of the Handbook of Emotion.

Website: https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/

Lab: https://www.affective-science.org/

Twitter: @lfeldmanbarrett

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#296 - A Natural History of Cephalopods: A Dialogue with Danna Staaf Jan 10, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Danna Staaf about the natural history of cephalopods. They discuss the family of cephalopods and their anatomy along with some of the behaviors, intelligence and consciousness with cephalopods, and what convergent evolution tells us about cephalopods. They talk about how cephalopods are able to live outside water, how they live in all bodies of water, impact of climate change, and many more topics.

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 and her latest book, The Lives of Octopuses and Their Relatives: A Natural History of Cephalopods.

Website: https://www.dannastaaf.com/p/home.html

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#295 - Discovering the Ribosome Structure: A Dialogue with Venki Ramakrishnan Jan 08, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Venki Ramakrishnan about his discovering and mapping the ribosome structure. They discuss his background in coming from India to study physics and then biology, layout of ribosome, DNA, RNA, mRNA, and proteins, what we have learned about the ribosome over the past 50+ years, x-ray crystallography, and his trip to the LMB. They also discuss his experience of seeing atomic subunits of ribosomes for the first time, winning the Nobel Prize, and the future of ribosome research.

Venki Ramakrishnan is a biologist and group leader of the Medical Research Center (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology and is a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was President of the Royal Society from 2015 to 2020. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for his work on the sequence of the ribosome structure. He is also a member of the Order of Merit since 2012. He is the author of, Gene Machine: The Race to Decipher the Secrets of the Ribosome.

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#294 - The Philosophy of Twins: A Dialogue with Helena de Bres Jan 04, 2024

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Helena de Bres about the philosophy of twins. They talk about why people are fascinated by twins, binarizing twins, definitions of selfhood, twins and individuality, and the extended mind. They also talk about twins and love, twins and dating, what twins teach people about objectification, and many more topics.

Helena de Bres is Professor of Philosophy at Wellesley College. Her main interests are on philosophy of literature, specifically the nature of memoir. She also works with themes of creative writing, public philosophy, and distributive justice. She is the author of Artful Truths: The Philosophy of Memoir and her most recent book, How to be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins.

Website: https://sites.google.com/wellesley.edu/helenadebres/home?authuser=0

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#293 - The History of Equality: A Dialogue with Darrin McMahon Dec 31, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Darrin McMahon about the history of equality. They define equality and inequality, hierarchies, equality not being sameness, equality as a value, and equality in other animals. They also talk about the origins of equality, reverse hierarchy dominance theory for equality, cooperation, slavery, religion, the Greeks complicated history with equality, complexity of enlightenment values, equality in the future, and many more topics.

Darrin McMahon is David W. Little Class of 1944 Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Dartmouth College. He has his PhD from Yale University. He is the recipient of major fellowships from the Mellon and Guggenheim Foundations and has been visiting scholar at Columbia University, New York University, Yale University, the University of Rouen, the École Normale Supérieur, the École des Hautes Études, and the University of Potsdam. His writings have appeared in such publications as the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the New York Times Book Review, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, the New Republic, and Slates. He writes regularly for the Literary Review in London. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea.

Website: https://darrinmcmahon.com/

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#292 - Surviving Our Catastrophes: A Dialogue with Robert Jay Lifton Dec 30, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert Jay Lifton about resilience, catastrophe, and survival. They discuss psychohistory, his work with survivors of Hiroshima, the death imprint for survivors and his work with Erik Erikson. They talk about Freud’s death drive and differences and similarities to the death imprint. They discuss understanding resilience and surviving COVID-19, individual and collective mourning, surviving the effects of climate change, protean self, survivor power, the realities of catastrophe, and many other topics.

Robert Jay Lifton is a psychiatrist and pioneer of psychohistory. He has been a professor at the Washington School of Psychiatry, Yale University, Harvard University, the City University of New York, and Columbia University. Together with Erik Erikson, he convened the Wellfleet Psychohistory Group in 1966. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, Surviving our Catastrophes: Resilience and Renewal from Hiroshima to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Website: https://www.robertjaylifton.com/

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#291 - Cold War Liberalism: A Dialogue with Samuel Moyn Dec 28, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Samuel Moyn about cold war liberalism. They provide a definition of liberalism, cold war liberalism, and some of the differences between these two forms of liberalism. They discuss some of the lessons from Cold War liberals for liberals today and the rise of neoliberalism and neoconservatism. They discuss the work of Judith Shklar, romanticism for Shklar and Isaiah Berlin, Karl Popper and historicism, Hannah Arendt on liberalism, Lionel Trilling on Freud and Cold War liberalism, the future of liberalism, and many more topics.

Samuel Moyn is Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. He has his law degree from Harvard University and his PhD in modern European history from University of California, Berkeley. He is fellow at Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and has received fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the Berggruen Institute, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. His main interests are in international law, human rights, and 20th century European moral and political theory. He was recently named one of Propsect Magazine’s top thinkers in the world for 2024. He is the author of numerous books including his most recent, Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of our Times.

Website: https://campuspress.yale.edu/samuelmoyn/

Twitter: @samuelmoyn

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#290 - Finding Meaning In Our Universe: A Dialogue with Philip Goff Dec 25, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Philip Goff about the big questions of the universe. They discuss questions such as “why are we here” and “what is the purpose of living?” They talk about how much meaning could we possibly receive from life, value nihilism and value fundamentalism, and where do morals originate? They also discuss panpsychism, consciousness, Integration Information Theory, implications of panpsychism, and many more topics.

Philip Goff is a philosopher and professor at Durham University, UK. His main focus areas are on the nature of reality and he is well-published on panpsychism. He has a podcast, Mind Chat, and is the author of several books including the most recent, Why?:The Purpose of the Universe.

Website: https://philipgoffphilosophy.com/

Twitter: @philip_goff

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#289 - First Steps Towards Ending Mass Incarceration: A Dialogue with Colleen Eren Dec 21, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Colleen Eren about mass incarceration and the First Step Act. They discuss the current landscape of mass incarceration, jail and prison, and why people have started caring about mass incarceration. They discuss the First Step Act, bipartisan support, ‘94 crime bill, and the history of legislation on incarceration since LBJ. They talk about “mainstreamization,” billionaire involvement, celebrity involvement, impact of the First Step Act, and where future legislation goes on mass incarceration.

Colleen Eren is Associate Professor and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Program Director at William Paterson University. She has her PhD in Sociology from City University of New York, The Graduate Center. She is a member of the Crime and Justice Research Alliance of the American Society of Criminology. She has written three books including her most recent book, Reform Nation: The First Step Act and The Movement to End Mass Incarceration.

Twitter: @colleeneren

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#288 - Mass Incarceration and The Death of Rehabilitation: A Dialogue with Vincent Schiraldi Dec 18, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Vincent Schiraldi about mass incarceration, probation, and parole. They discuss the current landscape of mass incarceration, probation, and parole, why there are high rates of incarceration and probation, history of probation and parole, and the impact of Nixon’s war on drugs. They talk about the Martinson report, bias, stereotypes, and racism, and the case example of Meek Mill and high incarceration rates in Philadelphia. They talk about alternative methods for improving probation and parole, future of probation, and many other topics.

Vincent Schiraldi is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. He previously served as Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction, and before that Columbia University, where he served as Senior Research Scientist at the Columbia School of Social Work and co-Director of the Columbia Justice Lab. While Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Correction, he attempted to close Riker’s Island and end the practice of solitary confinement. He also served as director of juvenile corrections in Washington DC, as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Probation, and as Senior Policy Adviser to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. He is the author of the book, Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom.

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#287 - The Blue machine: A Dialogue with Helen Czerski Dec 14, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Helen Czerski about the Ocean on the Earth. They talk about how there is one ocean on planet Earth, why we ignore the ocean, makeup of the ocean with temperature, salinity, and wetness, and how much salt is in the ocean. They discuss the layers of the ocean, the Mediterranean sea, the shape of water, impact of wind and gravity, the moon’s relationship with ocean tides, 5 gyres, the ocean floor, impact of climate change, and many more topics.

Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer who conducts research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. She has her PhD in physics from Cambridge and completed a postdoc in oceanography. She has presented on many BBC science documentaries and her research is spent studying the atmosphere and ocean surface. She is the author of the new book, The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works.

Website: https://www.helenczerski.net/

Twitter: @helenczerski

Instagram: @Helen_czerski

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#286 - Gender Performativity in Biology: A Dialogue with Richard Prum Dec 11, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Prum about sex, gender, and biology. They talk about why sex and gender are sometimes controversial, defining sex, and sex as history. They discuss the materialist-feminist framework, gender as an extended phenotype, gender performativity, genes and chromosomes, Wolffian and Müllerian ducts, the role of hormones, the future of gender, and many more topics.

Richard Prum is an Evolutionary Ornithologist at Yale University. His research interests are avian biology, behavioral evolution, sexual selection, and mate choice. He has been a main contributor to the theropod dinosaur origins of birds and the evolution of avian plumage coloration. He is the Curator of Ornithology and Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Previously, he was the Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale. He is the author of, The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us, and his latest book, Performance All the Way Down: Genes, Development, and Sexual Difference. You can find his scholarly publications here.

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#285 - Polyvagal Theory: A Dialogue with Stephen Porges Dec 07, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephen Porges about polyvagal theory. They discuss the importance of safety, the vagus nerve and polyvagal theory, and why the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) is important. They discuss the various branches, the social engagement system, neuroplasticity, and how the polyvagal theory works with trauma and co-regulation. They discuss the practical and clinical uses of the polyvagal theory, criticisms of the theory, future of the theory, and many more topics.

Stephen Porges is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.

He was president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and was a recipient of National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers across several disciplines and is the founder of the polyvagal theory. He is the author of numerous books, including the most recent book (co-authored with Seth Porges), Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us.

Website: https://www.stephenporges.com/

Paper 1: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000436?via%3Dihub

Paper 2: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnint.2022.871227/full

Paper 3: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497623000346?via%3Dihub

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#284 - Hegel on Being: A Dialogue with Stephen Houlgate Dec 03, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stephen Houlgate on Hegel’s Logic and his philosophy of being. They discuss the main aims of Hegel’s Logic and the use of categories, why Hegel believed Kant’s Logic is not critical enough, categories of thought and natural kinds, and separating thinking and being. They discuss Hegel and Heidegger on being, Hegel on objectivity and being presuppositionless, and pure being, becoming, and nothing. They discuss Nietzsche and Hegel on becoming, Dasein, Hegel and Frege on quantity, differential calculus, linking the Phenomenology of Spirit and Logic, and many more topics.

Stephen Houlgate is professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick. He has his PhD from the University of Cambridge and his main interest is the work of Hegel. He has published numerous books, including the most recent two volume, Hegel on Being.

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#283 - Recycling Empire: A Dialogue with Adam Mestyan Nov 30, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adam Mestyan about the post-Ottoman Middle East. They discuss nation states, recycling empire, international imperialism, and sovereignty. They talk about political order rather than governance, local states, nation states or federations, republics or monarchies, constitutive fictions, British and Ottoman involvement in Egypt, Egyptian sovereignty and the Muslim Brotherhood, the kingdom of Syria, and many more topics.

Adam Mestyan is Associate Professor in the History Department at Duke University. He has previously taught at Harvard University and was a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. His main interests are in natural history and Islamic law, urban history, the history of taxation, and Arab state formation (especially federations) in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, Modern Arab Kingship: Remaking the Ottoman Political Order in the Interwar Middle East.

Website: https://adammestyan.com/

Twitter: @adammestyan

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#282 - Nuclear Doomsday Pending: A Dialogue with Carl Robichaud Nov 27, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Carl Robichaud about past and present nuclear risks. They discuss why nuclear weapons are still relevant, creation of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, and attempts at regulation after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They discuss Bay of pigs, SALT I & II, START I & II, and the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. They talk about the nine countries that currently have nuclear weapons, nuclear taboo, India-Pakistan tensions with nuclear weapons, Iran deal during the Obama administration, and nuclear energy. They also discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Israel and their nuclear weapons, China’s nuclear program, nuclear testing, and hypersonic missiles. They talk about the process of launching a nuclear weapon, Ai and nuclear weapons, a future with no nuclear weapons, and many more topic.

Carl Robichaud co-leads Longview Philanthropy’s programme on nuclear weapons policy, and co-manages Longview’s Nuclear Weapons Policy Fund. He holds an MPA in public policy and international affairs from Princeton University. Carl previously worked with The Century Foundation and the Global Security Institute, where his extensive research spanned arms control, international security policy, and nonproliferation. He is also on the Council for Foreign Relations.

Website: https://www.longview.org/

Twitter: @carlrobichaud

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#281 - Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint: A Dialogue with Peter Sarris Nov 23, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Sarris about the Roman emperor, Justinian. They give an overview of Justinian, provide the context of the Roman Empire, discuss the rise of Justin and him adopting Justinian and Justinian’s succession. They talk about the lessons Justinian learned from Justin’s reign, urgency and energy early in Justinian’s reign and his emphasis on religious law. They discuss the importance of Armenia, zealous nature of Justinian with his religious laws, the Hagia Sofia and other religious sites, military campaigns, and the impact of his religious laws. They talk about the relationship dynamics with his wife, how he handled pandemics and disease, the legacy of Justinian, and many other topics.

Peter Sarris is Professor of Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine studies and Fellow of Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. He has been Visiting Fellow at Rice University and Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, Washington, DC (Harvard University). His research has focused on the social, economic and legal history of Late Antiquity, the Early Middle Ages and Byzantium, with a particular focus on the political economy of the East Roman Empire from the fourth to sixth centuries. He is the author of many publications, including the most recent book, Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint.

Twitter: @peter_sarris

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#280 - The Four Realms of Existence: A Dialogue with Joseph LeDoux Nov 20, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Joseph LeDoux about human cognition, consciousness, and existence. They discuss his work with Michael Gazzaniga on split brain patients, the four realms of existence, idea of the self, personality and temperament, and integration information theory. They talk about the extended mind, habits and goal direct behaviors, granular and sub-granular areas of the prefrontal cortex for consciousness, and Tulving’s 3 layers of consciousness. They also discuss cognition as a psychological concept, fear, first order and higher order theory, AI and consciousness, and many more topics.

Joseph LeDoux is the Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at NYU in the Center for Neural Science, and he is the director of the Emotional Brain Institute at NYU. He also a Professor of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical School. His work is focused on the brain mechanisms of memory and emotion and he is the author of numerous books including his most recent book, The Four Realms of Existence. He has received numerous awards and he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is also the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band, The Amygdaloids.

Website: https://joseph-ledoux.com/

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#279 - Carbon Accounting and Climate Change: A Dialogue with Kristian Rönn Nov 16, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kristian Rönn about carbon accounting and climate change. They talk about his work with Future for Humanity and how he created Normative. They discuss the landscape of climate change at the moment, his company Normative, and the differences between net zero and carbon neutral. They discuss carbon offsets, carbon accounting, and ton-year accounting. They talk about scopes 1, 2, & 3, global regulations, cap and trade, greenwashing, impact of AI on carbon accounting, and many more topics.

Kristian Rönn is the CEO and Co-founder of Normative. He has previously worked at the University of Oxford’s Future for Humanity analyzing global catastrophic risks. His background is in mathematics, philosophy, computer science, and artificial intelligence.

Website: https://normative.io/

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#278 - Conservation Presidents in the 20th Century: A Dialogue with Douglas Brinkley Nov 13, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Douglas Brinkley about various conservation presidents in the 20th century. They discuss his process for how he wrote his conservation trilogy, understanding the psychology of Theodore Roosevelt (TR’s) and how conservation was important to him, and TR’s complex relationship with animals that included preservation and hunting. They talk about how TR used the Federal Government to protect natural land, his relationship with Native Americans, and his overall legacy. They discuss Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) using the Federal Government for enacting policies to protect forests, building dams, and creating recreation areas, and how he tied conservation with economic growth. They discuss the impact of Rachel Carson and John F. Kennedy (JFK) for the environmental wave in the 60s, the environmental justice movement, Richard Nixon seizing the moment of environmental activism, climate change in the present moment, and many more topics.

Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, a CNN Presidential Historian, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He is the author of numerous books including the conservation trilogy which include, The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, Righteous Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, and Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening.

Six of his books have been named New York Times “Notable Books of the Year” and seven became New York Times bestsellers. He received a Grammy Award in 2017 as co-producer of Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom (Best Jazz Ensemble). The New-York Historical Society selected Brinkley in 2017 as their official U.S. Presidential Historian. He is on the Board of Trustees at Brevard College and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library. He is a member of the Century Association, Council of Foreign Relations and James Madison Council of the Library of Congress.

Website: https://douglasbrinkley.com/

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#277 - The 200 Million Year History of Eves: A Dialogue with Cat Bohannon Nov 09, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Cat Bohannon about the evolutionary history of females. They discuss her background, limited female subjects in many research papers, “morgie” and how milk became important, other features of milk such as bonding, attachment, and the “let-down” reflex. They also talk about the different types of wombs for monotremes, marsupials, and placentals, placenta and the menstrual cycle, and risks of pregnancy. They also talk about the grandmother hypothesis, future of females, and many more topics.

Cat Bohannon is a research and author with her PhD from Columbia University. She has studied the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, Science magazine, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, Lapham’s Quarterly, and other outlets. She is the author of the book, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution.

Website: https://www.catbohannon.com/

Twitter: @catbohannon

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#276 - A Segmented History of The Chapter: A Dialogue with Nicholas Dames Nov 06, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Dames about the history of the chapter. They discuss how chapters have boundaries, define what is a chapter, and talk about literacy form. They also talk about the chapter as temporal units or scenes, Tabula Bembina and the first chapter, capitulation and Augustine, and how the chapter evolved with the history of the Bible. They also discuss the chapter in the 15th century, Locke’s anti-chapter theory, Jane Austen and the significance of chapter word count, Tolstoy and episodes, and Dickens and Eliot with diurnal time. They also discuss Machado’s inbetweenness, the Antique-Diminutive Model, chapter in film, the future of the chapter, and many more topics.

Nicholas Dames is the Theodore Kahan Professor of Humanities in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. He has been a recipient of Columbia’s Presidential Teaching Award (2005), a Charles Ryskamp Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (2005-6), the Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award (2008), and the Mark Van Doren Award for Teaching (2013). In 2009-2010 he was chair of the MLA’s Division on Prose Fiction Executive Committee. From 2011-2014 he was chair of the Department of English and Comparative Literature. His main interests are in the history and theory of the novel, the hsitory of reading, and 19th century fiction. He is the author of the most recent book, The Chapter: A Segmented History from Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century.

Website: https://nicholasdames.org/

Twitter: @n_j_dames

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#275 - Animal Consciousness: A Dialogue with Walter Veit Nov 02, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Walter Veit about animal consciousness. They talk about various frameworks for understanding consciousness, the naturalist approach, cognitive ethology, and pathological complexity thesis. They discuss consciousness arising in the Cambrian period, defining consciousness, free will, consciousness profile, Integrated Information Theory, interacting with animals, and many more topics.

Walter Veit is a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Reading. He is also the Director of the PPE Program and the Philosophy MA Program. He is also an external member of the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy at the University of Munich. He has his PhD from the School of History and philosophy of Science at the University of Sydney. His research interests have been on animal ethics, welfare, and evolution. He is the author of the book, A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness.

Website: https://walterveit.com/

Twitter: @wrwveit

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#274 - A Theory of Everyone: A Dialogue with Michael Muthukrishna Oct 30, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Michael Muthukrishna about energy, cooperation, and global themes. They discuss the broad scope of the book, importance of theory, energy being essential for cooperation, corruption and cooperation, laws of life, cooperation fueling human growth, and some of the negative aspects of cooperation. They also talk about intelligence, immigration, wealth inequality, meritocracy, and many other topics.

Michael Muthukrishna is Associate Professor of economic psychology in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has his PhD in psychology from the University of British Columbia and his main interests are in cooperation, cross-cultural differences, and corruption. He is the author of the latest book, A Theory of Everyone: The New Science of Who We Are, How we got here, and Where we are going.

Website: https://www.michael.muthukrishna.com/

Twitter: @mmuthukrishna

Book Website: https://www.atheoryofeveryone.com/

Substack:

2019 paper on theory: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0522-1

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#273 - Christians and Muslims in the Age of Charlemagne: A Dialogue with Sam Ottewill-Soulsby Oct 26, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sam Ottewill-Soulsby about Christians and Muslims relationships during the age of Charlemagne. They discuss Charlemagne and his context, the viewpoint of the Muslim world, and the landscape of the Abbasid and Umayyad empires. They discuss prestige diplomacy, frontier diplomacy, importance of Islam and Christianity, four legal schools of Islam, and Carolingian religious values. They also discuss the dynamics with the Abbasid, gift giving, war and peace with the Umayyads in the 9th century, and many more topics.

Sam Ottewill-Soulsby is a researcher at the University of Oslo. He has a Bachelors in History from the University of York, Masters in Medieval History and PhD in History from the University of Cambridge. He has been a Research Associate for the Impact of the Ancient City project at the University of Cambridge. He was also Visiting Research Fellow at the Migration and Mobility in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Tübingen. He is the author of the book, The Emperor and the Elephant: Christians and Muslims in the Age of Charlemagne.

Twitter: @sottewillsoulsb

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#272 - The Darkened Light of Democracy: A Dialogue with Melvin Rogers Oct 23, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Melvin Rogers about Black American thought and democracy. They discuss the two visions/stories of democracy in America, utility of rhetoric, and whether white supremacy is still a relevant term in present-day America. They discuss Walker’s use of appeal, on freedom, Jefferson on we the people, political loss, Baldwin and race relations, how we move forward, and many more topics.

Melvin Rogers is the Associate Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and Professor of Political Science at Brown University. He has his MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from Cambridge and his PhD in Political Science from Yale University. His main interests are in democratic theory, American, and African-American political thought. He is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Darkened Light of Faith.

Website: https://www.melvinrogers.site/

Twitter: @mrogers097

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#271 - Black Grief/White Grievance: A Dialogue with Juliet Hooker Oct 19, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Juliet Hooker about the politics of loss and the racial themes connected with loss. They discuss how racial justice is a prominent theme in today’s society, they define loss and how it is political, and discuss anticipatory loss. They also talk about white Americans with Anticipatory loss, symbolic vs. material loss, democracy and political loss, and class and inequality. They also discuss Civil Rights today, Black Maternal health, public grievance, and many other topics.

Juliet Hooker is the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University. She is a political theorist that teaches and covers topics of racial justice, Latin American political thought and Black political thought. She has her PhD in government from Cornell University. She is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Black Grief/White Grievance: The Politics of Loss.

Website: https://juliethooker.com/

Twitter: @creoleprof

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#270 - From Kant to Kink: Demystifying Sexual Consent: A Dialogue with Manon Garcia Oct 16, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Manon Garcia about sexual consent. They define what is consent, legal and moral consent, qualitative sex and consensual sex, and where power and responsibility fit within sexual consent. They discuss gender norms, consent out of politeness, reciprocal pleasure, consent in marriage, sex as a conversation, and many more topics.

Manon Garcia is a philosopher, author, and Junior Professor of practical philosophy at Freie Universitat in Berlin, Germany. She has a PhD in philosophy from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She has completed fellowships at Harvard, University of Chicago, and was an Assistant Professor of philosophy at Yale University. Her main interests are in political philosophy, feminist philosophy, and moral philosophy. She is the author of two books which are, We Are Not Born Submissive: How Patriarchy Shapes Women’s Lives, and her most recent book, The Joy of Consent: A Philosophy of Good Sex.

Website: https://www.manon-garcia.com/

Twitter: @manongarciafr

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#269 - Two Much Privilege: Marriage, Parenting, and Economics: A Dialogue with Melissa Kearney Oct 12, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Melissa Kearney about the two-parent privilege. They define what is the two-parent privilege, the class gap in families and importance of college educated parents. They talk about conservative family values and views on two-parent households, two parents working outside of the home, working moms, stay-at-home moms, and single moms. They talk about the child tax credit, childhood poverty, birth rates, and many more topics.

Melissa S. Kearney is the Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and Director of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group. She is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); a non-resident Senior Fellow at Brookings; a scholar affiliate and member of the board of the Notre Dame Wilson-Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO); and a scholar affiliate of the MIT Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). She is an editorial board member of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy and Journal of Economic Literature, and a former co-editor of the Journal of Human Resources and Senior Editor of Future of Children. She holds a BA in Economics from Princeton University and a PhD in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is the author of the book, The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind.

Website: http://econweb.umd.edu/~kearney/melissa_website/index.html

Twitter: @kearney_melissa

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#268 - An Evolutionary Journey of Free Will: A Dialogue with Kevin Mitchell Oct 09, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Mitchell about the evolutionary story of free will. They discuss why biology and genetics help understand free will, different levels of determinism, reacting vs. choosing at the cellular level, and choice with ion channels in the cell. They also discuss dimensions of free will, vision and choice, decision making at cortical levels of the brain, creativity, and metacognition. They engage on personality theories, notion of the self, AI and free will, and many more topics.

Kevin Mitchell is an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He has his BA in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley. His current research focuses on genetics and wiring of the brain specifically as it relates to neuropsychiatric disorders. He is the author of Innate: How the wiring of our brains shapes who we are and his latest book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will

Website: https://www.kjmitchell.com/

Blog: http://www.wiringthebrain.com/

Twitter: @wiringthebrain

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#267 - A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind: A Dialogue with Clancy Martin Oct 05, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Clancy Martin about suicide. They talk about his personal experiences and why he wrote the book in such an honest manner. They discuss why suicide is such a taboo topic, why gratitude for life isn’t always enough, practical ways to help when feeling suicidal, and the imminence of death. They talk about freedom and burden of living, assisted suicide, treatment, and many more topics.

Clancy Martin is a philosopher and author. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Ashoka University in New Delhi. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New York, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Esquire, and The Paris Review. He is the author of the book, How Not To Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind.

If you or someone you know feels suicidal, please contact the National Suicide Hotline 24/7: 988

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#266 - The Identity Trap: A Dialogue with Yascha Mounk Oct 02, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Yascha Mounk about the cultural wars and how identity has become central for society today. They discuss his motivations for writing the book and his perspective on identity and cultural issues. They talk about the lure of the identity trap, the history of the identity synthesis from Foucault, to Said, to Spivack, to Bell, to Crenshaw, and the links between these figures. They discuss the impact of social media, institutional capture, how to engage with identity issues, and many more topics.

Yascha Mounk is a writer and academic. He has a Bachelors in history from Trinity College, Cambridge and PhD in government from Harvard University. He is a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, where he holds appointments in both the School of Advanced International Studies and the SNF Agora Institute. He is also a Contributing Editor at The Atlantic, and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the Founder of Persuasion, the host of The Good Fight podcast, and serves as a publisher (Herausgeber) at Die Zeit. He is the author of five books, including the most recent book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time.

Website: https://www.yaschamounk.com/

Substack:

Podcast: The Good Fight

Twitter: @yascha_mounk

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#265 - 700 years of Rivalry Between Rome and Persia: A Dialogue with Adrian Goldsworthy Sep 28, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adrian Goldsworthy about the 700 years of rivalry between the Roman and Persian Empires. They discuss the importance of studying past empires, overview of the rivalry, and the Roman and Persia Empires in this 700 year period. They discuss the differences in governing and peaceful co-existing, complexities of Armenia, greatness of Augustus, and the silk road. They also discuss Constantine, Justinian’s reign, the Arab armies and how they quelled the Roman and Persian rivalry, and many more topics.

Adrian Goldsworthy is a historian and author. He has his DPhil from Oxford University and has conducted research at Cardiff University and taught at King’s College London and University of Notre Dame. He is the author of numerous books on Roman history, including his latest book, Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry.

Website: http://www.adriangoldsworthy.com/

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#264 - The Golden Age of the Roman Empire: A Dialogue with Tom Holland Sep 25, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Tom Holland about the Golden Age of the Roman empire. They provide an overview of Pax Romana, greatness of Augustus, and Nero as a tyrant. They talk about the chaotic year of AD 69 with four emperors, Judean revolt, and Vespasian’s peacemaking abilities. They discuss the importance of Pliny, environmental contexts for peace, the five good emperors and the rule of Trajan and Hadrian, legacy of the Roman empire, and many more topics.

Tom Holland is a historian and author. He has adapted Homer, Herodotus and Virgil for the BBC. He is the presenter of BBC 4’s Making History series and is the co-host of the podcast, The Rest Is History. He is the author of numerous books such as Dominion, Dynasty, Rubicon, and his latest book, Pax.

Website: https://www.tom-holland.org/

Twitter: @holland_tom

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#263 - Climate and the Science of Denial: A Dialogue with David Lipsky Sep 21, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Lipsky about the history of climate science denial. They discuss how he wrote this book, origins of discovering climate change, Edison and Westinghouse, and the influence of Einstein. They discuss the history of scientists observing climate changes, Nixon and the Clean Air Act and EPA, and Fred Singer and his involvement with the Unification church. They also talk about believing pseudoscience, PR campaigns for science denial for smoking and climate, and many more topics.

David Lipsky is an author, editor, and teacher. He teaches writing and literature at New York University. He is the author of numerous books including Absolutely American, Although Of Course You End Up Yourself, and his latest book, The Parrot and The Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial. He is work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, The Best American Short Stories, and The New York Times Book Review. He is also the recipient of the GLAAD award and National Magazine award.

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#262 - Failures of Forgiveness: A Dialogue with Myisha Cherry Sep 18, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Myisha Cherry about forgiveness. They define forgiveness, discuss how moral systems are important for forgiveness, and discuss the narrow view and the broad view of forgiveness. They also talk about emotions and behaviors, what we do with bitterness, actions or the person, different capacities for different people, canceling others and forgiving public figures, forgiving one’s self, and many other topics.

Myisha Cherry is associate professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside. She is the Director of the Emotion and Society Lab with her research areas being in moral psychology, emotions, and social and political philosophy. She has a Bachelors in philosophy from Morgan State University, a Masters of Divinity from Howard University, and a PhD in philosophy from University of Illinois, Chicago. She is the author of The Moral Psychology of Anger (Co-edited with Owen Flanagan), The Case for Rage, and her newest book, Failures of Forgiveness.

Website: https://www.myishacherry.org/

Substack:

Podcast: https://unmutetalk.podbean.com/

Twitter: @myishacherry

Instagram: @myishacherry

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#261 - Collective Memory and Civil Rights: A Dialogue with Hajar Yazdiha Sep 14, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hajar Yazdiha about collective memory and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They discuss how we can accruately understand Dr. King’s message and legacy, how we reckon with history, and what a multicultural coalition looks like today. They discuss collective memory, creating culture, primary audience of Dr. King’s message, various groups using Dr. King’s message, and many more topics.

Hajar Yazdiha is a sociologist and writer. She is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and faculty affiliate of the Equity Research Institute at the University of Southern California. She has her PhD in Sociology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her main research areas are on social movements, race and ethnicity, immigration, and collective memory. She is the author of, The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement.

Website: https://www.hajaryazdiha.com/

Twitter: @hajyazdiha

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#260 - Power and Progress: A Dialogue with Daron Acemoglu Sep 11, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daron Acemoglu on technology, inequality, and power. They discuss how technological progress is a choice, defining progress, power of persuasion, and needs and innovations. They also talk about innovation, globalization, and automation in the post World War II era, AI and culture, fixing the challenges of technological inequality, and many more topics.

Daron Acemoglu is an economist and Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is part of the National Bureau Economic Research and Center for Economic Policy Research. He has his Bachelors in economics from the University of York, a Masters in mathematical economics and econometrics from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics. He is the author of six books including, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and his most recent book, Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson).

Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemoglu

Twitter: @dacemoglumit

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#259 - Nietzsche's Great Politics: A Dialogue with Hugo Drochon Sep 07, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hugo Drochon about Nietzsche’s political thought. They talk about why Nietzsche’s political thought has been ignored, Nietzsche’s great politics, Nietzsche’s emphasis on culture, Plato and political philosophy, and how to build a culture. They also talk about philosophy of state, democracy, slavery, caste systems, Nietzsche’s politics in modernity, and many other topics.

Hugo Drochon is a political theorist and historian. He has his PhD from Cambridge and completed his postdoctoral fellowship there as well. He has also had fellowships at Yale, Princeton, and Royal Historical Society. His main interests are in Nietzsche’s politics, democratic theory, and liberalism. He is the author of, Nietzsche’s Great Politics.

Website: https://www.hugodrochon.com/

Twitter: @hdrochon

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#258 - Beyond the Wall: A Dialogue with Katja Hoyer Sep 04, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Katja Hoyer about the history of East Germany. They discuss the culture of East and West Germany and how East Germany originated, East Germany and the relationship with the Soviet Union, and the political makeup of East Germany. They also talk about the significance of Ulbrecht and socialism, creation of the Berlin Wall, and the Stasi in East Germany. They discuss the failed economics in East Germany in the 1980s, similarities between unification in 1871 and reunification in 1990, Angela Merkel’s time in office, and how a unified Germany moves forward.

Katja Hoyer is a historian and journalist who is visiting research fellow at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is also Global Opinions contributing columnist for The Washington Post. Her main research area is the history of modern Germany. She is the author of Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918 and Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany.

Twitter: @hoyer_kat

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#257 - Polyamory and Eugenics: A Dialogue with Diana Fleischman Aug 31, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Diana Fleischman about a wide range of topics including polyamory and eugenics. They talk about how evolutionary psychology is a good framework for understanding relationships, patriarchal and matriarchal societies, history of monogamous and polyamorous relationships and jealousy and polyamory. They also talk about the difficult history of eugenics, decoupling bad from the good, polygenic scores, governmental differences with prenatal care, GWAS, and many more topics.

Diana Fleischman is an evolutionary psychologist and Associate Research professor at the University of New Mexico. Her research has focused on evolutionary psychology, disgust research, sex differences, animal rights, and eugenics.

Website: https://www.dianafleischman.com/

Substack:

Twitter: @sentientist

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#256 - The Rigor of Angels: A Dialogue with William Egginton Aug 28, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Egginton about the nature of reality through the work by Borges, Heisenberg, and Kant. They discuss what connects these three men, role of interpretation, and different tools to ask big questions about space, time, and reality. They also talk about the origins of reality, change, Hume’s impact on Kant’s thinking, power of theory for understanding science, existence, and many more topics.

William Egginton is an author, literary critic, and Decker Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at Johns Hopkins University. His main interests are in poetry, literature, philosophy, history of science. He is the author of numerous books including his latest book, The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality.

Website: https://www.williamegginton.com/

Twitter: @williamegginton

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#255 - Notes on Complexity: A Dialogue with Neil Theise Aug 24, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Neil Theise about complexity in biology, physics, and consciousness. They talk about complexity with general systems theory, chaos theory, and fractals. They discuss complementarity with cellular biology and quantum mechanics. They also discuss consciousness, what it means to be human, and many more topics.

Neil Theise is a professor of pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. His main research interests are on adult stem cells and the anatomy of the human interstitium. He is the author of the book, Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being.

Website: https://www.neiltheiseofficial.com/

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#254 - Trying To "Own the Libs" Since 1967: A Dialogue with Lauren Lassabe Shepherd Aug 21, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lauren Lassabe Shepherd about conservatives on colleges campuses in the 1960s. They talked about the organization of the book, presentism, the New Right being exported to mass media and politics, and how the New Right was very “Anti.” They discuss Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), movement from college campuses to politics, Libertarians split from conservatives, and the impact on current politics.

Lauren Lassabe Shepherd is a historian, writer, and teacher. She teaches in the Department of Education and Human Development at the University of New Orleans. Her research focuses on the history of higher education in the United States during the 20th century. She is the author of her first book, Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars.

Website: laurenlassabe.com

Twitter: @llassabe

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#253 - Taking Flight: A Dialogue with Lev Parikian Aug 17, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lev Parikian about flight in animals. They discuss convergent evolution for flight, four forces of flight, and early flight with mayflies and dragonflies. They talk about vision in dragonflies, beetles, bees and their different uses of their wings and pterosaurs. They talk about birds, flightless birds, speed of hummingbirds, bats, and many more topics.

Lev Parikian is an author and conductor. He has written for many publications on birds. He is the author of six books including the most recent book, Taking Flight. His orchestral work has been on BBC and he has put out two albums and various orchestral work.

Website: https://levparikian.com/

Substack:

Twitter: @levparikian

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#252 - The Philosophy of Translation: A Dialogue with Damion Searls Aug 14, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Damion Searls about the philosophy of translation. They talk about decisions in translation, primacy of reading, and trusting the translator. They discuss language proficiency, fluency, dead vs. modern languages, and translating various authors. They also talk about translating Wittgenstein, translation process, how to select a translation, and many more topics.

Damion Searls is a translator, author, and philosopher. He has translated works by Proust, Rilke, Nietzsche, Thomas Mann, Jon Fosse, and many others. He is author of, The Inkblots, and is currently working on his latest book on the philosophy of translation.

Website: https://www.damionsearls.com/

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#251 - Mental Imagery: A Dialogue with Bence Nanay Aug 10, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bence Nanay about mental imagery. They define mental imagery, hyperaphantasia and aphantasia, mental imagery as unconscious, predictive processing and representations. They discuss the role of the body, multimodal dimensions, EMDR, metaphysics, phenomenology of perception, and many more topics.

Bence Nanay is a philosopher and BOF Research Professor of philosophical psychology at the University of Antwerp. His main interests are on the philosophy and psychology of perception. He is well published with many peer-reviewed articles and is the author of numerous books, including the most recent book, Mental Imagery.

Website: https://bencenanay.com/

Twitter: @bencenanay

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#250 - Parfit: A Dialogue with David Edmonds Aug 07, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Edmonds about the life and philosophy of Derek Parfit. They discuss the enigma of Derek Parfit, impact of his religious family, his work with poetry, journalism, and photography, and his time in the USA and Oxford. They talk about personal identity and the self, Reasons and Persons, utilitarianism, non-identity, equality, On What Matters, and many more topics.

David Edmonds is a philosopher and author. He is Distinguished Research Fellow at Oxford University. His main interests are in moral philosophy and ethics. He is also the co-host (with Nigel Warburton) of the popular podcast, Philosophy Bites. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Parfit: A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality.

Website: http://www.davidedmonds.info/

Twitter: @davidedmonds100

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#249 - A Cellular Story of Life: A Dialogue with Alfonso Martinez Arias Aug 03, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alfonso Martinez Arias about the cell and its importance for organisms. They talk about why many people overemphasize genes and underemphasize cells, provide a basic overview of the cell, and discuss the role of gametes. They talk about cells and embryos, embryonic stem cells, bioethics, science communication, polygenic index scores, cancerous cells, and many more topics.

Alfonso Martinez Arias is a developmental biologist and ICREA Research Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He is the leader of the Martinez Arias Lab where his research is focused on embryonic stem cells. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell is Rewriting the Story of Life.

Website: https://amapress.upf.edu/

Twitter: @amartinezarias

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#248 - Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of A Divided Land: A Dialogue with Jacob Mikanowski Jul 31, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jacob Mikanowski about the past and present history of Eastern Europe. They define the contours of Eastern Europe and why this region is often forgotten. They talk about the Slavs possibly originating from Romania, Ashkenazi Jews, Paganism, Christianity, and Judaism in Eastern Europe. They talk about Muslim majority countries in Eastern Europe, impact of the Ottoman Empire, the “almost empire” of Poland-Lithuania, and Transylvania. They also discuss language and nationalism, modernization in the 20th century, communism, and many more topics.

Jacob Mikanowski is a writer and journalist who focuses on on many topics within art, anthropology, and history. He has been studying the history of Eastern Europe for many years and his writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other places. He is the author of the latest book, Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of A Divided Land.

Website: https://jacob-mikanowski.com/

Twitter: @jmikanowski

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#247 - Kant's Influence on Biology: A Dialogue with Andrew Jones Jul 27, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Jones about the impact that Kant had on biology. They discuss philosophy of science, Kant’s influence on biology, and how transcendental idealism of Kant impacts biology. They talk about Kant’s idea of the natural world and reality, Straussian interactions with Kant, the need for distinct disciplines, and some spiritualism in biology. They also talk about the impact of judgement on science, Kant and Hume, Kant’s relevance on Darwin, on biological organisms, and many more topics.

Andrew Jones is a philosopher and Postdoctoral Impact Fellow at the University of Exeter. He has a variety of interests in philosophy, interdisciplinary research, theology, and biology. He is the author of the book, How Kant Matters for Biology.

Website: https://andyjonesphilosophy.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @andyjonesphd

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#246 - Natural Things in Early Modern Worlds: A Dialogue with Mackenzie Cooley, Anna Toledano, & Duygu Yildirim Jul 24, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Mackenzie Cooley, Anna Toledano, & Duygu Yildirim about natural things in early modern worlds. They discuss how they wrote and edited their book together, Bezoar stones and their medicinal purposes, and ambergris and its medicinal purposes along with aesthetic uses. They also talk about coffee in the middle Ottoman Empire and the relationship of coffee with the body. They discuss Felix de Azara as an engineer turned naturalist, use of local terms and labels, how we see natural things in the past and present, and many more topics.

Mackenzie Cooley is a historian and Assistant Professor of History and Director of Latin American Studies at Hamilton College. She has her PhD from Stanford University and completed her postdoc fellowship from Cornell University. Her main interests are uses and abuses of the natural world in early modern science. She is the author of The Perfection of Nature and co-editor of Natural Things in Modern Worlds. You can find her work here. Twitter: @newworldnature1

Anna Toledano is a historian and museum professional studying objects in early modern science. She is completing her PhD in History of Science from Stanford University. You can find her work here. Twitter: @annatoledano

Duygu Yildirim is a historian of science and medicine and Assistant Professor The University of Tennessee. She has her PhD in history from Stanford University. Her main interests are in the early Modern Mediterranean and Ottoman Empire. You can find her work here. Twitter: @historiandiary

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#245 - Oppenheimer: A Dialogue with Kai Bird Jul 20, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue about the life and impact of J. Robert Oppenheimer. They talk about the elusive nature of Oppenheimer, how he became involved with theoretical physics, and the creation of the atomic bomb. They discuss his involvement with communism, AEC hearings, his last years, the legacy of Oppenheimer, and many more topics.

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 Martin 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.

Website: https://www.kaibird.com/

Twitter: @kaibird123

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#244 - Psychoanalysis: Past and Present: A Dialogue with Nancy McWilliams Jul 17, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nancy McWilliams about psychoanalysis and the evolution of psychoanalytic theory and practice. They discuss the origins of psychoanalysis and misconceptions about Freud and the evolution of psychoanalytic theory from drive theory to object relations to self psychology to relational theory. They talk about the strengths and areas of improvement for psychoanalytic clinicians, case conceptualization, level of personality organization, defenses, transference, and countertransference. They also discuss psychoanalytic training for graduate students, clients looking for psychoanalytic clinicians, and many more topics.

Nancy McWilliams is Visiting Professor at Rutgers University and is a psychoanalytic clinician in private practice. She is a former president of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological Association. She is a specialist in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and supervision. She is the author of numerous books including, Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, Psychoanalytic Case Formulation, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.

Website: https://nancymcwilliams.com/

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#243 - Heidegger's Destruction of Aristotle: A Dialogue with Sean Kirkland Jul 14, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sean Kirkland about Heidegger’s destruction of Aristotle. They discuss how he came to write on Heidegger and Aristotle together, destruction of the philosophical tradition, and the differences between positive and negative destruction. They provide and overview of Heidegger’s philosophy and provide an overview of Aristotle’s philosophy. They talk about the threefold aspects of Nietzsche, Aristotle’s idea of concepts, and three tactics of the destructive method. They also talk about the phenomenological reduction, construction, and destruction, truth and art, and many more topics.

Sean Kirkland is a philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at DePaul University. He has his PhD in philosophy from State University of New York, Stony Brook. His main research interests are in Greek philosophy and contemporary continental philosophy. He is the author of the recent book, Heidegger and the Destruction of Aristotle: On How to Read the Tradition.

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#242 - Roots of The Black Working Class: A Dialogue with Blair LM Kelley Jul 10, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Blair LM Kelley about the roots of the Black working class in the United States. They discuss why she wrote the book with some biographical content along with the historical events, class and race for Black Americans, and the impact of slavery for Black working class folks. They talk about the role of the church for building and organizing community, history of Black washerwomen and their involvement with unions, and the great migration. They also discuss the Porter union, Black maids, current themes with the Black working class, and many more topics.

Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. is an award-winning author, historian, and scholar of the African American experience. Currently, she is the Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the incoming director of the Center for the Study of the American South. She has her B.A. from the University of Virginia in History and African and African American Studies. She also has her M.A. and Ph.D. in History, and graduate certificates in African and African American Studies and Women’s Studies at Duke University. She is the author of two books, Right to Ride: Streetcar Boycotts and African American Citizenship, and the latest, Black Folk: The Roots the Black Working Class.

Website: https://www.profblmkelley.com/

Twitter: @profblmkelley

Instagram: @profblmkelley

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#241 - States of Being: A Dialogue with Frank Putnam Jul 06, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Frank Putnam about our various states of being. They discuss states of being, the continuous self, and states of being in development. They also talk about different states of being in rapid cycling with those that have Bipolar Disorders, importance of memory, and how critical is personality and the Big-5. They discuss mental disorders within a state model, the fragmented self and therapy, trauma and PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), psychedelics, and many more topics.

Frank Putnam is a Physician and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He was formerly a Professor of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He is an esteemed research on topics of violence, abuse, DID, and trauma. He is the author numerous books including, The Way We Are: How States of Mind Influence Our Identities, Personality, and Potential for Change.

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#240 - The Life and Presidency of James Garfield: A Dialogue with C.W. Goodyear Jul 03, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with C.W. Goodyear about the life and presidency of James Garfield. They provide an overview of Garfield and talk about the background context and temperament of Garfield. They discuss how he rose to being a General in the Civil War very quickly, his tenure in the US House of Representatives, and his emphasis on Civil Service reform and a Department of Education. They discuss the moderate platform he ran on for President, his assassination, his legacy, and many more topics.

C.W. Goodyear is a historian and author who has a degree in Global Affairs from Yale University. He has worked as a ghostwriter for various projects. He is the author of the new book, President Garfield: From Radical To Unifier.

Website: https://www.cwgoodyearbooks.com/

Instagram: @cwgoodyear

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#239 - On Being Moderately Undefined: A Dialogue with Salomé Sibonex Jun 29, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Salomé Sibonex about identity, creation, and embracing the ambiguity of life. They share immigration stories, shifting political sides, and being incentivized for being “anti.” They discuss why people believe in their belief systems so hard, being undefined, broad spectrum of opinions, and many more topics.

Salomé Sibonex is an artist, writer, and critic. She has written numerous articles on the self, identity, and spans topics in psychology and philosophy. She is also the Content Manager at the Foundation for Economic Education.

Substack:

Website: https://www.salomesibonex.com/

Twitter: @salomesibonex

Instagram: @salomesibonex

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#238 - The Dark Side of Martin Heidegger: A Dialogue with Richard Wolin Jun 25, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Wolin about the dark side of Martin Heidegger. They discuss the black notebooks of Heidegger and what are the nature and intentions of these black notebooks. They dialogue about reading the antisemitic and Nazi themes in these notebooks with Heidegger’s philosophy. They talk about Heidegger being a member of the Nazi party, editing and re-editing his works, his views on race, and the impact these views have on his philosophy. They also talk about the New Right, Dugin, reading Heidegger in the 21st century, and many more topics.

Richard Wolin is a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature, History, & Political Science at The City University of New York. He has a PhD in Social and Political Thought from York University. His main interests are on 20th century French and German political thought. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, Heidegger In Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology.

Website: https://www.gc.cuny.edu/people/richard-wolin

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#237 - Evolutionary Psychiatry: A Dialogue with Randy Nesse Jun 22, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Randy Nesse about evolutionary psychiatry. They define evolutionary psychiatry, critics of evolutionary psychiatry, and how we define disorders. They also discuss emotions mood regulation, disease model of addiction, and many more topics.

Randy Nesse is Research Professor of Life Sciences, and Founding Director of The Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University. He is also Professor Emeritus, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, and Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan. He is the founding President of The International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. He is the author of many books including, Good Reasons for Bad Feelings.

Website: https://www.randolphnesse.com/homepage

Twitter: @randynesse

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#236 - Being Human On Earth: A Dialogue with Lewis Dartnell Jun 19, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lewis Dartnell about his triptych of books on the earth and humanity. They talked about how he came to write his trilogy of books, our essentials for survival, and diversification of hominids. They also discuss plate tectonics, fertile crescent, and East African rift. They talk about the differences and similarities of different human species, importance of the oceans through time, and different materials for different civilizations. They also discuss the impact of wind on colonization and exploration, cooperation for humans, pair bonding, royal families, disease, war, and many more topics.

Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter, and author. He has a degree in Biological Sciences from Oxford University and PhD from University College London. Currently, he is a professor of science communication at the University of Westminster. His current research is on astrobiology. He has written numerous books including, The Knowledge, Origins, and his latest book, Being Human.

Website: lewisdartnell.com/en-gb/

Twitter: @lewis_dartnell

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#235 - Syria, Identity, and Activism: A Dialogue with Celine Kasem Jun 15, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Celine Kasem about the various ways she culturally identifies, her work in Syria, and activism in our current age. They begin by discussing how she became involved in activism and political work in Syria, and Gen Z’s use of digital media tools to spread awareness about issues. They also talk about the various places she has lived, concept of home, ethnic and cultural identities, Circassians, and the various ethnic groups in Syria. They discuss the history of the Syrian conflict and the Arab Spring, how the conflict escalated and failed attempts at peace, the recent Assad Anti-normalization bill, and refugees. They mention the recent Turkish election, activism in the 21st century, and many more topics.

Celine Kasem is a human rights activist and public speaker. Currently, she is the Director of media at the Syrian Emergency Task Force. She has her Bachelors in Political Science and will continue her education in Qatar for her Masters in Intercultural Communication. She has Syrian, Circassian, Canadian, and Armenian backgrounds and has a deep passion for Syrians around the world.

Website: https://setf.ngo/

Twitter: @celinekasem

Instagram: @celinekasem

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#234 - The Making and Re-making of Sunnism and Shiism: A Dialogue with Toby Matthiesen Jun 12, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Toby Matthiesen about Sunni and Shiism within the Islamic religion. They talk about the “divide” between Sunni and Shia Muslims and how this is not an accurate framing of these groups. They discuss the origins of Islam with the prophet Mohammad and the role of succession, school of jurisprudence, and the Shia century and interactions with the crusades. They also talk about the role of the Ottoman Empire and impact of the Safavids with the Ottomans. They talk about the rise of Wahaabism, British rule in India, modernization of the Ottoman Empire, pan-Islam and nationalism in the 20th century, and Turkey becoming more modern in the 20th century. They discuss Baathism, Muslim brotherhood, US involvement in the Middle East, the Arab Spring, Syrian conflict, and many more topics.

Toby Matthiesen is a historian and political scientist on Middle East studies and Global Islam. He is the Marie Curie Global Fellow at Stanford University and Ca’Foscari University in Venice, Italy. Starting in Fall 2023, he is Senior Lecturer in Global Religious Studies/Global Islam at the University of Bristol. He remains an Associate Member of Oxford University’s Department of Politics and International Relations. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The Caliph and The Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shiism.

Website: tobymatthiesen.com/wp/

Twitter: @tobymatthiesen

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#233 - Psychiatry and Anti-Depressants: A Dialogue with Peter Kramer Jun 08, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Kramer about psychiatry and the role of anti-depressants. They discuss the inspiration for his new book and some of the major themes, the Goldwater rule and role of diagnosis, and the importance of truth. They discuss whether therapy is always valued for everyone, past and current depression research, anti-depressants, and many more topics.

Peter Kramer is a psychiatrist who practiced and taught psychiatry for over 40 years. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Brown University. He has done extensive research on depression and anti-depressants. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent novel, Death of the Great Man.

Website: https://www.peterdkramer.com/

Twitter: @peterdkramer

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#232 - Radical and Revolutionary: Alfred Russel Wallace: A Dialogue with James Costa Jun 05, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with James Costa about the life of Alfred Russel Wallace. They discuss the radical and revolutionary nature of Wallace, his inquisitiveness about nature since an early age, apprenticeship, trip to the Amazon, and scientific publications. They also talk about his trip to Asia, the interactions with Darwin, spiritualism, social justice, his legacy, and many more topics.

James Costa is an entomologist and evolutionary biologist who is professor of biology and executive director Western Carolina University-Highlands Biological Station. He has co-taught in Harvard’s summer Darwin program at the University of Oxford and has been a long-time Research Associate in entomology at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. His main interests and research are on Darwin, Wallace, and the history of evolutionary thinking. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Radical By Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace.

Website: https://jamestcosta.com/

Twitter: @jimcostahbs

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#231 - The Neuroscience of Music: A Dialogue with Lawrence Sherman & Dennis Plies Jun 01, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lawrence Sherman and Dennis Plies about the neuroscience of music. They discuss how they wrote the book together, define music, discuss the different parts of the brain involved in music, and the different elements of music. They also discuss musical preferences, differences between composing and improvising, curiosity, memory, truth in art, and many more topics.

Lawrence Sherman is a neuroscientist and professor of neuroscience at the Oregon Health and Science University where he also runs a lab. His widely published on brain development and disease and has investigated the neuroscience connections with music. You can find his work here.

Dennis Plies is a musician and music professor at Warner Pacific University. He has played the marimba and has recorded albums in various genres such as jazz and classical. They are the author of the book, Every Brain Needs Music.

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#230 - Unmasking Libertarianism: A Dialogue with Andrew Koppelman May 28, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andrew Koppelman about Libertarianism. They discuss why Libertarianism is so popular, how it is a mutated form of liberalism, Hayek and his views, and on rights. They also talk about taxation, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, role of regulation, Liberalism today, Obamacare, and many more topics.

Andrew Koppelman is the John Paul Stevens Professor of Law, Professor (by courtesy) of Political Science, and Philosophy Department Affiliated Faculty at Northwestern University. His research focuses on issues at the intersection of law and political philosophy. He has received numerous awards and has written more than 100 scholarly articles and numerous books, including the most recent, Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed.

Website: https://andrewkoppelman.com/

Twitter: @andrewkoppelman

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#229 - Defying the British Empire: A Dialogue with David Veevers May 25, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Veevers about the various perspectives around the British Empire. They talk about why people ignore some parts of history but emphasize others, Irish resistance, how the British colonized North America, and their interactions with various Native peoples. They discuss the British empire and the hegemony in Asia, meeting resistance in Africa, and having a full and complete picture of the history of the British Empire.

David Veevers is an award-winning historian and Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Bangor. His holds a PhD from the University of Kent. His research areas are on the international role of the British Empire. He is the author of the latest book, The Great Defiance: How the World Took on the British Empire.

Twitter: @davidveevers1

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#228 - The Possibility of Life: A Dialogue with Jaime Green May 22, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jaime Green about the origins of life, other planets, and meaning. They discuss the origins of life on earth, why humans ask the big questions of life, and life on other planets. They talk about AI, machine learning, utility of sci-fi films, UFOs and many more topics.

Jaime Green is a writer, editor, and essayist. She is the series editor for The Best American Science and Nature Writing. She is also a lecturer at Smith College. She is the author of the latest book, The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos.

Website: https://www.jaimegreen.net/

Twitter: @jaimealyse

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#227 - Without Children: A Dialogue with Peggy O'Donnell Heffington May 18, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peggy O’Donnell Heffington about women’s rights, choice, and children. They talk about some of the reasons why women don’t have children, Millennials having children later, and structural aspects of choice. They discuss the history of abortion, contraception laws, Roe V. Wade, Dobbs ruling, the history and origins of the nuclear family, grandmother hypothesis, public perceptions of people without children, and many more topics.

Peggy O’Donnell Heffington is an Assistant Instructional Professor in the Department of History at the University of Chicago. Her interests are on historical research, gender, and women’s history. She is the author of the latest book, Without Children: The Long History of Not Being A Mother.

Website: http://poheffington.com/

Twitter: @peggyohdonnell

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#226 - The Pandemic Paradox: A Dialogue with Scott Fulford May 15, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Scott Fulford about the economical paradox during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss what is the pandemic paradox ( spending less and saving more), income vs. wealth, state of the economy pre-pandemic, and the economy during the beginning of the pandemic. They talk about the CARES act, subsequent acts after the CARES act, the American Rescue Plan, childhood poverty, childcare and women’s labor, the work revolution, inflation, and many more topics.

Scott Fulford is Senior Economist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). He was also Assistant Professor of Economics and International Studies at Boston College. He holds a BA in Economics and a BS in Mathematics from Stanford University. He has a MA and PhD in Economics from Princeton University. He is the author of numerous economics papers and of the new book, The Pandemic Paradox: How the COVID Crisis Made Americans More Financially Secure.

Website: https://www.scott-fulford.com/

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#225 - Making the Rational Decisions: A Dialogue with Lionel Page May 11, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lionel Page about rational decision-making and behavioral economics. They discuss the history and contours of behavioral economics, work of Kahneman and Tversky, and why an evolutionary framework is important for behavioral economics. They also talk about heuristics, cognitive biases, gains and loses, game theory, Nash equilibrium, cooperation, belief systems, and many more topics.

Lionel Page is an economist and Professor of economics at The University of Queensland in Australia. His research interests are in decision-making, game theory, and economics. He has been widely-published in economic journals and is the author of the book, Optimally Irrational.

Substack:

Twitter: @page_eco

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#224 - Brains As Prediction Machines: A Dialogue with Andy Clark May 08, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Andy Clark about prediction processing, embodiment, and reality. They discuss the predictive processing model, Bayesian brain, and the role of human growth and development for the brain. They question what is reality, Friston’s Free Energy Principle, controlled hallucinations, and computational psychiatry. They also talk about reward vs. salience, prediction error, body budget, consciousness, the extended mind, and many other topics.

Andy Clark is a Philosopher and Professor of Cognitive Philosophy at the University of Sussex. His main research interests are embodied cognition, computational neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He is the author of numerous books including his most recent book, The Experience Machine. You can find his work here.

Twitter: @cogsandy

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#223 - The Legacy of Sultan Süleyman: A Dialogue with Kaya Sahin May 04, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kaya Sahin about Sultan Süleyman and the Ottoman Empire. They provide an overview of the Ottoman Empire and how Süleyman was a critical leader, his upbringing, succession, and spreading the boundaries of the Empire. They also talk about the importance of the Grand Vizier, conflicts with the Hungarians and Hapsburgs, his legacy, and many more topics.

Kaya Sahin is a Historian and Associate Professor of History at Indiana University, Bloomington. His major research areas are focused with the early Ottoman Empire and the spread of governance, religion, and political and economic challenges. He has written a handful of books including the most recent, Peerless Among Princes. You can find his work here.

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#222 - Cats: An Evolutionary Story: A Dialogue with Jonathan Losos May 01, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonathan Losos about the evolutionary story of cats. They discuss how cats are semi-domesticated and similar around the world. They talk about how cats meow and purr to humans and less so with other cats. They discuss the sociality of cats, feral cats, and the evolutionary history of cats. They talk about the five different groups of cats, where cats originate from, different breeds of cats, genetics, where they roam, the future of cats 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. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, The Cat’s Meow.

Website: https://biology.wustl.edu/people/jonathan-losos

Twitter: @jlosos

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#221 - The Earth Transformed: A Dialogue with Peter Frankopan Apr 27, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Frankopan about a natural history of climate change on the earth. They discuss how the climate was different on earth for billions of years and the impact the past climate has on earth today. They discuss the evolution of Hominids in the Holocene, formation of early cities, trading, domestication of horses in the Steppe, industrial age and fossil fuels, Rachel Carson and the rise of environmentalists, and many more topics.

Peter Frankopan is a Historian and Professor of global history at Oxford University. He is also the Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research and Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. His main areas of research are on the history and politics of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, climate, and natural resources. He has won numerous awards for his books which include, The Silk Roads, The New Silk Roads, and his most recent book, The Earth Transformed.

Website: https://www.peterfrankopan.com/

Twitter: @peterfrankopan

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#220 - Generations: A Dialogue with Jean Twenge Apr 24, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jean Twenge about the current generations in our society. They discuss how we define generations and why its important, technological changes being central to generational changes, and the ranges of generations. They talk about upcoming trends for Polars/alphas, Gen Z and the connection between increased mental health with increased social media use, and the changing social, economic, and educational dynamics with Millennials. They discuss Gen X as the middle child of generations and their emphasis on toughness, Boomers centrality and the ripple effects of the deaths of despair. They talk about the bipartisan nature of Silents, future generations, and many more topics.

Jean Twenge is a social psychologist and professor of psychology at San Diego State University. She is an expert on generational differences and technology from a dataset of 39 million people. She is the author of over 180 scientific publications and books which include Generation Me, iGen, and her latest book, Generations.

Website: http://www.jeantwenge.com/

Twitter: @jean_twenge

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#219 - Women Who Kill: A Dialogue with Marissa Harrison Apr 20, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Marissa Harrison about female serial killers. They discuss media sensationalizing serial killers, morbid curiosity, and defining serial killers. They talk about the average profile of a female serial killer, motives for female serial killers, and mental illness. They discuss psychopathy, PCL-R, and the need for improved mental health services. They also talk about neurobiology of serial killers, future research, and many other topics.

Marissa Harrison is a research psychologist and Associate Professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg. She has her PhD in Biopsychology (Evolutionary Psychology) from the University of Albany. Her primary research areas are in serial murder and human sexuality. She is the author of the book, Just As Deadly: The Psychology of Female Serial Killers.

Website: https://www.justasdeadly.com/

Twitter: @mharrisonpsu

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#218 - Neuroscience and Embodiment: A Dialogue with Inês Hipólito Apr 17, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Inês Hipólito about neuroscience and embodiment. They talk about the different models of the brain, the embodied mind, and Free Energy Principle. They discuss Artificial Intelligence as a living system, Merleau-Ponty’s work on the phenomenology of embodiment, the role of perception, the self, and many more topics.

Inês Hipólito is a philosopher, researcher, and lecturer at Berlin School of Mind and Brain. Her research focuses on topics in cognitive neuroscience such as complexity, E-cognition, and Free Energy Principle. She has a BPhil, MPhil, MSc, and DPhil. She is also the co-founder and vice-president of the International Society of the Philosophy of the Sciences of the Mind.

Website: https://ineshipolito.my.canva.site/

Twitter: @ineshipolito

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#217 - Longtermism and Our Future: A Dialogue with Richard Fisher Apr 13, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Fisher about the long view and our future. They talk about how society started thinking more short-term and not long-term. They discuss the historical aspects of longtermism, positive outlooks for different futures, longtermism and capitalism, and how our politics has become more short-term. They talk about the evolutionary framework for foresight and longtermism, deep time both past and future, climate change, and many more topics.

Richard Fisher is a senior journalist with the BBC-London. He is an Honorary Research Associate at University College, London. He has also been a fellow at MIT. His work covers science, technology history, health, and philosophy. He is the author of the book, The Long View.

Website: https://richardfisher.carrd.co/

Substack:

Twitter: @Rifish

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#216 - Social Constructions of The Self: A Dialogue with Brian Lowery Apr 09, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Brian Lowery about the social construction of the self. They provide a definition of the “self,” how the self is only understood in the context of others, self as autonomous, and why the self is an illusion. They discuss the idea of a core self, different identities with different communities, switching identities, freedom and free will, and many other topics.

Brian Lowery is the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. He is a social psychologist and is the director of many leadership groups. His research focuses on racial attitudes, perception of inequality, and the social context. He is the author of the book, Selfless: The Social Creation of You. He is also the host of Know What You See podcast. You can find his work here. Twitter: @brianloweryphd

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#215 - The Triumphant Spread of Christianity: A Dialogue with Peter Heather Apr 06, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Heather about the spread of Christianity. They discuss how the spread of Christianity is a story of conversion, the religious landscape at the end of the Roman empire, and the four phases of Constantine’s conversion. They talk about the essential aspects of the Council of Nicea, Augustine’s legacy, and Homoean Christianity. They also discuss the arrival of Islam in the 5th Century, the spread of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxon world, Charlemagne and the papacy, and the Great Schism of 1054. They also talk about the Crusades, Christianity’s spread, and many more topics.

Peter Heather is a historian of Medieval history and Late Roman Empire. He is Professor and Chair of Medieval History at King’s College, London. His primary interests are in the later Roman Empire and is published on the Goth and Visgoth kingdoms of the Medieval period. He has written numerous books including the most recent, Christendom: The Triumph of A Religion-A.D. 300-1300. You can find his work here.

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#214 - Assyria: The World's First Empire: A Dialogue with Eckart Frahm Apr 03, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Eckart Frahm about the Assyrian Empire. They give an overview of the various Assyrian periods, discuss the importance of the “fertile crescent,” and talk about the impact of language in Assyria. They talk about the importance of Ashur as a god and as a city, the initial rulers in the old Assyrian period, the middle Assyrian period, and the distinctions between Assyrian and Babylon. They also discuss the fall of Nineveh, Biblical accounts of the Assyrian empire, the second destruction of Assyrian artifacts by ISIS, and many other topics.

Eckart Frahm is Professor of Assyriology in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department at Yale University. He is one of the world’s leading expert on the Assyrian Empire. He has written or co-written over six books including the most recent book, Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire.

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#213 - The Reopening of The Western Mind: A Dialogue with Charles Freeman Mar 30, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Charles Freeman about the history of intellectualism in the West. They discuss the preservation of texts after the fall of the Roman Empire, Charlemagne and his interactions with the Papacy, the importance of Augustine on Western thought, and the Great Schism of 1054. They also talk about rationality in the Middle Ages, impact of Islam, importance of Thomas Aquinas incorporating Greek philosophy into Christian theology, and the rise of Humanism. They also discuss impact of colonialism and conversion, the Reformation and the figures of Calvin and Luther, the reopening of the Western mind, and many more topics.

Charles Freeman is an independent historian and author. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has written over half a dozen books. He has wide spanning interests in the history of European culture and thought. He is the author of the last book, The Reopening of The Western Mind.

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#212 - The World Through Our Senses: A Dialogue with Ashley Ward Mar 27, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ashley Ward about the senses and understanding our world. They define what a “sense” is and why we focus on the five senses. They question whether we can know reality outside of our senses and discuss the complexity of the human eye and how they human eye is different from other eyes. They talk about the role of beauty and aesthetics, impact of sound and music, taste and how it evolves over time, smell, the importance of touch, and many other topics.

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, and the most recent book, Where We Meet The World. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @ashleyjwward

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#211 - Armageddon: A Dialogue with Bart Ehrman Mar 19, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bart Ehrman about armageddon and the apocalypse as detailed in the Bible. They discuss why many people have a fascination with the end times and many of the things detailed in the book of Revelation. They talk about the role of interpretation, various views of the tribulation, and where the idea of the rapture originated. They discuss the importance of genre in the Bible, the historical view of Revelation, negative messaging of Revelation, and many more topics.

Bart Ehrman is James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has both his M. Div and PhD from Princeton University. He has served as President of the Southeast Region of the Society of Biblical literature and chair of the New Testament textual criticism section of the Society. He has served as associate editor for the Journal of Early Christian Studies, book review editor of the Journal of Biblical Literature, and editor of the monograph series The New Testament in the Greek Fathers (Scholars Press). He currently serves as co-editor of the series New Testament Tools, Studies, and Documents (E. J. Brill), co-editor-in-chief for the international journal of early Christian studies, Vigiliae Christianae, and area editor (early Christianity) for the Encyclopedia of Ancient History. An expert on the New Testament and the history of Early Christianity, has written or edited thirty books, numerous scholarly articles, and dozens of book reviews. He is the author of numerous books including his new book, Armageddon.

Website: https://www.bartehrman.com/

Blog: https://ehrmanblog.org/

Twitter: @bartehrman

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#210 - Trauma and Justice: A Dialogue with Judith Herman Mar 13, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with Judith Herman about trauma and justice. They discuss how her new book on trauma is connected to her previous book on trauma. They define trauma and its potential overuse, role of dominance and submission before violence in intimate partner violence (IPV), and the role of patriarchy in our society. They talk about modern feminism working for trauma work, acknowledgement, apology, and forgiveness in trauma work, and restorative justice. They also talk about resilience, exposure therapy, and many other topics.

Judith Herman is the clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at Cambridge Hospital. She obtained her MD from Harvard Medical School. She has received numerous honors such as a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship, a Bunting Institute fellowship at Radcliffe, a Manfred S. Guttmacher Award from the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, and a Women in Science Award from the American Medical Women’s Association. She is the author of three books including the classic, Trauma and Recovery and her latest book, Truth and Repair. You can find her work here.

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#209 - Autism: Difference and Disability: A Dialogue with Simon Baron-Cohen Mar 06, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simon Baron-Cohen about various components of autism. They define autism, discuss the systematizing mechanism and the if-and-then logic, and talk about the empathy circuit. They discuss how the systematizing quotient (SQ) and the empathy quotient (EQ) correspond with research on Big-5 personality and intelligence research. They mention some of the sex differences between between the SQ and EQ, evolutionary elements of invention, autism in present times, and many other topics.

Simon Baron-Cohen is a Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry University of Cambridge and Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge. He is Director of the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, which he set up in 1997. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the American Psychological Association. He is Vice-President of the National Autistic Society, and was President of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR, 2017-19). He was Chair of the NICE Guideline Development Group for Autism (Adults) and was Chair of the Psychology Section of the British Academy. He is coeditor in chief of the journal Molecular Autism which has the highest impact factor of all autism research journals. He received a knighthood in the New Year’s Honors List 2021. He has published over 700 peer reviewed scientific articles, which have made contributions to many aspects of autism research. He is also the author of five books including the most recent, The Pattern Seekers. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @sbaroncohen

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#208 - Introduction to Psychology: A Dialogue with Paul Bloom Feb 27, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Bloom about major themes in psychology. They discuss how he wrote his latest book, Psych, and some of the origins of the book. They talk about dualism and understanding the brain, consciousness, and why we should still study Freud. They also discuss Piaget’s contributions to psychology, how serious is the replication crisis, core personality, the future of psychology and many more topics.

Paul Bloom is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. Paul's interests are on morality, pleasure, and development. He is the past president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. He is the author of numerous books such as Against Empathy, The Sweet Spot, and his latest book, Psych, which you can purchase here. You can find much of his research and writing at his website. Twitter: @paulbloomatyale.

Bonus: Make sure you read Nicole’s fantastic review below and subscribe to her excellent .

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#207 - Science Communication and Free Speech in Academia: A Dialogue with Nicholas Dirks Feb 23, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Dirks about science communication and various issues in academia. They discuss his background as chancellor and dean of various academic institutions, problems and solutions for higher education, and why liberal arts are still needed. They also cover free speech and culture wars issues, COVID-19, science communication, and many other topics.

Nicholas Dirks is President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences. He was the 10th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley and was also Dean of faculty at Columbia University. He has a background in history and anthropology and has written numerous books. You can find his work here. Twitter: @nickdirks

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#206 - Mourning the Presidents: A Dialogue with Lindsay Chervinsky Feb 20, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lindsay Chervinsky about death and mourning of U.S. Presidents. They discuss how the book came about and how certain essays were chosen for the volume. They talk about the themes of race, political party, and family. They discuss the ideas of legacy, and how U.S. presidential funerals compare with other global heads of state. They talk about Washington and his private funeral, Jefferson and his descendants, Taylor and his mixed legacy, and the global impact of Lincoln. They also discuss Theodore Roosevelt through a current lens, generational impact of FDR and JFK, the long goodbye of Reagan, the bipartisan mourning of H.W. Bush, 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 fellow at the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. She has also been a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. She is the author of The Cabinet: George Washington and The Creation of An American Institution and co-editor (with Matthew R. Costello) of Mourning The Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture. You can find her work at her website and on her substack, . Twitter: @lmchervinsky

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#205 - A Philosophy of Protest: A Dialogue with Clayton Bohnet Feb 16, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Clayton Bohnet about protest through a philosophical lens. They discuss what a montage is and why he used it for his book, defining protest, and the functionality of protest. They talk about protest as spectacle, differences between protests and mobs/riots, Kant’s contribution to understanding critique, and many more topics.

Clayton Bohnet is a philosopher, writer, and professor. He has Master’s in Psychology from the University of West Virginia and a PhD in Philosophy from Duquesne University. He has taught at Fordham University, Gonzaga University, and Central Washington university. Currently, he is pursing a law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. He is the author of the book, Toward a Philosophy of Protest.

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#204 - The Problem of Democracy: A Dialogue with Shadi Hamid Feb 12, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Shadi Hamid about democracy, liberalism, and foreign policy. They discuss democracy and how it is usually defined, what constitutes a “real” democracy, and the differences between liberalism and democracy. They discuss Islam and its various strands, challenges with democracy during the Arab spring, and why the United States chooses to get involved in some countries and not others. They also talk about positive examples of democracy abroad, the future of democracy in the Middle East, and many more topics.

Shadi Hamid is a Senior Fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. He is also the Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at Fuller Seminary. He is the Contributing Writer at The Atlantic. He has his Bachelors and Masters from Georgetown University and his DPhil in Politics from Oxford University. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The Problem of Democracy: America, the Middle East, and the Rise and Fall of an Idea. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @shadihamid

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#203 - A History of Transplant Surgery: A Dialogue with Paul Craddock Feb 09, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Craddock about the history of transplant surgery. They discuss the overarching movement of transplant surgery, skin grafting, and blood transfusions. They also talk about the long history of teeth and their various surgeries through time. They talk about vascular surgery, first organ transplants, advances in medical technology and future transplants, and many more topics.

Paul Craddock is a cultural historian and award-winning author. He is a Science Museum Group Senior Research Associate, Honorary Senior Research Associate of UCL’s Division of Surgery, and Visiting Lecturer at Imperial College London. He is the author of Spare Parts: A Surprising History of Transplants. You can find him at his website. Twitter: @pwcraddock1984

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#202 - The Culture of Incels: A Dialogue with William Costello Feb 06, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a discussion with William Costello about incels. They define sexuality more broadly and define incels and some of the features of incels. They discuss the importance of sexual selection and how incels are part of online culture and also outside of online culture. They talk about the “manosphere,” modern masculinity, and the different messages that men receive from society. They discuss the cultural perceptions of incels, violence, clinical treatment for incels, and many more topics.

William Costello is a current PhD student in evolutionary psychology in David Buss’ lab at the University of Texas, Austin. He has his MSc in psychology: evolution and culture from Brunel University, London. His research focuses on incels, individual differences and evolutionary psychology. You can find his work here. Twitter: @costellowilliam

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#201 - The Invention of Tomorrow: A Dialogue with Adam Bulley Feb 02, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Adam Bulley about foresight and its evolutionary history. They define what foresight is and how it is different from prospective memory. They discuss how much executive functioning is involved, episodic foresight, abstraction, and theory of mind. They talk about the evolutionary history of foresight, cultural evolution, human development, and predictive models and perception. They also talk about brain systems involved with foresight, new technology, social dynamics, clock time, and many more topics.

Adam Bulley is a postdoctoral fellow at the Brain and Mind Centre and School of Psychology, The University of Sydney and the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His primary research areas are in the evolution, mechanism, and psychology of imagination, foresight, and decision-making. He is the co-author (with Thomas Suddendorf & Jon Redshaw) of the book, The Invention of Tomorrow: A Natural History of Foresight. You can find his research here. Twitter: @adamdbulley

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#200 - Marketing in the 21st Century: A Dialogue with Pinar Yildirim Jan 30, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Pinar Yildirim about marketing in our current society. They begin by defining marketing, how marketing influences consumers, and the importance of design and branding in marketing. They also discuss consumer loyalty within marketing and global marketing. They talk about content moderation within social media, public vs. private organizations, Tik Tok and data privacy, and many other topics.

Pinar Yildirim is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, Associate Professor by courtesy at the Penn Department of Economics, NBER Faculty Fellow, Senior Fellow at the Center for Technology and Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD degree in Marketing and Business Economics and a PhD in Engineering, both from the University of Pittsburgh.

Pinar’s research areas are technology, media and information economics. She focuses on applied theory and applied-economics of online platforms, advertising, networks, media, and politics. Her research appeared in leading management, marketing journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science, and Journal of Marketing. She has received numerous grants and honors including, Marketing Science Institute Scholar, and earlier the Young Scholar, Awards, Seenu Srinivasan Young Scholar Award in Quantitative Methodology and the Erin Anderson Award for Emerging Mentor and Scholar. Her research has been covered by numerous media outlets such as CNN, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Forbes, Politico, Vox, San Francisco Chronicle, among others. She is on the Editorial Board of Marketing Science and Journal of Marketing Research, two leading academic journals of marketing.

Website: www.pinaryildirim.com

Twitter: @prof_yildirim

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#199 - Breaking Barriers in Biology: A Dialogue with Joseph Graves Jr. Jan 26, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Joseph Graves Jr. about his life experiences and research in evolutionary biology. They talk about why he wrote his most recent book as half memoir/half popular science book, his early beginnings in the Jim Crow South, and how he became interested in the biological sciences. They talk about his work on Drosophila and broader research areas in evolutionary biology, his work on race and IQ, and many other topics.

Joseph Graves Jr. is an evolutionary biologist and Professor of Nanoengineering at North Carolina A&T State University. He has his BA in Biology from Oberlin College and his PhD from Wayne State University. He has studied the evolutionary theory of aging and race and IQ. He is the author of the most recent book, Voice In The Wilderness. You can find his work here. Twitter: @gravesjl55

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#198 - Racial Equity and Selfhood: A Dialogue with Brian Lowery Jan 23, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Brian Lowery about racial equality and equity, privilege, and selfhood. They discuss the major data points and reasons for continued racial inequities, systemic racism, and different types of privilege. They also talk about the differences between equity, equality, and equality of opportunity. They also discuss the efficacy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) departments in academia and in the workforce. They also discuss the self and how one defines the self, why a social context is important, the uniqueness of individuals, and many more topics.

Brian Lowery is the Walter Kenneth Kilpatrick Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University. He is a social psychologist and is the director of many leadership groups. His research focuses on racial attitudes, perception of inequality, and the social context. He is also the host of Know What You See podcast. You can find his work here. Twitter: @brianloweryphd

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#197 - Freely Determined: A Dialogue with Ken Sheldon Jan 19, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ken Sheldon about free will, determinism, the self, and positive psychology. They talk about why studying free will is important, the three horsemen of determinism, grand hierarchy of human interaction, and the illusion of free will. They also talk about the self, self-determination theory, the symbolic self, and many more topics.

Ken Sheldon is the Curator’s Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri. He is well-established in the Positive Psychology field and is well-published in the scientific literature. His main interests are in motivation, well-being, personality, and values. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including the most recent book, Freely Determined. You can find his work here.

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#196 - Wagnerism: A Dialogue with Alex Ross Jan 16, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alex Ross about Richard Wagner and his legacy. They discuss why he wrote a book on Wagner and what is Wagnerism, Wagner’s relationship with Nietzsche, and the many interpretations of Wagner. They talk about Wagner’s antisemitism, alternative Wagnerisms, Wagner’s impact on literature, Nazi Germany, and cinema.

Alex Ross is a writer and music critic who has been writing for The New Yorker for over 25 years. He writes on classical music from opera to avant-garde and has published pieces on literature, history, and film. He is the author of the Pulitzer prize winning, The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. He is also the author of the latest book, Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music. You can find his work here and here. Twitter: @alexrossmusic

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#195 - Healthcare and Public Health: A Dialogue with Michael Stein Jan 12, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Michael Stein about healthcare vs. public health. They talk about the narratives around healthcare and public health, biopsychosocial model, and progress of health in the USA. They talk about how to get people to care about the health of their fellow citizens, global health vs. USA public health. They talk about preventative vs. reactionary care, pandemic issues, public health as process and practice, and many more topics.

Michael Stein is a physician and health policy researcher in public health. He is the current Chair and Professor of Health, Law, Policy, and Management at Boston University School of Public Health. He has done research for over three decades on sleep, pain addiction, HIV/AIDS, and health care access. He is the author of eleven books including the more recent, Me Vs. Us. You can find his work here.

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#194 - Stories & Culture: A Dialogue with Kat Rosenfield Jan 09, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kat Rosenfield about stories and culture. They discuss her process for writing novels and essays, writing a gothic mystery novel, and how she writes strong female protagonists. They also talk about the stories we tell in our society, outrage culture, and many more topics.

Kat Rosenfield is a freelance pop culture writer. She is a former reporter for MTV News and has written articles for Entertainment Weekly, Unherd, Vulture, Wired, and many other places. She is the author of many books including Alliances: A Trick of Light with Stan Lee. Her newest novel is You Must Remember This and can be purchased here. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @katrosenfield

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#193 - Digital Sovereignty's Elusiveness: A Dialogue with Aynne Kokas Jan 05, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Aynne Kokas about digital sovereignty and our data in the digital world. They discuss the US-China relationship with the tech industry. They define digital sovereignty and data trafficking, discuss ownership and management of personal data, and what are the three risks of data trafficking and three limitations of the US system for data. They also talk about China’s cyber sovereignty and China’s use of military for data surveillance. They discuss digital sovereignty and social media, the dangers of Tik Tok, and many more topics.

Aynne Kokas is the C.K. Yen Professor at the Miller Center and associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. She is also a non-resident scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy, a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a fellow in the National Committee on United States-China Relations’ Public Intellectuals Program. Her work mostly focuses on US media and technology relations. She is the author of Hollywood Made in China and her latest release, Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty. Website: https://www.aynnekokas.com/ Twitter: @aynnekokas

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#192 - Transfer of Power: A Dialogue with David Marchick Jan 02, 2023

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Marchick about the presidential transfer of power. They discuss the podcast he hosted on the transfer of power and how the book was developed. They talk about presidential transitions, the importance of the Office of Presidential Personnel, and importance of the General Services Administration. They discuss four key features of leading in crisis and discuss the presidential transitions of Presidents Carter, Reagan, and other presidents. They talk about the importance of Chris Liddell, presidential transitions for the future, and many more topics.

David Marchick is the Dean of the Kogard School of Business at American University. He has served as the Chief Operating Officer of the United States Development Finance Cooperation for the Biden Administration. He also held several positions in the Clinton Administration. He was also Director of the Center for Presidential Transition. He is the co-author of the book, The Peaceful Transition of Power: An Oral History of Presidential Transitions based on conversations he had on the podcast, Transition Lab. You can find his work here.

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#191 - Masculinity, Homelessness, and Mental Health: A Dialogue with Christopher Ferguson Dec 30, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christopher Ferguson about masculinity, homelessness, and mental health. They discuss his APA resignation letter and APA’s guidelines for boys and men. They also discuss the challenges and potential solutions for homelessness and institutionalization. They also review some of the political progress over the past two years and many other topics.

Christopher Ferguson is a clinical psychologist, professor, and writer. He teaches psychology at Stetson University and continues to conduct research on mass media violence. He is the author of two non-fiction books. He is the author of a handful of books including the most recent book, Catastrophe! How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Decisions Worse. You can find many links to his various publications and articles at his website. Twitter: @cjferguson1111

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#190 - Deconstructing Derrida: A Dialogue with Peter Salmon Dec 26, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Peter Salmon about the life and philosophy of Jacques Derrida. They discuss Derrida’s place in philosophy and within deconstructionism, the culture and identity in Derrida’s upbringing, and the impact of Husserl, Heidegger, and Levinas on Derrida’s philosophical thought. They talk about Derrida’s emphasis on language, his interactions with Nietzsche’s thought, how he was received in society, his social circle and his enduring legacy.

Peter Salmon is a writer and has taught at schools in Liverpool and Cambridge. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Tablet, and Sydney Review of Books. He is the author of the biography on Jacques Derrida entitled, An Event, Perhaps. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @petesalmon

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#189 - The Death of God and The Importance of Appreciation: A Dialogue with David Hoinski Dec 22, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Hoinski about different philosophical ideas and the importance of appreciation. They discuss the philosophy of the pre-socratics, logos, and the nature and role of philosophy. They also talk about immanence vs. transcendence, reality and the metaphysical, and the emotions of guilt and shame. They discuss Nietzsche’s idea about the death of god, universal and political implications of Nietzsche’s philosophy, capitalism, why appreciation is important and many more topics.

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

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#188 - The Supreme Value of Literary Criticism: A Dialogue with Merve Emre Dec 19, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Merve Emre about literary criticism and how to engage with literature. They discuss what literary criticism is and why it is important. They talk about different ways of reading, author’s intent, and the contours of literary genre. They also discuss various forms of interpretation, themes of “becoming” in the philosophy of Nietzsche and writing of Mieko Kawakami, and many more topics.

Merve Emre is a professor of literature at Oxford University, Critic at The New Yorker, and the Shaprio-Silverberg Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at Wesleyan University. She has her BA from Harvard University and her PhD from Yale University. Her essays have appeared in Harper’s, The Atlantic, and The New York Review of Books. She is the author of numerous books including Paraliterary and The Personality Brokers. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @mervatim

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#187 - If Nietzsche Were A Narwhal: A Dialogue with Justin Gregg Dec 15, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Justin Gregg about animal intelligence. They discuss how one defines intelligence, g, and what intelligence means for humans and animals. They talk about animal minds, communication in animals, and concepts of deception. They discuss theory of mind, minimal concept of death, morality and norms in animals, torture and pain in animals, and many other topics.

Justin Gregg is a science writer and communicator. He is Adjunct Professor at Saint Francis Xavier University and Senior Research Associate with the Dolphin Communication Project. He has a PhD from Trinity College, Dublin and has studied dolphin social cognition. He is the author of a few books including his most recent, If Nietzsche Were A Narwhal. You can find his work here. Twitter: @justindgregg

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#186 - Inside the Mind of A Bee: A Dialogue with Lars Chittka Dec 12, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lars Chittka about the cognitive abilities of bees. They discuss the individuality and evolutionary history of bees. They talk about the various aspects of vision in bees such as polarization, sun compass, and phylogenetic analysis. They discuss the antennae of bees and how they use this sense. They talk about the sociality of bees, the brains of bees, intelligence, and their personality. They also discuss robot bees, bee conservation, and many more topics.

Lars Chittka is a zoologist and ecologist who is the founder of the research centre for psychology at Queen Mary, University of London. He is an editor of PLoS Biology, fellow of the Linnean Society, the Royal Entomological Society, and Royal Society of Biology. He is a well-established researcher on sensory physiology and cognition of bees. He is the author of The Mind of A Bee. You can find his work here. Twitter: @lchittka

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#185 - Blood & Iron: A History of The German Empire: A Dialogue with Katja Hoyer Dec 08, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Katja Hoyer about the history of the German Empire. They discuss what it means to be German, Prussia and its boundaries, and the importance of the German revolution in 1848. They talk about the character and rule of Otto Von Bismarck, the unification of Germany in 1871, and how the industrial revolution was economically important. They also talk about the changing of the Kaisers, Germany’s involvement in WWI and the aftermath, and many other topics.

Katja Hoyer is a historian and journalist who is visiting research fellow at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is also Global Opinions contributing columnist for The Washington Post. Her main research area is the history of modern Germany. She is the author of Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918. Twitter: @hoyer_kat

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#184 - The Cult of Smart: A Dialogue with Freddie deBoer Dec 05, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Freddie deBoer about marxism, education and society. They define marxism, how marxism works today and how it is connected with communism and socialism. They discuss the evolution of the cult of smart, manufacturing and technical jobs, and how educational systems globally are compared to the United States. They talk about capacity and achievement, genetics and the “hereditarian left,” equality and equity, and lack of quality of education. They also discuss No Child Left Behind, Common Core, charter schools, solutions for our education system, and many more topics.

Freddie deBoer is a academic and writer. He has a Masters in writing and rhetoric from the University of Rhode Island and a PhD in english from Perdue University. He is the author of The Cult of Smart and writes consistently on his substack.

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#183 - Science Fictions Within The Social Sciences: A Dialogue with Stuart Ritchie Dec 01, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Stuart Ritchie about fraud, bias, and hype within the social sciences. They talk about “trust the science” and some of the challenges of science during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discuss how the scientific method work and some of the dynamics within the scientific publishing world. They talk about how certain campaigns can promote what does and does not get accepted into scholarly journals, the replication crisis, and various fads within psychology. They also talk about the challenges of priming studies, censorship in journals, the Wakefield MMR vaccine study, p-hacking, growth mindset, and many more topics.

Stuart Ritchie is a psychologist and Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College, London. His research interests are human intelligence and challenges within the social sciences. He is the author of Science Fictions: How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine the Search for Truth. You can follow his substack. Twitter: @stuartjritchie

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#182 - The Moral History of Genetic Engineering: A Dialogue with Matthew Cobb Nov 28, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Matthew Cobb about the moral history of genetic engineering. They discuss his reasons for writing the book and why one should be worried about genetic engineering. They define genetic engineering and some of the precursor tools before the advent of recombinant DNA. They discuss recombinant DNA, Paul Berg, and Asilomar. They also talk about the genetic history of GMOs, gene editing/CRISPR, the future of genetic engineering, and many more topics.

Matthew Cobb is Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester. He has interests in human and animal behavior and is a well-established science communicator. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, As Gods: A Moral History of The Genetic Age. Twitter: @matthewcobb

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#181 - Schelling's Idealism: A Dialogue with Ben Norris Nov 24, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue about the philosophy of Schelling, Spinoza, idealism, and realism. They talk about how he came to write his book on Schelling and Spinoza and how one can define idealism and realism. They talk about the three claims of idealism, Spinoza’s ethics, and the importance of Jacobi’s critiques on German idealism. They also talk about Spinoza’s god, the infinite and finite, modes and attributes of substance, principle of sufficient reason, and Kant’s synthetic judgements. They talk about Schelling’s philosophy of nature and his shift from philosophy of nature to philosophy of identity. They also mention the absolute, blotobjectivism, Kant’s antinomies, the problem of evil, and Schelling’s notion of potencies. They also mention Žižek’s three phases of Schelling’s philosophy, Schelling’s tripartite-tripartite soul, and many more topics.

Benjamin Norris is a philosopher and professor at Rowan University. He has his PhD in philosophy from the New School for Social Research. His main interests are German idealism, history of philosophy, and social and political philosophy. He is the author of the book, Schelling and Spinoza: Realism, Idealism, and the Absolute. You can find his work here. Twitter: @absoluteorgan

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#180 - Sexual Selection, Polyamory, and AI: A Dialogue with Geoffrey Miller Nov 21, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Geoffrey Miller about evolution, polyamory, and artificial intelligence (AI). They give an overview of natural selection and sexual selection and explain why sexual selection was lost to history for many years. They discuss mate choice, pair-bonding, cold and hot choosers, sexual ornamentation, the ornamental mind, and mate retention. They also discuss polyamorous relationships, the moral and ethical implications of polyamorous relationships, and the role of commitment. They also talk about effective altruism and its connection with AI, the alignment problem of AI, libertarianism, and many more topics.

Geoffrey Miller is an evolutionary psychologist and associate professor at the University of New Mexico. He has a Bachelors in biology and psychology from Columbia university and a PhD in cognitive psychology from Stanford University. He is well cited in the scientific literature and has appeared in many mainstream outlets. His main research areas are in sexual selection, mate choice, creativity, and consumer behavior. He is the author of numerous books which can be found at his website. Twitter: @primalpoly

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#179 - Red Wave?: Thoughts on the 2022 US Midterm Elections: A Dialogue with Ben Winegard Nov 18, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ben Winegard about the 2022 US midterm elections. They discuss the main takeaways and why there was no “red wave” for the republicans. They talk about the Desantis juggernaut and whether abortion was as big of an issue for people to get to the voting polls. They also discuss the importance of the midwest states such as Michigan and Wisconsin. They also talk about the ballot measures, the Senate, House, and Governorships, looking ahead to 2024, and many other topics.

Ben Winegard is currently an independent scholar who writes on many topics. He holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with an emphasis on evolution. His current interests are on human progress, polarization, and political issues. Twitter: @winega2benjamin

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#178 - The Good, The Bad, and The Pathological Nature of Narcissism: A Dialogue with W. Keith Campbell Nov 17, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with W. Keith Campbell about the research on narcissism. They define narcissism and explain the three types: grandiose, vulnerable, and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). They talk about state vs. traits vs. disorder and the three theoretical models of narcissism along with the 4 major models of narcissism. They discuss general personality traits such as the big-5 and some of the personality measures. They discuss NPD, dark triad, light triad, and energetic triad, and how narcissism can present in relationships, dating, leadership, and on social media. They also talk about the adaptive aspects of narcissism, managing narcissism, and many other topics.

W. Keith Campbell is a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and is a leading expert on narcissism. He is widely published in scientific journals and has appeared in many major outlets. He is the author of The New Science of Narcissism. You can find his work here.

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#177 - Masculinity In The 21st Century: A Dialogue with Richard Reeves Nov 14, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Reeves about the current issues for boys and men. They discuss how to talk about men's issues next to women's issues. They talk about the structural issues against men such as in education and in the workforce. They mention the gender pay gap, challenges for Black and Latino men, and failures of the political right and political left to provide answers for men's issues. They also talk about HEAL and some of the solutions for men's issues and many other topics.

Richard Reeves is senior fellow and theJohn C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair for economic studies at Brookings. He is the Director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. He is the author of several books including the most recent, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It. You can find his work here. Twitter: @richardvreeves

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#176 - A Minimal Concept of Death: A Dialogue with Susana Monsó Nov 10, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Susana Monsó about animal minds. They talk about how animal minds are defined and why there is an emphasis on cognition. They also talk about a minimal concept of death and why this is important to understand animal minds. They talk about whether consciousness is essential for understanding animal minds and some of the arguments for and against moral individualism. They also talk about the ethics of eating farmed animals, how to treat domesticated animals, and many other topics.

Susana Monsó is a philosopher who has a Bachelors in philosophy, Masters in ethics and human Values and a PhD in philosophy. She is also the co-founder of the Philosophy of Animal Minds and Behavior Association. Her main interest areas are on animal minds and animal ethics. You can find all of her published research at her website.

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#175 - A Natural History of The Future: A Dialogue with Rob Dunn Nov 07, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Rob Dunn about the natural history of the future of earth. They discuss the two laws of ecological diversity and how increased ecological diversity is helpful for growth. They also talk about the anthropocentric view of the world and different islands for diverse populations. They discuss the inadvertent ark and how corridors play a role here. They also talk about how humans stay concentrated in certain regions with GDP and violence being contributing factors. They also talk about biodiversity, gut microbiome, and the role of climate change for the future of the earth.

Rob Dunn is a biologist and professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on the world around people in their local environments and his lab examines species, organs, cells, genes, and various ecosystems of everyday life. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, A Natural History of The Future. You can find his work at his lab. Twitter: @rrobdunn

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#174 - The Art of Living and Dying: A Dialogue with Kevin Aho Nov 03, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Aho about existentialism, life, and death. They discuss his background and heart attack which was the motivation for him writing his most recent book. They discuss the inevitability of death, existentialism and its major concepts, and authenticity. They also talk about "the herd" and negative impact of social media. They also discuss various ideas on disorders and neuroscience, Nietzsche's ideas on suffering well, and many other topics.

Kevin Aho is a professor of philosophy at Florida Gulf Coast University. He has Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate in philosophy. He teaches and writes on existentialism, phenomenology, and hermeneutics. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, One Beat More: Existentialism and The Gift of Mortality. You can find his work here. Twitter: @kevinaho17

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#173 - The Scientific Race to Defeat COVID-19: A Dialogue with David Quammen Oct 30, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Quammen about the origins and treatments for SARS-CoV-2. They discuss the lack of preparedness and missed warnings of SARS 2003. They talk about the two main schools of though on the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the 2 lineages, variants, and future variants. They also talk about herd immunity, drug therapies, and vaccines. They mention gain-of-function research, preparedness for future pandemics, and many other topics.

David Quammen is a well-renowned science writer and has received a Rhodes Scholarship, Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous awards for his writing. He is the author of sixteen books including, The Song of the Dodo, Spillover, The Tangled Tree, and his latest, Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat A Deadly Virus. You can find his work here. Twitter: @davidquammen

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#172 - Virtues and Character: A Dialogue with Massimo Pigliucci Oct 27, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Massimo Pigliucci about the nature of virtues and character. They define virtue and why people seek virtue. They describe the differences between virtues and morals and discuss moral relativism. They talk about daemons and how they are important for moral character. They also talk about Plato's five ways of governing, trusting institutions, aspects of character, and many more topics.

Massimo Pigliucci is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at City College of New York. He has a PhD in biology, a PhD in philosophy, and a doctorate in genetics. His main interests are philosophy of science, nature of pseudoscience, and stoicism. He is widely published in scientific journals and in mainstream outlets. He is the author of 16 books including his most recent book, The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders. You can find his work here.

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#171 - A Cellular Symphony: A Dialogue with Siddhartha Mukherjee Oct 24, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Siddhartha Mukherjee about cellular biology. They define what a cell is and talk about the importance of Leeuwenhoek and Hooke in observing and discovering the cell. They talk about the five basic principles of cell biology and explore the anatomy of a cell. They explain how important B cells and T cells are for the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system for fighting diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 and HIV. They also talk about the potential of stem cells for human medicine and many other topics.

Siddhartha Mukherjee is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer researcher and physician. He has his Bachelors in biology from Stanford University. As a Rhodes Scholar, he has a DPhil in immunology from Oxford University and an MD from Harvard University. He has published articles in journals such as Nature and The New England Journal of Medicine and in mainstream outlets such as The New York Times. He is the author of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize winning, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, The New York Times best-Seller, The Gene: An Intimate History, and the author of the new book, The Song of The Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and The New Human. You can find his work here. Twitter: @drsidmukherjee

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#170 - Navigating Friendship: A Dialogue with Hannah Bradshaw Oct 20, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Hannah Bradshaw about same-sex friendships, opposite-sex friendships, and relationships in society. They discuss some of her background and research, dynamics of male friendships, and dynamics of female friendships. They discuss opposite sex friendships, different levels of friendship, boundaries in friendships, and intrasexual female competition. They also discuss men and women in the workforce together, potential careers for younger generations, and sex differences in disgust research.

Hannah Bradshaw is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Washington and Jefferson College. She has her PhD in experimental psychology and her main interests include a multidisciplinary approach examining disgust sensitivity, women's sociality, and consumer behavior. You can find her work here. Twitter: @hkbradshaw

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#169 - Hidden Motives, Norms, and The Sacred: A Dialogue with Robin Hanson Oct 17, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robin Hanson about hidden motives, norms, and the sacred. They discuss how one understands motives and why they are hidden. They also talk about bias and not violating norms, free will, status and signaling and why dominance and prestige are important. They also talk about some aspects of cancel culture, large and small norms, and self-deception. They spend some time discussing the sacred, futarchy, and many other topics.

Robin Hanson is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He has degrees in physics and a PhD in social sciences from Caltech. His interests include economics, philosophy, political theory, healthy policy, and regulation. He has many articles published in various scientific journals and is the author of many books, including the most recent (co-authored with Kevin Simler), The Elephant In The Brain. He is also the co-host (with Agnes Callard) of the podcast, Minds Almost Meeting. You can find his work at his personal website. Twitter: @robinhanson

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#168 - An Economy of Promises: A Dialogue with Bruce Carruthers Oct 13, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Bruce Carruthers about credit, trust, and the American economic system. They discuss the point of emphasis on promise and trust when discussing credit and finances in the United States. They talk about why people willingly go into debt to be part of an American economic system. They spend time talking about the history and current use of the credit rating scale and its expanding evolution for society. They also talk about the national bank of the United States, student loans, and many other topics.

Bruce Carruthers is a sociologist and John D. MacArthur Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University. His research focuses on the history of credit in the United States. He is the author of five books including the most recent book, The Economy of Promises: Trust, Power, and Credit in America. You can find his work here.

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#167 - Being and Worldhood: The Philosophy of Martin Heidegger: A.Dialogue with Richard Polt Oct 10, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Polt about the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. They define and discuss Dasein, 3 forms of Dasein, and how it is different from other types of being. They talk about authenticity and inauthenticity, being as metaphysics, and the role of Aristotle's philosophy on Heidegger's thought. They discuss Heidegger's "turn" in the 1930s, being-in-the-world, 4 senses of the world, and what a shared world means. They also talk about environment, present-at-hand, and ready-to-hand. They engage on Heidegger's concepts of care, thrownness, and anxiety. They also mention Heidegger's thoughts on language and technology, along with his involvement in the Nazi party, and many other topics.

Richard Polt is Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of philosophy at Xavier University. He has a Bachelors in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley and a PhD from the Committee on Social Thought from the University of Chicago. His major interests are in Greek and German philosophy and he has translated and written over seven books, mostly on German philosophy, namely Heidegger's philosophical thought. You can find his work here.

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#166 - Infant Cognition and Plants: A Dialogue with Annie Wertz Oct 07, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Annie Wertz about her research on infant cognition and the interactions with plants. They discuss her background and how she came to study infant cognition and plants. They discuss infant development and cognition including object permanence, theory of mind, and various cognitive domains. They also talk about different types of plants such as toxic vs. non-toxic plants. They discuss the co-evolution of plants with humans and how infants can discriminate between edible and non-edible plants. They also discuss her PLANT experiment and the cross-cultural differences with infant cognition with plants.

Annie Wertz is a research psychologist who researches infant cognition and infants’ interactions with plants. She has her bachelor’s in psychology from Boston University and PhD in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She completed her postdoc research at Yale University and is currently a lead researcher in the MPRG Naturalistic Social Cognition Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin. You can find her work here. Twitter: @anniewertz

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#165 - Platypus, Echidna, and The Magnificent Mammals of Australia: A Dialogue with Jack Ashby Oct 02, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jack Ashby about the wonderful mammals of Australia. They talk about the distinctions between monotremes, marsupials, and placentals and where they are located around the world. They mention the ways in which the rest of the world discusses Australian mammals. They describe the features of the platypus, along with their mating and reproduction characteristics. They also talk about the features of the echidna including the males four-headed penis. They talk about the features of marsupials and some of the reproductive features of Tasmanian Devils. They mention the extinct Australian animals and the recent discussion of some trying to "resurrect" the thylacine. They talk about working in tandem with various Indigenous people groups in Australia and how to best understand Australian mammals.

Jack Ashby is a scientist and author. Currently, he is the Assistant Director of the University Museum of Zoology at the University of Cambridge. He has his PhD in Zoology from the University of Cambridge and was previously the museum manager at the Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London. He is a trustee of the Natural Sciences Collections Association, an Honorary Research Fellow in UCL Science and Technology Studies, and sits on the Council of the Society for the History of Natural History. He is the author of the latest book, Platypus Matters: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals. You can find his work here. Twitter: @jackdashby

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#164 - A Natural History of The Red Planet: A Dialogue with Simon Morden Sep 29, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simon Morden about the natural history of Mars. They talk about the current data concerning Mars, origins of the universe and how Mars formed. They talk about the importance of the great dichotomy, features of Mars during the pre-Noachian period, and the 2 moons of Mars. They discuss the Noachian period and how water was on Mars. They talk about the change of climate and atmosphere in the Hesperian period, rust and how Mars became red, the Amazonian period, the difficulty of getting humans to Mars and many more topics.

Simon Morden is a scientist and author. He has a bachelor’s in Geology and his PhD in Geophysics. He has spent much of his career writing science-fiction novels and has written over 10 novels and novellas. He has won the Philip K. Dick Award and been a judge for the Arthur C. Clarke Awards. He has returned to writing about the sciences with his latest book, The Red Planet: A Natural History of Mars. You can find him at his website. Twitter: @comrademorden

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#163 - The Power of Our Influence: A Dialogue with Vanessa Bohns Sep 25, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Vanessa Bohns about her research on influence. They define influence and how it has a reciprocal nature. They discuss who we are influenced by and what are the social norms for influence. They talk about why it is hard to make requests and hard to say no. They mention the negative aspects of influence, influence in dating and romantic relationships, the role of power with influence, and many other topics.

Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. She has an undergraduate degree from Brown University and PhD in Psychology from Columbia University. She has previously taught at New York University’s Stern School of Business and University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Her work as been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. She is the author of her first book, You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters. You can find her work at her website. Twitter: @profbohns

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#162 - Expansionism and Tariffs: The Presidency of William McKinley: A Dialogue with Robert Merry Sep 21, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Robert W. Merry about the life and presidency of William McKinley. They discuss the character and temperament of McKinley, his Ohio upbringing, impact of the Civil War, and why tariffs were a huge part of his policies. They talk about the brilliance of the 1896 election and his vision for his 1st term focusing on economic prosperity. They discuss the annexation of Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and how he managed the Philippines acquisition. They also talk about why he ran for a 2nd term, impact of Theodore Roosevelt, trade reciprocity, assassination, and the unfinished legacy of McKinley.

Robert W. Merry has an extensive background as a reporter, newsroom manager, and publishing CEO. He has both his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Journalism. Currently, he is the author of numerous books on American history and foreign policy. His book, President McKinley: Architect of the American Century is now available everywhere. You can find his work at his website.

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#161- The State of Our Culture: A Dialogue with William Deresiewicz Sep 19, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with William Deresiewicz about wokeness, academia, generational shifts, and the state of our culture. They talk about where one should place their energy and attention to events in society. They talk about how serious wokeness is and the misadventures of the extreme left in academia. They mention how society should progress towards balance, reforming/creating institutions, and the role of the internet and social media. They also talk about the various generational shifts and many more topics.

William Deresiewicz is a writer, cultural critic, and speaker. He has published over 300 essays and reviews in places such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harper’s. He has previously taught at English Yale University and Columbia University and is now a full-time writer. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent, The End of Solitude: Selected Essays on Culture and Society. Find him at his website. Twitter: @wderesiewicz

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#160 - Iron Will: The Presidency of Grover Cleveland: A Dialogue with Troy Senik Sep 15, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Troy Senik about the life and presidency of Grover Cleveland. They discuss how one defines a successful president and why this is important to consider when evaluating a presidential legacy. They talk about the philosophy and worldview in which Grover Cleveland governed, his temperament and contextual background, his absence from the civil war, and his time as mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York. They spend time discussing the case of Maria Halpin, his first term as president, his relationship with Frances Folsom, and his 2nd term as president along with what his legacy is as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States.

Troy Senik is an author and former White House speechwriter. He has worked at various think tanks and has published many pieces in mainstream publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. He is the co-founder of the digital media company, Kite & Key. He is the author of the book, A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland. Twitter: @troy_senik

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#159 - Our Need to Belong: A Dialogue with Geoffrey Cohen Sep 12, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Geoffrey Cohen about the science around the concept of belonging. They discuss Kurt Lewin's work on social psychology, specifically on his idea of situation building and the importance of the environment. They talk about the individual vs. collective dichotomy, five vital resources, belonging uncertainty, and belonging with identity. They also discuss us vs. them, interpersonal dynamics and perception, the negative side of belonging and fundamental attribution error. They talk about stereotypes and biases and how to foster belonging in schools, workforce, and in society.

Geoffrey Cohen is a social psychologist and James G. Marsh Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. He has a bachelors in psychology from Cornell University and PhD from Stanford University. His main research areas are the psychology of the self and belonging. He is the author of the new book, Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides. Visit his website here. Twitter: @geoffcohen

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#158 - Ancient Brains, Modern Times: A Dialogue with Douglas Kenrick & David Lundberg-Kenrick Sep 08, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Douglas Kenrick and David Lundberg-Kenrick about the evolutionary adaptations of the human body and brain. They discuss their pyramid of needs being rooted in evolution and juxtaposing it with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. They talk about evolution mismatches and tradeoffs and the values of behaviorism for adaptive change. They discuss tribalism, friendships, prestige/dominance, romantic relationships, family, and many other topics.

Douglas Kenrick is a social psychologist and professor of psychology Arizona State University. His interests are evolutionary biology and cognitive science to understand social interactions, decision-making, and creativity. He is the author of numerous books including the most recent book, Solving Modern Problems with A Stone-Aged Brain. You can find his work here. Twitter: @douglastkenrick

David Lundberg-Kenrick is the media outreach program manager at Arizona State University. He attended film school in New York and has an extensive background in multimedia education and working on various documentaries. He is the co-author of Solving Modern Problems with A stone-Aged Brain. Twitter: @lundbergkenrick

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#157 - An Evolutionary Framework for Depression: A Dialogue with Ed Hagen Sep 05, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Ed Hagen about evolution, mental disorders such as depression, and suicidality. They begin talking about the power of evolution, providing a defense of evolutionary psychology and the evolutionary history of humans. They discuss the evolutionary model for mental health disorders, the clinical taxonomy of the DSM-5, and defining depression. They provide some criticism of the new prolonged grief disorder, discuss the epidemiological data on depression, and explain the evolutionary model for understanding postpartum depression. They also discuss suicidality and some of the cross-cultural elements of mental disorders.

Ed Hagen is an anthropologist who specializes in conducting research on evolutionary medicine. He has his Bachelors in mathematics from UC Berkeley and his PhD in anthropology from UC Santa Barbara. His research takes an evolutionary approach to understanding non-infectious diseases, specifically mental health. He has researched depression, postpartum depression, suicide, and self-harm. You can find his research here. Twitter: @ed_hagen

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#156 - The Embodied Mind: A Dialogue with Thomas R. Verny Sep 01, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Thomas R. Verny about his work on the embodied mind. They discuss Thomas' background and motivation for writing his most recent book and how the embodied mind is an extended mind. They discuss the importance of the gut microbiome and the enteric nervous system. They talk about the vagus nerve, epigenetics, and stem cells and CRISPR. They also provided details on regeneration, hibernation, and metamorphosis using the example of the Planarian flatworm. They also talk about consciousness, the self, and many other topics.

Thomas R. Verny is a psychiatrist and author. He has taught at many academic institutions such as Harvard, University of Toronto, and York University, Toronto. He founded the Pre- and Perinatal Psychology Association of North America (PPPANA, renamed APPPAH—Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health – in 1995), and served as its president for eight years. He also launched the APPPAH Journal – the Journal of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health (JAPPAH) (Human Sciences Press, New York), which he edited from its inception until 1990. He is a member of the Ontario Review Board (ORB) and Associate Editor of the Journal of the Association for Pre- and Peri-natal Psychology and Health (JAPPPAH). He has almost 50 papers in the scientific journals and is the author of numerous books, including the most recent, The Embodied Mind: Understanding the Mysteries of Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and Our Bodies. You can find his work at his website.

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#155 - The Human Blueprint For A Good Society: A Dialogue with Nicholas Christakis Aug 28, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Christakis about cooperation, social networks, and tribalism. They discuss how humans are more cooperative and have a propensity for good than many people emphasize. They talk about the social suite and examples of unintentional, intentional, and artificial communities. They discuss positive and negative aspects of cooperation, punishment, and social networks. They discuss friendship, in-group tribalism, social learning, teaching, and culture. They also provide a brief update on where COVID-19 is at the moment and what we can expect in the next few years.

Nicholas Christakis is a physician and sociologist who conducts research at his Human Nature Lab at Yale University on social networks. Currently, he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, Internal Medicine, & Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. He has his MPH and MD from Harvard University along with his PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2009, he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is the author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of A Good Society, and Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. You can find his lab here. Twitter: @nachristakis

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#154 - Eating Someone: Animal Ethics and Consciousness: A Dialogue with Lori Marino Aug 14, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lori Marino about the ethics of eating animals and whether they have conscious states. They define intelligence in non-human animals and discuss the brains of whales and how they communicate. They discuss consciousness in animals and how humans can ethically cohabitate with animals. They talk about how domesticated animals, including farmed animals, have sentience, personality, and consciousness. They also talk about the ethics of eating animals and artificial meat, and many more topics.

Lori Marino is a neuroscientist and expert in studying animal intelligence and behavior. She has her PhD in biopsychology and has done extensive research on whale and dolphin intelligence. She is well-published in the scientific literature on animal minds. She is the President of The Whale Sanctuary Project and is also the founder and Executive Director of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. You can read her essay mentioned in this episode here.

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#153 - Authenticity and Feminism with Simone de Beauvoir: A Dialogue with Skye Cleary Aug 07, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Skye Cleary on authenticity and the feminism of Simone de Beauvoir. They define authenticity, discuss existence before essence, and dialogue on the "other" and subjectivity. They talk about de Beauvoir's mystifications and how to define what is a woman? They discuss roles, progress for women, and women's health. They also discuss de Beauvoir on friendship, love and marriage, motherhood, narcissism, and why rebellion is necessary.

Skye Cleary is a philosopher who teaches at Columbia University and City University of New York. She was the editor-in-chief of the American Philosophical Association's blog and certified fellow with the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. She is the author of three books including her latest, How to be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment. You can find her work here. Twitter: @skye_cleary

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#152 - The Complexities of Gender and Gender Dysphoria: A Dialogue Between Patrick Lockwood and Colin Wright Jul 31, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla moderates a dialogue between Patrick Lockwood and Colin Wright on gender and sexuality. They begin by defining biological sex and defining gender. They spend some time discussing the various complexities around gender dysphoria and they discuss the idea of being born in the wrong body. They end the dialogue by emphasizing how to have honest and compassionate conversations about sex and gender.

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

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 has written a variety of pieces on evolution, sex, and gender differences. You can follow his substack and on Twitter: @swipewright

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#151- A Hidden Human Species?: A Dialogue with Gregory Forth Jul 25, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Gregory Forth about the search for a hidden human species. They discuss his background working in Indonesia, an overview of different species of humans, and where the "ape-men" fit into the broader picture. They talk about the environment on Flores, Indonesia and the characteristics of the Lio people who are the primary eyewitnesses. They give a profile of the ape-men, discuss the role of myths and legends, and give specific details of the eyewitness accounts of the ape-men.

Gregory Forth is an anthropologist and was professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta for over 30 years. He is well published in the scientific journals and has authored various academic books. He is the author of Between Ape and Human. You can find his work here.

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#150 - The Multiple Configurations of Gender: A Dialogue with Will Beischel Jul 17, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Will Beischel about the most recent research on gender. They discuss their background for studying sex and gender and then provide an exhaustive analysis of the sex configuration theory. This theory includes understanding sexual orientation and its broader horizon along with three aspects including gender, sex, and gender/sex. They talk about how the social environment interacts with testosterone and power, interactions with others and some of the connections between biology and sociality for gender/sex. They talk about the traditional view of biological sex and understanding brain development in utero along with genetics to understand the variances with gender. They also talk about the roles of masculinity and femininity and how to adjust these ideas in the 21st century.

Will Beischel has a PhD from the University of Michigan. They have a degree in biology and neuroscience and their main interest is in sexual and gender identities, with a focus on sexual and gender minorities. You can find their work here. Twitter: @willbeischel

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#149 -Female Intrasexual Competition, Attractiveness Privilege, and Free Speech: A Dialogue with Tania Reynolds Jul 10, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a wide-ranging dialogue with Tania Reynolds about her research on female intrasexual competition, attractiveness privilege, and free speech. They provide a sexual selection overview such as preferences for mate choice. They talk about sexual selection for cooperation, heritability in mate preferences, and the aspect of female mate choice. They discuss monogamy and polygamy in mate choice, evolutionary and moral features of attraction, and an emphasis on youth. They also mention female standards of beauty in modern society and body positivity. They discuss in detail the specific aspects of intrasexual female competition, types of aggression, and the influence of patrilocal and matrilocal societies. They discuss attractiveness privilege and how it fits within other types of privilege, menstruation and anxiety, and gender bias. They end the conversation with a discussion on the limits and boundaries of free speech.

Tania Reynolds is a Social Psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico. She was also a postdoctoral research at the Kinsey Institute. She is well-published in many scientific journals and her research focuses on female intrasexual competition and cooperation, biases in social and and moral evaluations, sexual selection and life history theory. You can find her research here. Twitter: @taniaArline

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#148 - Method Acting: The Most Misunderstood System of Acting: A Dialogue with Isaac Butler Jul 03, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Isaac Butler about the history of method acting in the 20th century. They discuss who was Stanislavski and how he started his theater studio and system. They discuss the impact of Tolstoy and Chekhov on Stanislavksi. They explain the expansion of the method globally and how Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler became involved with the method. They talk about the differences between the system and the method and what is composed of the Method. They discuss how Marlon Brando was a genius and legend, origins of the actors legend, and some of the current modern actors that use the actors studio. They talk about current-day method acting and many more topics.

Isaac Butler is a cultural critic, historian, theater director, and podcaster. He is the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward (with Dan Kois) and of his most recent book, The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act. He is the host of the Slate's podcast, Working. Twitter: @parabasis

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#147 - Game Theory and Human Behavior: A Dialogue with Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli Jun 26, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli on game theory and how this can be used to understand human behavior. They define game theory, discuss how primary and secondary rewards can be used, and explain Nash equilibrium and hawk-dove theory. They discuss the importance of signals and the costly signaling model, signals with different audiences, and how evidence and persuasion are spun differently. They also discuss the prisoners dilemma, altruism, cooperation, punishment, and may other topics.

Moshe Hoffman is a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Behavior, research fellow at MIT's Sloan School of Management and lecturer in Harvard's Economics department. His work focuses on game theory used with topics on human motivation, learning and evolution, and preferences. You can find his work here. Twitter: @moshe_hoffman

Erez Yoeli is a research scientist at MIT's Sloan School of Management and Director of MIT's Applied Cooperation Team (ACT), and also a lecturer in Harvard's Economics department. His work focuses on altruism, and how using game theory can help in working with governments and products. Purchase Hidden Games. You can find his work here. Twitter: @erezyoeli

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#146 - The Good Enough Life: A Dialogue with Avram Alpert Jun 19, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Avram Alpert about the good enough life. They define what is the good enough life, pluralism and relativism, and spend time on what greatness is and maybe why it should not be emphasized. They discuss the elements of a good enough life for social policies, work, virtue ethics, and many other topics.

Avram Alpert is a writer, lecturer, and organizer. Currently, he is a fellow at the New Institute in Hamburg, Germany. He has taught at Rutgers and Princeton University and his work has been published in places such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. He is the author of a few books, including the most recent, The Good Enough Life. You can find his work here. Twitter: @avramalpert

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#145 - Encounters with Extreme Hate: A Dialogue with Daryl Davis Jun 13, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Daryl Davis about his career as a musician and his encounters with extreme hate groups. They discuss his background in music and how he came to be a professional musician. They talk about writing and performing music, the music industry, and his exposure of living abroad. They discuss his first encounter with a member of the KKK, his first interview with a KKK member, and subsequent meetings. They also talk about how race functions differently around the world, how people can be involved in combating extreme hate, and many other topics.

Daryl Davis is a musician, actor, writer, author, and lecturer. As a musician and actor, he has performed with The Legendary Blues Band and Chuck Berry. He has also appeared in shows such as HBO's The Wire. As a race relations lecturer and speaker, he has appeared in many major outlets such as CNN, NBC, and The Washington Post. He is the author of Klan-Destine Relationships and the documentary Accidental Courtesy. You can find his work here. Twitter: @realdaryldavis

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#144 - Parrots: A Mirror Reflection?: A Dialogue with Antone Martinho-Truswell Jun 09, 2022

In this dialogue, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Antone Martinho-Truswell about parrots and some of their striking similarities with humans. They discuss the importance of the phylogenetic tree, ways in which birds are connected with humans, and the specifics of bird brains. They discuss animal intelligence, corvids' use of tools, and various bird categories. They mention songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds and how birds communicate. The also talk about the features of parrots and their parallel with humans and many other topics.

Antone Martinho-Truswell is the Dean and Head of Graduate House at St. Paul's College at the University of Sydney. He is also a Research Associate in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on learning and cognition in birds and is interested in animal minds and animal cognition. He is the author of his latest book, The Parrot in the Mirror: How Evolving to be like birds made us human. You can find his research here and here. Twitter: @antonemartinho

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#143 - Intersectional Fortunes of Dinosaurs and Mammals: A Dialogue with Steve Brusatte Jun 06, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Steve Brusatte about the rise and fall of dinosaurs and the rise and reign of mammals. They discuss how his two books are connected and overlap, first dinosaurs, and how dinosaurs survived the great dying and diversified. They talk about the taxonomy of dinosaurs, the T. Rex, and dinosaurs connection with birds. They also discuss what makes a mammal a mammal, importance of the jaw, and how mammals coexisted with dinosaurs. They also mention how mammals survived the asteroid, their proliferation, humans, and the future of mammals.

Steve Brusatte is a Palaeontologist who has a Bachelors in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago, a Masters in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, and a PhD in Earth and Environmental Studies from the Columbia University, New York. He has over 150 peer-reviewed studies published and has discovered over a dozen dinosaur and mammal species. He is the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and his latest book, The Rise and Reign of the Mammals. He has also been a lead consultant on BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Planet, and Jurassic World: Dominion. You can find his work here. Twitter: @stevebrusatte

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#142 - The Science of Friendship: A Dialogue with Jaimie Arona Krems Jun 01, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jaimie Arona Krems about her research on friendship. They discuss the basic features and sex differences between how males and females have relationships. They talk about the different levels and dimensions of friendships and some of the stereotypes of friendships. They define friendship and talk about the dynamics of friends and family. They discuss jealousy and how it appears in friendships, status and trust, and opposite sex friendships. They talk about female competition in the workforce, attractiveness privilege, female cooperation, and many more topics.

Jaimie Arona Krems is a Social Psychologist with a degree in Classical and Near Eastern Archeology, Masters of Liberal Arts in physiology, Masters in Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, and a PhD in Social Psychology. Currently, she runs the Krems Social and Evolutionary Psychology Lab at The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN) at Oklahoma State University. The research in her lab focuses on female cooperation and competition, friendship, stereotyping and prejudice, religion, reputation, ecological variable. Twitter: @jaimiekrems

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#141 - The Life and Presidency of Woodrow Wilson: A Dialogue with John Milton Cooper May 30, 2022

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with John Milton Cooper about the life and presidency of Woodrow Wilson. They discuss the impact of the South, racism, and living in the North for Wilson. They talk about why the practice of law was not suited for Wilson and how he was more academic and cerebral in many ways. They talk about his book, Congressional Government, the infamous presidential election of 1912, and the first term domestic successes. They talk about Wilson's challenges with race while in office, why he kept the United States out of World War I, and the 14 points and League of Nations. They also mention his stroke, legacy, and many other topics.

John Milton Cooper is a Historian and author who is a worldwide expert on Woodrow Wilson. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he taught history for 40 years. He the author of numerous books including the Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Woodrow Wilson: A Biography. You can find his work here.

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#140 - The Phenomenology of Dreams in Animals: A Dialogue with David Peña-Guzmán May 26, 2022

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

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#139 - Accuracy in Climate Science: A Dialogue with Steven Koonin May 22, 2022

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.

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#138 - Complacency and Efficiency of the Economic Style: A Dialogue with Elizabeth Popp Berman May 19, 2022

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

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#137 - Yellowstone and History of the Western United States: A Dialogue with Megan Kate Nelson May 16, 2022

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

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#136 - Know Your Influence: A Dialogue with Zoe Chance May 12, 2022

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

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#135 - Human Rights and The Syrian Conflict: A Dialogue with Jomana Qaddour and Gissou Nia May 09, 2022

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: @jomanaqaddour

Gissou 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

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#134 - Origins of The Human Brain: A Dialogue with William A. Harris May 05, 2022

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.

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#133 - The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter: A Dialogue with Kai Bird May 02, 2022

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

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#132 - The Evolution of Birds: A Dialogue with Douglas Futuyma Apr 29, 2022

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.

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#131- Citizens: A Better Future: A Dialogue with Jon Alexander Apr 25, 2022

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

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#130 - Undoing Bias: A Dialogue with Christia Spears Brown Apr 21, 2022

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

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#129 - The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: A Dialogue with Riley Black Apr 18, 2022

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

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#128 - Immigration In The 21st Century: A Dialogue with Nancy Foner Apr 14, 2022

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.

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#127 - The Philosophy of Baruch Spinoza: A Dialogue with Steven Nadler Apr 11, 2022

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.

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#126 - Dogs Without Humans: A Dialogue with Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff Apr 07, 2022

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

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#125 - A Geological History of The Earth: A Dialogue with Andrew Knoll Apr 04, 2022

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.

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#124 - Living In the Grey with Neurodiversity: A Dialogue with Jenara Nerenberg Mar 31, 2022

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

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#123 - The Process of Animal Domestication: A Dialogue with Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra Mar 28, 2022

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.

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#122 - Virtues and Limits: A Dialogue with David McPherson Mar 24, 2022

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

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#121 - Unifying the Bayesian Brain Model and Free Energy Principle: A Dialogue with Karl Friston Mar 21, 2022

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.

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#120 - Is Psychology A Failing Science?: A Dialogue with Patrick Lockwood Mar 19, 2022

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

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#119 - The Communication of Whales: A Dialogue with Mel Cosentino Mar 17, 2022

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

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#118 - The Origins of The East India Company: A Dialogue with William Dalrymple Mar 14, 2022

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

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#117 - Cooperation and The Social Lives of Animals: A Dialogue with Ashley Ward Mar 10, 2022

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

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#116 - John F. Kennedy: The Formation of An American Dream: A Dialogue with Fredrik Logevall Mar 07, 2022

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.

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#115 - Should We Care About the Culture Wars?: A Dialogue with Meghan Daum Mar 03, 2022

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

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#114 - Bridging Divides Through Curiosity: A Dialogue with Monica Guzman Feb 28, 2022

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

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#113 - Building Life Over Billions of Years: A Dialogue with Neil Shubin Feb 21, 2022

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

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#112 - Recalibrating Our Views on Anger and Shame: A Dialogue with Daniel Sznycer Feb 17, 2022

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

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#111 - Are We Evolved to Exercise?: A Dialogue With Daniel Lieberman Feb 14, 2022

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.

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#110 - The Power of Convergent Evolution: A Dialogue with Jonathan Losos Feb 10, 2022

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.

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#109 - Genetic History of the Americas: A Dialogue with Jennifer Raff Feb 07, 2022

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

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#108 - Structural Figures of Continental Philosophy: A Dialogue with John Macready Feb 03, 2022

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

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#107 - Biophysics of the Living World: A Dialogue with Raghuveer Parthasarathy Jan 31, 2022

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

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#106 - The Interconnectedness of Scale: A Dialogue with Geoffrey West Jan 23, 2022

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.

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#105 - Are Humans Evolved for Cooperation and Kindness?: A Dialogue with Michael McCullough Jan 17, 2022

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

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#104 - Four Women Who Revolutionized Ethics: A Dialogue with Benjamin Lipscomb Jan 13, 2022

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.

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#103 - The Horde: Genius of the Mongols: A Dialogue with Marie Favereau Jan 10, 2022

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.

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#102 - Genes, Moods, and the Self: A Dialogue with Bill Sullivan Jan 06, 2022

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

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#101 - From Darwin to Derrida: A Dialogue with David Haig Jan 03, 2022

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.

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#100 - In the Shadow of Vietnam: A Dialogue with Mark Atwood Lawrence Dec 30, 2021

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.

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#99 - Time of the Magicians: A Dialogue with Wolfram Eilenberger Dec 28, 2021

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

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#98 - Puzzling Wonders of Evolution: A Dialogue with Kenneth Catania Dec 23, 2021

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.

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#97 - The Neuroscience of Psychotherapeutic Change: A Dialogue with Richard Lane Dec 20, 2021

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.

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#96 - The Complicated Utility of Anger and Shame: A Dialogue with Owen Flanagan Dec 16, 2021

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.

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#95 - The History of Human Emotions: A Dialogue with Richard Firth-Godbehere Dec 13, 2021

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

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#94 - The Neuroscientific and Philosophical Landscape of Self-Regulation: A Dialogue with Stuart Shanker Dec 09, 2021

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

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#93 - 500 Million Years of Cephalopods: A Dialogue with Danna Staaf Dec 06, 2021

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

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#92 - Is There A Way Out of Toxic Polarization?: A Dialogue with Peter Coleman Dec 02, 2021

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.

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#91 - German Idealism: The Philosophies of Kant and Fichte: A Dialogue with Gabriel Gottlieb Nov 29, 2021

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

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#90 - Sovereignty: A Most Presumptuous Claim: A Dialogue with Peter Russell Nov 25, 2021

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.

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#89 - The Macabre Pleasures of Morbid Curiosity: A Dialogue with Coltan Scrivner Nov 22, 2021

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

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#88 - Life in the Arctic Tundra: A Dialogue with Laura Galloway Nov 18, 2021

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

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#87 - The End of Trauma: A Dialogue with George Bonanno Nov 15, 2021

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

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#86 - A History of Maternal-Fetal Effects: A Dialogue with Sarah Richardson Nov 11, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sarah Richardson about the history of maternal-fetal effects. They discuss why human developmental plasticity is important for intrauterine growth and how this impacts the evolution of post-natal growth. The talk about the importance of Weismann's philosophy of science for maternal health. They mention maternal impressions theories and the complicated history of eugenics with maternal health. They discuss the importance of animal studies to understand maternal-fetal effects and the ongoing emphasis on birth weight. They discuss the unfinished story on epigenetics and many of its challenges along with some pragmatic considerations on maternal-fetal effects.

Sarah Richardson is Professor of the History of Science and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University. She directs the Harvard GenderSci Lab and her interests are in gender, sexuality, and reproduction. She has been published in many scientific journals and in popular media outlets. Her latest book, The Maternal Imprint: The Contested Science of Maternal-Fetal Effects can be published here. You can also find her work here.

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#85 - Earth: The Annals of Our Home: A Dialogue with Henry Gee Nov 08, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Henry Gee about the history of the earth. They start by discussing Henry's background and reasons for writing the book. They discuss the big bang and origins of the earth along with how the sun and planets formed in our solar system. They talk about the importance of gravity and how early life started in the oceans. They explain how life went from unicellular to multicellular and the formation of sponges. They discuss how life formed the anus to forming a digestive tract to teeth to protective shells. They talk about the Cambrian explosion that was monumental for many lifeforms. They discuss how fish evolved into vertebrates and moved from water to land. They explain the importance of tetrapods and how plants began on the earth. They mention the importance of the Triassic and Jurassic periods on the anatomy of dinosaurs and the evolution of mammals. They talk about the importance of Homo Erectus, different human species on the earth, the future of the planet, and many other topics.

Henry Gee is a Paleontologist and is the Senior Editor for the scientific journal Nature. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge. Along with many articles, he is the author of numerous books including his most recent book, A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters, which you can purchase here. You can find his blog here. Twitter: @endofthepier

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#84 - The Phenomenological Materialism of Hannah Arendt: A Dialogue with Samantha Rose Hill Nov 04, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Samantha Rose Hill about the life and philosophy of Hannah Arendt. They begin by mapping out some of Arendt's early childhood and life experiences, specifically the death of her father. They discuss her various romantic relationships including the very complicated relationship with Martin Heidegger. They explore the differences between loneliness and isolation and talk about Arendt's work on totalitarianism. They also discuss Arendt's work on private and public realms, the banality of evil, race, feminism, and many other topics.

Samantha Rose Hill is a senior fellow at the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities and associate faculty at the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research. Her writing has been in Aeon, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Public Seminar, among other places. She is the author of Hannah Arendt and is currently working on Hannah Arendt's Poems, a book on loneliness, and a memoir. You can find her writing and much of work at her website. Twitter: @samantharhill

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#83 - The Pleasures of Suffering: A Dialogue with Paul Bloom Nov 01, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Bloom concerning suffering, pleasure, and meaning. They discuss the reasoning for Paul writing his new book on the darker side of pleasure and make the distinction between chosen and unchosen suffering. They question whether one should always finding meaning in suffering and talk about some of the illusions of reality. They talk about the notion of contrast and discuss the importance of aversive fictions and the role of imagination. They define meaning and how people aim to seek meaning and value from different types of suffering. They also discuss Paul's previous book on empathy and provide distinctions between cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassion. They talk about how one can view empathy in different aspects of clinical therapeutic practice. They also discuss having more balanced ways of seeing the complexities of humanity and many other topics.

Paul Bloom is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. Paul's interests are on morality, pleasure, and development. He is the past president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. He is the author of numerous books such as Against Empathy and his latest book, The Sweet Spot, which you can purchase here. You can find much of his research and writing at his website. Twitter: @paulbloomatyale

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#82 - The Gene‘s-Eye View of Evolution: A Dialogue with Arvid Ågren Oct 28, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Arvid Ågren about the genetic implications of evolution. The discuss his background and reasons for writing his book. They explain the gene's-eye view of natural selection and how one can still understand evolution without genetics. They also discuss how genes are "immortal" and "selfish" and still cooperate together. They talk about adaptation and this concept's history along with the challenges of creationism and intelligent design. They also provide some ideas about group selection and its merits.

Genes, chromosomes, DNA, and proteins are introduced and discussed. They engage about "types" and "tokens" along with "replicators" and "vehicles." They talk about "memes" and how they impact cultural evolution. They spend time discussing the five difficulties of the selfish gene, Hamilton's rule, and inclusive fitness. They also mention the interaction of Hamilton's rule with cooperation, kin selection, and interdependence and many other topics.

Arvid Ågren is an Evolutionary Biologist who studies the causes and consequences of genomic conflicts. He has a Bachelors in Biology from the University of Edinburgh and his PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Toronto. He completed his Postdoc in Andy Clark's lab for Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University. He also did a fellowship at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University hosted by David Haig. Currently, he conducts research at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University in Sweden. His new book, The Gene's-Eye View of Evolution can be purchased here. You can find his research at his website. Twitter: @arvidagren

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#81 - Media‘s Gentrification of the Working Class: A Dialogue with Batya Ungar-Sargon Oct 25, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Batya Ungar-Sargon about journalism and the working class. They begin by discussing the history of journalism and the past emphasis of the working class being the main audience. They discuss why mass media has become highly polarized and the evolution of media being for elites. They talk about some of the incentives of media and speculate about some of the potential psychological explanations for the polarization in society. They discuss the impact of social media on media overall along with some of the differences in conservative and liberal media. They also talk about individual journalism and if institutions can be saved and many other topics.

Batya Ungar-Sargon is the Deputy Opinion Editor of Newsweek. She holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times. You can purchase her book here. Twitter: @bungarsargon

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#80 - Wrestling With Our Social Taboos: A Dialogue with Charles Murray Oct 18, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Charles Murray about statistics, cognitive abilities, and social-political issues. They begin by providing a statistical overview of the bell curve, standard deviations, and the overlap of group mean averages. They discuss meta analyses and factor analyses and why they are important for IQ data. They also mention g and its importance for cognitive abilities. They provide definitions of terms such as race, ethnicity, and populations along with genetic concepts such as SNPs, Alleles, and Polygenetic Index scores. They outline the data on race and IQ and question whether it is important to even study group differences between races. They talk about the current social ideology and contributions to these conversations. They also mention the gene-environment interactions, how some groups use data for nefarious reasons, and many other topics.

Charles Murray is the F.A. Hayek Chair Emeritus in Cultural Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. He holds a BA in History from Harvard University and a PhD in Political Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has been involved with the Peace Corps and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He is the author of numerous books, including, The Bell Curve, Coming Apart, Human Diversity, and Facing Reality. You can find some of his work at his website. Twitter: @charlesmurray

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#79 - Plagues Upon The Earth: A Dialogue with Kyle Harper Oct 14, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kyle Harper about the history of plague and disease on the planet. They begin by talking about his reasons for writing his latest book and the two main theses of the book. They talk about the five taxa of pathology and the importance of globalization on disease. They discuss the three components of parasitism and how the evolution of disease evolves alongside hominoids. They talk about the importance of hunter-gatherers in the Pleistocene period along with the key aspect of vector borne transmission diseases. They move to the Agrarian period and the importance of fecal-oral transmission for disease history. They talk about examples of typhoid disease and measles and how density and domesticates are implicated in respiratory diseases.

They also talk about the plague and its complicated history while also mentioning zoonotic leaps from bats and rats. They also discuss the Colombian exchange the impact this period had on the spread of disease in the world. They talk about the impact of the mosquito and how modernity has continued to work on the evolution of diseases. They mention public healthy innovations in the modern ages, vaccines, and where COVID-19 sits in the history of disease.

Kyle Harper is a Professor of Classics and Letters and Provost Emeritus and Senior Advisor to the President at the University of Oklahoma. He is a historian of ancient Rome and his interests are disease history, economic history, and environmental history. He is the author of four books, including his most recent book, Plagues Upon The Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History. You can purchase this book here. You can find much of his research at his website. Twitter: @oklahomaharper

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#78 - Nuanced Feminism in Modern Times: A Dialogue with Kat Rosenfield Oct 11, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kat Rosenfield about women, men, feminism, metoo, cancel culture, and free speech issues. They begin the conversation by discussing why Kat writes about cultural issues and the current state of feminism. They explore why dissent from other women is not always accepted within many women's rights groups. They discuss women in the workplace, the patriarchy, metoo, and women in film. They talk about whether one can separate the art from the artist and if it is possible to forgive and rehabilitate people for wrong acts they do. They also talk about cancel culture and free speech and many other topics.

Kat Rosenfield is a freelance pop culture writer. She is a former reporter for MTV News and has written articles for Entertainment Weekly, Unherd, Vulture, Wired, and many other places. She is the author of many books including Alliances: A Trick of Light with Stan Lee. Her newest novel is No One Will Miss Her and can be purchased here. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @katrosenfield

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#77 - Balanced and Healthy Group Identities: A Dialogue with Dominic Packer Oct 07, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Dominic Packer about group identities. They start the conversation by discussing his partnership with Jay Van Bavel and their reasons for writing the book. The define identity and why it is an important construct. They discuss the delineation between self and personality and discuss in-group vs. out-group constructs. They mention the concept of cooperation with group identities and mention some of the classic social psychology experiments. They talk about group identity with political polarization, optimal distinctiveness, and the importance of dissent. They also talk about the need for healthy group identities and many other topics.

Dominic Packer is a Social Psychologist, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs in Arts and Sciences at Lehigh University. His main focus areas are on dissent, cooperation, and group identities. His book, with co-author Jay Van Bavel, is The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony, which can be purchased here. Their book also has a website. Twitter: @dominicpacker_

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#76 - The Evolving Complexities of Higher Education: A Dialogue with Nicole Barbaro Oct 04, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicole Barbaro about higher education. They discuss Nicole's work in higher education and the importance of mentorship for professional development. They provide a definition of education and its boundaries. They also talk about the role of the federal government (Department of Education in the USA) in overseeing and regulating education. They mention merit vs. meritocracy along with the role of standardized tests and entrance exams. They talk about the challenges of scale for a large country's education system and a public option for education. They spend some time discussing the importance of good, quality teaching in higher education. They mention the variables of synchronous and asynchronous learning/teaching. They talk about the process of formal training and education and why information gathering alone is half of the process. They discuss the alternatives of improving teaching in the classroom, DIY and "education influencers," woke activism, Critical Race Theory (CRT) curriculums, and homeschooling. They also talk about options for improving the future of education 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

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#75 - Social Implications of Our Genetic Lottery: A Dialogue with Kathryn Paige Harden Sep 27, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kathryn Paige Harden about genetics and their interactions with the environment. She explains her background and reasoning for writing her book. They lay the groundwork for the conversation by considering why it is important to study human variation at all and give the framing for why genes can be seen as luck or a lottery. They discuss the differences between genetic variance vs. genetic shift and why this can be contentious at times. They discuss Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and explain the many aspects surrounding this tool and some of the opinions people have about them. They dialogue about how to separate the tools from the scientist and how this could be done appropriately. She discusses her agreements and disagreements with various camps in the genetic research world and why understanding author’s intent is important. They also talk about equality and impact the environmental interaction has on genetic data.

Kathryn Paige Harden is a tenured professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin where she heads the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and co-directs the Texas Twin project. She obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Virginia and has published over 100 scientific publications on child cognitive development, academic achievement and other familiar topics. She is the author of the book, The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality, which can be found here. You can find her various publications at her website. Twitter: @kph3k

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#74 - Whales: The Mysterious Giants of the Ocean: A Dialogue with Nick Pyenson Sep 23, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nick Pyenson about whales and their environment. They begin the conversation by talking about the importance of science communication and Nick's role in science communication with his research and book. They discuss the various ways in which scientists obtain whale data and talk about the evolution of whales. They talk about the two phases of whale evolution from land to water and provide a natural history of whales through different periods of the earth. They discuss the challenges with whaling and explain the taxonomy of whales. They engage about the diet of whales and how their dietary habits contribute to the ecosystems of the oceans. They talk about the impact of increased carbon dioxide and ocean acidification on the future of whale along with many other topics.

Nick Pyenson is a Paleontologist, Research Geologist, and curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian's Institution's National Museum of Natural History. His scientific research has focused on the convergent evolution of marine life, including whales. He is the author of the book, Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures, which can be found here. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @pyensonlab

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#73 - The Evolution of Beauty: A Dialogue with Richard Prum Sep 20, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Richard Prum about aesthetics, birds, and the evolution of beauty. They provide an overview of sexual selection and the aspects of sexual ornamentation and mate choice. They discuss Fisher’s two-factor model of evolution and use the example of the great Argus pheasant to describe Richard’s idea that beauty happens. They discuss the co-evolution of beauty and how sexual selection is not only about adaptation. They mention the subjective experience of animals and theory of mind. They also discuss aesthetic radiation, phylogeny of birds, and the sound production in the wings of Manakins. They briefly discuss the colorful feathers of dinosaurs, duck sex, and aesthetic remodeling. Richard provides some of his critiques of evolutionary psychology and makes the distinction between beauty happening and pleasure happening.

Richard Prum is an Evolutionary Ornithologist at Yale University. His research interests are avian biology, behavioral evolution, sexual selection, and mate choice. He has been a main contributor to the theropod dinosaur origins of birds and the evolution of avian plumage coloration. He is the Curator of Ornithology and Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Previously, he was the Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale. He is the author of, The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us, which can be purchased here. You can find his scholarly publications here.

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#72 - Let‘s Talk About Sex(ual Arousal, Desire, & Disgust): A Dialogue with Courtney Crosby Sep 16, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Courtney Crosby about sexual arousal, desire, and disgust. Courtney provides some of her background and how she became interested in evolutionary psychology and studying sexual disgust. They define disgust, seeing it as its own emotional system and discuss how disgust fits with other emotions. They discuss the different elements of core disgust and some of the associations between disgust and norms, judgments, and attributions. They also discuss sexuality and discuss the distinctions between sexual desire and sexual arousal. They talk about sexual disgust, its various dimensions, cross-cultural findings, and some remarks on moral disgust.

Courtney Crosby is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Texas at Austin whose research is in evolutionary psychology and sexual disgust. She has published empirical research on sexual disgust and has written for Psychology Today. Find all of her scholarly research and popular pieces at her website. Twitter: @evocourtney

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#71 - The Fiscal Legacy of Calvin Coolidge: A Dialogue with Amity Shlaes Sep 12, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Amity Shlaes about the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. They discuss Coolidge’s background and environment raised to be frugal and fiscally conservative. They talk about his path to the presidency and his state vs national views on progressivism. They focus on how Coolidge’s emphasis as president was on a balanced budget and reducing the debt. They talk about his handling of the Mississippi floods and why he did not involve the national government for aid. They also discuss Coolidge’s weakness on foreign affairs and his overall legacy as president.

Amity Shlaes is the chairwoman of the board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation. She has written four New York Times bestsellers, including Coolidge. She is the winner of the Hayek Prize and has served on the Council on Foreign Relations and the George W. Bush Presidential Center. She is the Presidential Scholar at King’s College and has previously taught at New York University’s Stern School of business. You can find all of her work at her website. Twitter: @Amityshlaes

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#70 - A Conservative Case for Liberal Education: A Dialogue with Jonathan Marks Sep 09, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla had a dialogue with Jonathan Marks about liberal education and how educational institutions need reform. They discuss his main thesis of the book and why he decided to write the book. They define and discuss the origins of liberal education. They define the terms “liberal” and “conservative” and why it’s important to defend a liberal arts education. They talk about rationality and why that’s important for educational institutions. They mention the impact that rationality has on the pragmatic aspects of life. They discuss the need for a robust and integrative curriculum for students and where the future of educational institutions are headed.

Jonathan Marks is chair and professor of politics at Ursinus College where he teaches political philosophy. He holds a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD from The University of Chicago. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of American Political Science. His articles for a wider audience can be found in Commentary Magazine and the Chronicle of Higher Education. His new book, Let’s be Reasonable: A Conservative Case for Liberal Education can be found here. Twitter: @marksjo1

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#69 - Jungles: Our Fading Home: A Dialogue with Patrick Roberts Sep 06, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Patrick Roberts about tropical forests and their impact on the planet and for humans. They begin with a historical overview of the earth’s periods and how tropical forests are seen in each period. They define tropical forests and describe their general composition. They talk about Pangaea and Gondwana and some of the angiosperm in the early periods that contributed to animals and life on earth. They discuss the importance of early mammals in the Jurassic period. They also talk about early Hominids in their environment and the early stages of agriculture. They talk about island forestation, human migration, and tropical forests with ancient civilizations. They discuss deforestation and reforestation and the human impact on climate change.

Patrick Roberts is the Research Group Leader and Director of the Stable Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Archaeology at Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. He has a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology, a MSc in Archaeological Science, and a DPhil in Archaeological Science from the University of Oxford. His main research interests are studying tropical forests and how they impact human adaptations. Aside from his Archaeological and paleoenvironmental research, he has recently published his first book, Jungle: How Tropical Forests Shaped the World- and Us, which you can purchase here. You can find his research publications here. Twitter: @palaeotropics

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#68 - Uncovering the Inner Experience of Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Dialogue with Shioma-Lei Craythorne Sep 02, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Shioma-Lei Craythorne about Body Dysmorphic Disorder and some of the research on this disorder. They provide a definition of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) along with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders– Fifth Edition (DSM-V) criteria and description. They talk about the differences between pathological and non-pathological features with one’s body and appearance. They explain some of the diagnostic differential with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Eating Disorders. They talk about the muscle dysmorphia specifier and explore some of the themes around masculinity currently. They also review some of the epidemiology and etiology of BDD and engage about the role of social media and plastic surgery on BDD.

A main focus of this dialogue was on Shioma-Lei’s dissertation research examining the hermeneutics and phenomenological data on BDD using art. She provides an overview of her research and how she used art to extrapolate the subjective experiences of her participants with BDD. They discuss some of the philosophical ideas that are implicated in her research and also discuss some of the treatment for BDD.

Shioma-Lei Craythorne has a PhD in Psychology from Aston University. Her research focuses on Body Dysmorphic disorder and looking at using art to explore the subjective experiences of those with BDD. She has created a website to have resources for individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Twitter: @shioma_lei

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#67 - Zealous Search for Truth in Documentary Filmmaking: A Dialogue with Nadia Gill Aug 30, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nadia Gill concerning truth, persuasion, and culture in documentary filmmaking. They talk about her background and shift from law to documentary filmmaking. They discuss the importance of telling the truth in documentaries and whether persuasion or propaganda is implicating in some documentaries. They also talk about showing a perspective vs. describing objective truth about reality in documentaries. They ponder if the responsibility for truth lies with the filmmaker or with the viewer, who gets to tell what stories, and many other topics.

Nadia Gill is a former lawyer, producer and documentary filmmaker. Her and her husband, Dominic Gill, started Encompass Films as a way to tell stories about adventure and the outdoors from a wide range of people and cultures. They have recently branched out into conservation and some political polarization. They have done work for clients such as Red Bull, Microsoft, Hendrick's Gin, and many others. Twitter: @egypxican

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#66 - Testosterone: Understanding Without Judgment: A Dialogue with Carole Hooven Aug 23, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Carole Hooven about the hormone Testosterone and its impact on men and within society. They discuss her new book and reasons for writing the book. They talk about sex hormones and the sexual reproductive system as well as the impact of sexual selection on both. They provide definitions of male and female within a biological framework including discussions on the genetics, hormones, and gametes. They talk about the impact of culture and environment on gender expression and biological sex. The talk about how hormones are distributed throughout the body and the importance of secondary sex characteristics. They talk about the Mullerian and Wolffian ducts and also give different examples of how hormones interact with the environment. They discuss the complexities of discussing biology and environment in current society and many other topics.

Carole Hooven is a Lecturer and Co-Director of the undergraduate program in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. She has a Bachelors in Psychology from Antioch College and a PhD from Harvard University. Her main research areas are sex differences, testosterone, and hormones interaction with behaviors. She is the author of T: The Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us which you can purchase here. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @hoovlet

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#65 - A Balanced Black History in Education: A Dialogue with Charles Love Aug 19, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Charles Love about education, Black history, and current political challenges. The talk about his background and work in education. They talk about the challenges with the current Critical Race Theory (CRT) rhetoric that dominates conversation in education. They discuss how to have a balanced approach in teaching and learning Black history in education. They explain how learning about all aspects of Black history is very important. They review the 1619 project and some of its challenges. They also talk about heterodox thinkers and politics of today and many other topics.

Charles Love is the Executive Director of Seeking Educational Excellence, a non-profit organization aimed to empower disadvantage students to excel in many domains. He is the host of The Charles Love Show on AM560 and is the co-host of the Cut the Bull podcast. He is a scholar at 1776Unites and is a contributing writer at City Journal. His new book, Race Crazy is available here. Find his website here. Twitter: @cdouglaslove3

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#64 - Lifting the Veil of Islam: A Dialogue with Yasmine Mohammed Aug 16, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Yasmine Mohammed about the complexities of Islam around the world. They begin with a synopsis of Yasmine’s story with Islam and how she responds to her story not being representative of Islam. They discuss the cultural vs. religious claims for some practices. They talk about the various interpretations of Islam and how it is best perceived as a continuum. They discuss the convergent and divergent ways that Muslims in Muslim majority countries compare with Muslims in non-Muslim majority countries. They talk about how women are treated in Muslim-majority countries along with some of the problems with head coverings and many other topics.

Yasmine Mohammed is a Human Rights activist who advocates for women’s rights around the world, specifically in Muslim majority countries. She is the founder of Free Hearts Free Minds which is an organization that provides mental health services for LGBTQ+ individuals along with freethinkers in Muslim majority countries. She is the author of her memoir, Unveiled. She also serves on the board of Humanist Global Charity and Atheists for Liberty. She works with the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Foundation and is a member of Center for Inquiry Speaker’s Bureau. Visit her website. Twitter: @yasmohammedxx

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#63 - The Philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas: A Dialogue with Simon Critchley Aug 12, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simon Critchley on continental and analytic philosophy, the philosophy of Levinas, and applied philosophy. They discuss what continental and analytical philosophy are and their similarities and differences. They discuss how to accurately understand postmodernism and deconstructionism. They talk about the philosophy of Levinas and his understanding of phenomenology. They mention why the biography of philosophers is important for understanding philosophical ideas. They discuss "the other" in the philosophies of Kierkegaard, Levinas, and Sartre. They talk about the ethics of Levinas and how philosophy can be applied in society today.

Simon Critchley is a philosopher who is the Hans Jonas Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research. His areas of research include psychoanalysis, continental philosophy, ethics, and political theory. He has written numerous books, including the most recent, Bald: 35 Philosophical Short Cuts. You can find all of his work here.

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#62 - De-Stigmatizing Mental Illness: A Dialogue with Lucy Foulkes Aug 09, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lucy Foulkes around mental illness and some of the facts and messaging regarding this topic. They define mental illness and discuss the differences between acute and chronic symptoms. They talk about how to understand the conceptualization of mental disorders along with the distinctions between pathological and non-pathological symptoms. They spend time discussing de-stigmatization and how this works for athletes and public figures. They also engage about how de-stigmatization works with social media for many people. They also discuss treatment for individuals with mental illness and many other topics.

Lucy Foulkes is a Psychologist and Honorary Lecturer in Psychology at University College, London. Her research primarily focuses on mental health and social cognition in adolescence. Her latest book, Losing Our Minds: What Mental Illness Really is and What it isn't is available here. You can find her research here. Twitter: @lfoulkesy

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#61 - Can Evolution Explain Morality?: A Dialogue with Allen Buchanan Aug 05, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Allen Buchanan about the origins of tribalism and morality. They discuss his reasons for writing about tribalism and ideology along with providing a definition of tribalism and how it manifests in society. Allen provides his critiques of the evolutionary models for morality and how he finds cooperation incomplete. They discuss the current evolutionary and psychological theories about cooperation and how they interact with his criticisms. They discuss the impact of culture and his pragmatic answers to tribalism and poor ideology and many other topics.

Allen Buchanan is a philosopher and was the James B Duke Professor of Philosophy at Duke University. He was also a professor of Philosophy of International Law at the Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College, London. Currently, he teaches and conducts research at the University of Arizona. He is the author of numerous books, including his most recent, Our Moral Fate: Evolution and the Escape From Tribalism. Find him here.

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#60 - The Self-Conscious Emotion of Shame: A Dialogue with June Tangney Aug 02, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with June Tangney about shame and the various components of this emotion. They provide a definition of shame and how it is a distinct emotion from guilt. They discuss how the same event can be implicated with different emotional reactions. They talk about how to understand negative shame and hubristic pride along with the differences between public and private shame. They discuss the adaptive aspects of shame and how shame may present in other cultures. They talk about shame with trauma and some of the clinical interventions that could be used in therapy for shame. They discuss how shame manifests in various medical diagnoses and how shame presents in popular culture and mainstream media.

June Tangney is a Clinical Psychologist and University Professor at George Mason University. She has served as Associate Editor for Self and Identity, Consulting Editor for Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Psychological Assessment, Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, and Journal of Personality, and is currently Associate Editor of American Psychologist. She has done extensive research on the moral emotions (e.g., shame, guilt, empathy) and has done work researching moral emotions with incarcerated offenders. You can find her books here. You can also find her peer-reviewed research here.

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#59 - Genetic Balancing of Nature and Nurture: A Dialogue with Kevin Mitchell Jul 26, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kevin Mitchell on genetics, neuroscience, and variation in development. They discuss why developmental variation is important to understanding genes and environment through the trajectory of the lifespan. They talk about how a person responds to the environment and why this is a key essential feature for gene and environment interaction. They talk about the genome as a system or program that can interact with other "noise" in the system. They make the distinctions between traits and genes and how neuropsychiatric disorders are implicated by genetic variation. The provide an example of heritability using Autism and the various genes involved in the development of Autism. They talk about how much genetic programming is set before birth and also provide a definition of environment. They use intelligence as an example to explain the differences in the nature vs. nurture debate. They talk about the importance of twin studies, use of polygenic scores, epigenetics, neuroplasticity, and many other topics.

Kevin Mitchell is an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. He has his BA in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of California at Berkeley. His current research focuses on genetics and wiring of the brain specifically as it relates to neuropsychiatric disorders. He is the author of Innate: How the wiring of our brains shapes who we are which you can purchase here. He also has his own blog. Twitter: @wiringthebrain

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#58 - Suicide: The Most Known Unknown: A Dialogue with Kathryn Gordon Jul 22, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Kathryn Gordon about the challenging topic of suicide. They discuss the current data and statistics on suicide in the United States. They talk about the connection between suicide and mental illness and how to spot warning signs for suicide. They discuss the appropriate ways to ask if someone is suicidal along with the differences between passive and active suicidal ideations. They distinguish what is different between a safety contract and a safety plan. They also mention the role of self-injurious behaviors and their various differences from suicidal gestures. They also talk about the dangers of discussion suicide on social media and many other topics.

Kathryn Gordon is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who is a clinician and researcher. As a clinician, she specializes in conducting Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a variety of clients. She also conducts active research on Eating Disorders. She was also an Associate Professor of Psychology at North Dakota State University. You can find her published research here. She is the author of The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook which can be purchased here. She is the co-host of the podcast, Psychodrama and write a blog for Psychology Today. Twitter: @drkathryngordon

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#57 - The Emotional Lives of Black Women: A Dialogue with Inger Burnett-Zeigler Jul 19, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Inger Burnett-Ziegler about the emotional lives of Black women and how Black women can have authenticity and empowerment. They discuss Inger's background and her reasoning for writing her book. They discuss the origins of the norm that Black women must be strong and not expressive with vulnerabilities. They talk about the current internal and external barriers for Black women being able to express their positive and negative experiences. They also talk about how empowerment and authentic expressions of self are received by Black women. They describe some of the features of intergenerational trauma and how colorism impacts Black women. They end by discussing the stigma of Black women seeking mental health treatment.

Inger Burnett-Zeigler is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. She has over 15 years of clinical experience providing Psychological interventions to various patients. Her research focuses on mental health disparities within the Black community. Her first book, Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women is available now. You can also find all relevant links to her research and appearances at her website. Twitter: @ibzpsychphd

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#56 - A Defense Against Illiberalism: A Dialogue with Jonathan Rauch Jul 12, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jonathan Rauch about the constitution of knowledge and how to defend against illiberalism. They discuss Jonathan’s background and how we have arrived to many of the societal themes today. They discuss the distinctions between truth and knowledge and how Jonathan modeled his constitution of knowledge from the US constitution. They talk about the central thesis of compromise and how it’s possible to scale the constitution of knowledge to all of society. They stress the importance and value of institutions and provide an example of how gay rights was achieved through a combination of activism and use of institutions. They talk about the components of the constitution of knowledge and the differences between positive and negative epistemic valence. They explain the need for individuals and institutions to work together and how to use the constitution of knowledge pragmatically.

Jonathan Rauch is a Senior Fellow of Governance Studies at Brookings Institute. He is a journalist and author of eight books. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Award. His new book, The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth can be found here. Find his work at his website. Twitter: @jon_Rauch

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#55 - Evolve & Restart: A Dialogue with Luis Lopez-Portillo Jul 08, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Luis Lopez-Portillo about behavioral and cultural change for self-improvement. They begin the dialogue with an overview of Luis' personal and professional background. They talk about his background and training in journalism and communications and his switch to public relations. They talk about his time as Press Secretary for one of the former Presidents of El Salvador. They discuss his post-government work with his consulting company dealing with crisis management within companies. They also talk about his work with organizational and cultural change with various businesses.

The other half of the conversation focuses on Luis' restart method for personal change and the inspiration for writing his most recent book. They discuss the major themes within the restart method and the ways it can be implemented. They talk about the pragmatic uses for his restart method and what his ultimate aim is for readers of the book.

Luis Lopez-Portillo is a journalist, author, life coach, and leadership trainer. He has a Bachelors in Communications and completed a fellowship at the University of Maryland in Journalism. He was a major editor at one of the largest newspapers in El Salvador, La Prensa Grafica. He was the Press Secretary for one of the former Presidents of El Salvador for five years and is currently the CEO of his company Retheos which is a consulting company for training businesses on crisis management and organizational change. He is the author of Evolve and Restart which can be found here. Twitter: @llopezportillo

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#54 - Can We Have An Ethical Artificial Intelligence?: A Dialogue with Alentina Vardanyan Jul 05, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alentina Vardanyan about the organizational behavior and ethics of artificial intelligence (AI). They discuss her transition from psychology to behavioral approaches within AI. They define intelligence and the different forms of artificial intelligence. A brief history of AI is discussed and they dialogue about the various ethical challenges with AI. They talk about the ethics of various applications and the larger theme of reality vs. simulation. They also discuss the ethics of automation and whether technology is moving too fast. They talk about how AI is presented in science fiction and what we can expect from AI in the near future and many other topics.

Alentina Vardanyan is a PhD candidate at the Cambridge Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. She studies organizational behavior, artificial intelligence, and the future of work. Her work mostly focuses on the intersection of organization behavior with AI. Follow her on youtube. Twitter: @alentina

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#53 - Starmanning and Superman: A Dialogue with Angel Eduardo + Guests Jul 01, 2021

In this special episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Angel Eduardo about many of his recent essays on starmanning, race, and Superman. They are joined by cameos from Christopher Ferguson, Wilfred Reilly, and Stephen Clouse about these topics. The first part of the conversation focuses on Angel's concept of starmanning and his origins for coming up with the term. They discuss the differences between the strawman, steelman, and starman arguments. They talk about some of the criticisms of starmanning and how to use this concept in applied practice.

The second part of the conversation focuses on the current conversations surrounding Critical Race Theory (CRT). They talk about the problems of CRT and some of the ever-evolving miscommunication around CRT. They talk about the idea of whether a moral panic about CRT is warranted and what the endgame is with CRT. They spend some time discussing the impact CRT has in the education system and the differences between teaching and practice in schools. They also talk about the socioeconomic variables with CRT and the multivariate challenges within society.

The third part of the episode centers on the topic of Superman. They discuss whether Superman has to be white and the ideas of a Black Superman. They talk about the challenges of representation with established stories. They described the lessons from Greek philosophy for many of the themes in superhero stories. They explain why narrative is central for myths and superhero stories and the role religion plays in these stories. They consider whether Superman's ethics map onto the Aristotelian "good." They also consider the morality from the Batman story and the idea of wanting personal particulars to superimpose the universal themes within these stories. They also talk about whether it is possible to pull away from religious overtures in modern myths and many other topics.

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. Find the articles discussed in this episode at his website and on twitter: @strangeledweird

Christopher Ferguson is a clinical psychologist, professor, and writer. He teaches psychology at Stetson University and continues to conduct research on mass media violence. He is the author of two non-fiction books. His first book, Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games is Wrong and his most recent book, How Madness Shaped History: An Eccentric Array of Maniacal Rulers, Raving Narcissists, and psychotic Visionaries are both available here. You can find many links to his various publications and articles at his website. Twitter: @cjferguson1111

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

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

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#52 - Menopause: A Cultural Syndrome? - A Dialogue with Susan Mattern Jun 28, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Susan Mattern about menopause. They start by discussing her reasons and motivations for writing her most recent book, The Slow Moon Climbs: The science, history, and meaning of menopause. They explain the two definitions of menopause and the origins of menopause. They spend considerable time discussing the importance of the grandmother hypothesis and the role of mother-in-laws. They also talk about how humans evolved into a patriarchal society during agricultural societies and how we have gendered roles of labor. They also discuss whether menopause is a cultural syndrome and the best ways to discuss menopause in modern society.

Susan Mattern is a Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Georgia. Her teaching and research focuses on world history, namely, Greek, Roman, and Ancient Egypt. She has written two books on the ancient physician, Galen, and her most recent book on menopause,The Slow Moon Climbs: The science, history, and meaning of menopause. You can find her research on her website.

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#51 - The WEIRDest People in the World: A Dialogue with Joseph Henrich Jun 21, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Joseph Henrich about WEIRD people and cultural evolution. They start the conversation by defining what WEIRD means and some of the essential features of WEIRD people. They talk about cumulative cultural evolution and how this works in tandem with natural and sexual selection. They discuss some examples of individualistic and collective cultures and some of the similarities and differences. They engage with each other about whether culture causes evolutionary change or is merely a variable that influences change. They talk about the spread of Christianity and how it has impacted cultural evolution. They also discuss the impact of cultural evolution on markets and economic systems. They also mention the impact of war and the global collective brain as a way of understanding cultural evolution in the digital age along with many other topics.

Joseph Henrich is Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. His research focuses on evolutionary approaches to psychology, decision-making, and culture. He has done research on topics such as cultural evolution, human sociality, prestige, and large-scale cooperation. He is the author of The Secret of Our Success: How culture is driving human evolution, domesticating our species, and making us smarter. The topics in this book and his most recent book, The WEIRDest People in the World: How the west become psychologically peculiar and particularly prosperous are discussed in this episode. You can find both books along with his research at his website. Twitter: @johenrich

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#50 - The Phenomenology of Soren Kierkegaard: A Dialogue with Amber Bowen Jun 14, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Amber Bowen about Soren Kierkegaard's philosophy. They discuss Amber's background and involvement in studying Kierkegaard and her dissertation on the phenomenological self in Kierkegaard's philosophy. They talk about the counter-intentionality and the ego, along with defining and discussing the differences between the self and ego. They engage with each other about the self and how Kierkegaard believed the "other" was essential for understanding the self. They also discuss the reasoning for Kierkegaard using religious content and analysis in his works. Additionally, they discuss his main concept "leap of faith" and how Kierkegaard discusses this philosophically and theologically, along with many other topics.

Amber Bowen is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University in Ontario, Canada. She has her Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Philosophy of Religion from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She recently obtained her PhD in Philosophy from Trinity College at University of Aberdeen where she conducted her dissertation, Hearing, Doing, Becoming: A Kierkegaardian Phenomenology of the Self. She continues to do research on phenomenology in Kierkegaard's philosophy and also studies the Gadamer hermeneutical approach to philosophy. You can find her work in popular articles and journals here. Twitter: @amber_bowen

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#49 - The Self-Conscious Emotion of Pride: A Dialogue with Jessica Tracy Jun 07, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jessica Tracy about the self-conscious emotion of pride. They begin the discussion by defining emotions and describing their evolutionary function. They talk about the basic emotions and the self-conscious emotions and describe the differences between affect, feelings, and emotions. They explain the challenges with the positive vs. negative emotions framework and how social emotions present in other mammals.

They provide a definition of pride and how it works towards social status and rank. They talk about the two types of pride, authentic and hubristic pride, and how one could view pride as an internal system. They discuss what the self is and how pride works with an understanding of the self. They talk about pride in non-WEIRD populations and how one can recognize pride expression. They engage about the the different models of explaining pride for social dominance, hierarchy, and status along with explaining the positive and negative aspects of both types of pride. They talk about how shame and pride interact and some of the measures used to assess for shame and pride. They also discuss Jessica's research on developing a more accurate taxonomy for distinct positive emotions.

Jessica Tracy is a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Sauder Distinguished Scholar. She runs the emotion and self lab at UBC where she studies emotion, moral thinking, nonverbal expression, self-conscious emotions (e.g., pride, shame), narcissism, status and hierarchy, and trends in psychological science. She is also the Associate Editor for the journal, Affective Science. She is the author of the book, Pride: The secret of success which you can find here. You can also find all of her scientific articles at her website. Twitter: @profjesstracy

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#48 - Our Social Instinct for Cooperation: A Dialogue with Nichola Raihani Jun 03, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nichola Raihani about our social instinct for cooperation. They begin by discussing the first part of her book which details the genetic aspects of making one's body function and how cooperation is within each individual. They discuss the second part of the book on cooperation within the family unit. They talk about the power of kin selection and cooperative breeding. They dialogue about menopause, the grandmother hypothesis, and why cooperative breeding is important. They continue by discussing the third part of the book on cooperation with other humans and why reciprocity and interdependence are important for prosocial interactions. They talk about inclusive fitness and some of the differences between biological altruism and psychological altruism. They discuss the fourth and final part of the book where Nichola details punishment and the threat of punishment as being important for cooperation. They mention the value of reputation and social status and some of the darker elements of cooperation.

Nichola Raihani is a researcher at her lab of social evolution and behavior and professor of evolution and behavior within the field of experimental psychology at University College London. She is a royal society university research fellow and fellow of the royal society of biology. Her primary research topic is on the evolution of cooperation in nature. Nichola's new book, The social instinct: How cooperation shaped the world, is available here and here. You can find her research here. Twitter: @nicholaraihani

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#47 - Evolution Misconceptions and the Myers Briggs: A Dialogue with Laith Al-Shawaf May 24, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Laith Al-Shawaf about common misconceptions surrounding evolution and the faulty statistical science for the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Evolution is the first topic. They discuss the common misconceptions of evolution such as randomness, survival of the fittest, purpose and genetic determinism, and just-so stories. They discuss the importance of ethology and evolutionary psychology along with some of the common criticisms of evolutionary psychology.

Next, they discuss the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and provide an overview of the test's history and origins. They give a brief overview of the important statistical concepts of reliability and validity and how the MBTI fails with these basic statistical elements. Specifically, they discuss continuous vs. discrete variables and the arbitrary boundaries imposed with the MBTI. They also talk about why people continue to use the MBTI and if there are better alternatives. They also ponder if personalities are able to change and many other topics.

Laith Al-Shawaf is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. His main areas of focus with his research are in the evolutionary origins of emotions (specifically, disgust, anger, shame, guilt, and hunger), personality, and error management theory. The two popular articles mentioned in this episode are here and here. He is well-published within the scientific journals which you can find links to his articles at his website. Twitter: @laithalshawaf

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#46 - The Humanism of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy: A Dialogue with Paul Grant & Ellen Inverso May 17, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Paul Grant and Ellen Inverso about Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) . They provide an overview of Aaron Beck’s cognitive model both theoretically and in clinical practice. They discuss the power of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an Evidence-Based Treatment (EBT) and why that’s important. They talk about whether one can use CBT techniques without conceptualizing. They discuss what CT-R is and how it has had an emphasis on treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. They explain why they started with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and how the theoretical model integrates many aspects of humanism. They talk about the differences between CT-R and CBT-Psychosis (CBT-P). They also mentioned the empirical evidence and support for CT-R and how they continue to move forward in exploring other aspects of CT-R’s application.

Dr. Paul M. Grant is a clinical psychologist and Co-Director of the Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R). For the past 20 years, Dr. Grant, along with Aaron T. Beck, MD, originated and advanced CT-R, which is a revolutionary evidence-based approach to treating severe mental health conditions. He has extensively researched and studied the theoretical basis and application of CT-R to individuals given a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Ellen Inverso, PsyD, is Director of Clinical Training and Implementation at Beck Institute Center for Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy. She has a national reputation for advocacy and dissemination of CT-R. A co-developer of CT-R, she has created transformative CT-R programming for psychiatric inpatient units, programmatic residences, schools, and community teams, with special focus on adolescents and young adults, individuals engaging in extreme forms of self-injury, individuals considering transitions into the community following extended periods of institutionalization, and families. A licensed psychologist, Dr. Inverso supervises early career professionals in CT-R, guides her seasoned colleagues to add the approach to their armamentarium, and has co-authored curricula for training peer specialists and expert trainers in CT-R. Along with Dr. Aaron T. Beck and colleagues, she is co-author of the new book, Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy for Serious Mental Health Conditions, out through Guilford Press.

You can find all of the info on CT-R here.

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#45 - Walking Upright: The Importance of Bipedalism: A Dialogue with Jeremy DeSilva May 10, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jeremy DeSilva about the importance of bipedalism. They discuss the evolutionary history of hominoids, hominins, and hominids. They talk about the earliest evolution of bipedalism in other species. They also discuss the importance of Lucy and Ardi and the differences and similarities between these two early Australopithecus. They talk about where Homo Erectus fits into the timeline and whether bipedalism was essential for human evolution. They engage about the elements of gait for different human species and the relevance for modern humans. They also talk about bipedalism and the aspects of birth, socialization, and many other topics.

Jeremy DeSilva is a paleoanthropologist and Associate Professor of anthropology at Dartmouth College. He specializes in the locomotion of the first apes and early human ancestors. Specifically, he studies fossils of human ankles and feet to understand the evolution of bipedalism. His book, First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human is available here. You find him at his website and also on Twitter: @desilva_jerry

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#44 - The Mathematical Power of Neuroscience: A Dialogue with Grace Lindsay May 03, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Grace Lindsay about the computational approach that can be used to understand the brain. They discuss what computational neuroscience is and provide a brief overview and review of neuroanatomy. They talk about action potentials and the comparisons with an electrical circuit. They discuss the Hopfield Network as a way to understand various forms of memory in the brain, specifically within the hippocampus. They explain how early computer science research helped in creating a model for visual sequencing. They also discuss the future of computational neuroscience such as the Bayesian model, backpropagation, and many other topics.

Grace Lindsay is a computational neuroscientist at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre/Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit University College London. She received her PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior at Columbia University. Her first book, Models of the Mind: How Physics, Engineering, and Mathematics Have Shaped Our Understanding of the Brain discusses many of the elements discussed in this episode. You can purchase that book here. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @neurograce

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#43 - Feminist Existentialism: A Dialogue with Talia Welsh Apr 29, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Talia Welsh about feminism, existentialism, and the nature of work. They discuss feminist theory and ask if feminism adds a chapter to philosophy or should revolutionize the field? They talk about what to do with problematic artists and can one separate the art from the artist? They dialogue about defining womanhood, understanding masculinity and femininity, reforming masculinity, and reimagining the nuclear family in the 21st century. They also discuss an active life, a person's contributions to society, and redemption and forgiveness

The topic of work is something that Talia has been researching more recently. They define work and its variants from a phenomenological perspective. They discuss differences between cognition and thinking, work as meaning, and how people attempt to find value and meaning in science. They also discuss religion, criticisms about organized religion, and many 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.

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#42 - The Dark Side of Sexual Evolution: A Dialogue with David Buss Apr 26, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with David Buss about evolutionary psychology and his new book on sexual deception, harassment, and assault. They discuss his background and how he founded and developed the field of evolutionary psychology. They have a broad discussion of sexual selection, sexual differences, and different mating strategies. They talk about his new book, When Men Behave Badly, and why there is mating conflict. They explore why men are responsible for darker, predatory behaviors and some of the variance among men. They discuss the dark triad of personality and the overall dark side of human nature. They also talk about the application and future directions of evolutionary psychology.

David Buss is a psychologist and one of the founders of evolutionary psychology. He is a full professor of psychology at the University of Texas and is the head of the Individual Differences and Evolutionary Psychology area. He runs a lab researching human mating strategies which includes mate selection, mate retention, and mating emotions. He is the author of numerous books which include the main textbook for evolutionary psychology, Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind and his popular science book, The Evolution of Desire. His newest book, When Men Behave Badly: The Hidden Roots of Sexual Deception, Harassment, and Assault, explores the themes discussed in this episode. You can find his scientific publications at his website. Twitter: @profdavidbuss

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#41 - Source Bias, Trustworthiness, and Persuasion: A Dialogue with Laura Wallace Apr 22, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Laura Wallace about source bias, trustworthiness, attitudes, and persuasion. They discuss what sources are and how bias is defined. They talk about perceived bias and its importance along with the spillover effect into other areas for a person. They mention the difference between biases and opinions. They discuss trustworthiness and some of the differences between perceived bias and perceived trustworthiness. They discuss the key component of perception as implicated in these concepts. They also talk about attitudes and attitude strength. They engage about attitudes being synonymous with opinions and how they impact certainty and persuasion along with many other topics.

Laura Wallace has her PhD in Social Psychology from Ohio State University and is currently conducting research on source bias and persuasion at George Mason University. Her main research questions are how people change their minds, motivations for change, how people act on their beliefs, and how institutions promote progress. You can find her various scientific publications and other resources at her website. Twitter: @lauraewallace

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#40 - Applied Phenomenology: Hegel, Heidegger, and Merleau-Ponty: A Dialogue with John Russon Apr 19, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with John Russon about the major thinkers in phenomenology and how their ideas can be applied in everyday life. They begin the conversation with an overview of Hegel's philosophy and discuss sexual intimacy as an example of Hegel's ideas on recognition. They also discuss the impact of Hegel's philosophy on Marxism and some of the lessons from the French revolution. They question whether it is individuals or institutions that can be oppressive and malevolent. They discuss Heidegger's main concepts of Dasein and worldhood. They talk about the authenticity and inauthenticity of Dasein and the four different types of world. They also dialogue about the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty and his major concepts on perception and embodiment and the phenomenology of space.

John Russon is a philosopher and professor of philosophy at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He is the author of three books on G.W.F. Hegel and has written four books of his own that deal with personal identity and the structures of everyday life. He has many recorded talks on philosophy at his youtube page. He also can be found at his website.

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#39 - The Impact of Parenthood and Divorce: A Dialogue with Manon Van Scheppingen Apr 15, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Manon Van Scheppingen about the most current research on marriage, divorce, and parenthood. They start with an overview of life transitions in young adulthood and what those transitions look like in a shared vs. a non-shared environment. They define personality and how various life transitions could possibly change personality. They provide an overview of Manon's self-esteem/motherhood paper and some of the data within this paper. They give an overview of Manon's divorce paper and some of the specifics of the results from that paper. They also talk about what life satisfaction looks like post-divorce and what the practical implications are of these studies.

Manon Van Scheppingen holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Tilburg University in Tilburg, Netherlands. She is an Associate Professor at Tilburg University where she conducts research on personality. Specifically, she examines life transitions and major life events such as marriage, divorce, and parenthood. You can find the articles discussed in this episode here. Find her on Twitter: @mavscheppingen

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#38 - Education: A School Psychology Perspective: A Dialogue with Jessica Koehler Apr 12, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Jessica Koehler about education, school choice, and school psychology. Jessica discusses her background and how she became involved with school psychology and how it led to her current work. They discuss the 5 different sub-domains of psychology and how school psychology fits within psychology. They talk about the heavy emphasis on diagnosing within a reactionary way for much of school psychology. They discuss the elements of school psychology and pressures to care for children. They also lay out the need and focus for preventive measures within schools as opposed to reactionary measures. They talk about the element of school choice and various alternative forms of learning. They also discuss homeschooling and some of the criticism it has received in previous years along with explaining psychology to the general public.

Jessica Koehler holds a PhD in school psychology from the University of Maryland. She has research experience with school-based prevention, school teams, and teacher efficacy. She has been a school psychologist at various public school in various states. Currently, she has a variety of projects aimed at training and educating a wide-range of students of various ages. She is the founder of Koehler Academy and has a very active youtube channel that promotes continuing education. She also is a writer for Psychology Today. Twitter: @drjessica17

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#37 - Cognition, Consciousness, and Cephalopods: A Dialogue with Alex Schnell Apr 07, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Alex Schnell about cognition, intelligence, and consciousness in cephalopods. They briefly discuss comparative psychology and its use alongside other fields. They discuss the evolutionary basics of cephalopods and some of the similarities and differences between the various species. They talk about the mating strategies of cuttlefish such as male fighting and female receptivity and the implications of the behaviors of cuttlefish on intelligence and cognition. They discuss her recent paper on cuttlefish passing a version of the marshmallow test and the importance of understanding self-gratification and self-control in cuttlefish. They also talk about consciousness in animal minds (specifically cephalopods) and implications of studying intelligence and cognition in other animals and many other topics.

Alex Schnell holds a PhD in Behavioral Ecology and currently conducts research for the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. She has research experience in comparative psychology, marine biology, and evolutionary biology. Most of her research on various cephalopods can be found here and here. Twitter: @dr_alexschnell

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#36 - The Evolution of Modern-Day Conservatism: A Dialogue with Rick Perlstein Apr 04, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Rick Perlstein about conservatism, politics in the United States, and past and present social-cultural issues. They discuss his motivations for writing his four books on modern Conservatism in the United States. They discuss the rise of Barry Goldwater and the splintering of the New Deal coalition. They also discuss the shifting cultural voting bloc from the middle class to elites and how Nixon’s rise worked with these shifting social and cultural changes. They talked about how suburbanization influenced a push towards Goldwater and Nixon and the new brand of Conservatism. They discuss the ever-present role of Reagan always in the background and some of the biographical aspects of the image he created for himself. They talk about the conservative shift from economic to social-cultural elements, the Reagan Democrats, and building of the modern Conservative coalition. They also talk about the Conservative party over the past 40 years leading up to the current platform and the potential future directions.

Rick Perlstein is a writer, journalist, and historian who has written four books on the social and political Conservative waves during the 1960s and 1970s. He is the author of Before The Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus, Nixonland: The Rise of A President and the Fracturing of America, The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and The Rise of Reagan, and Reaganland: America’s Right Turn 1976-1980. You can find all of the links to his books, essays, and other publications at his website. Twitter: @rickperlstein

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#35 - Understanding Moral Extremism: A Dialogue With Spencer Case Apr 01, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Spencer Case about extremism and morality. They discuss his background, how he got into philosophy, and leaving Mormonism. They define moral extremism and discuss it as a vice and detriment of character. They discuss the role of moral emotions with extremism and the differences between absolute and relative morals. They engage on character and intention as important to moral extremism and provide examples from the prohibition era and from past historical figures. They also stress the need for compassion in correcting moral extremism and many other topics.

Spencer Case holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Currently, he is an international research fellow at Wuhan University in Wuhan, China. His main research interesting are in meta ethics, normative theory, and moral realism. You can find links to his published papers and popular articles at his website. Twitter: @spencerjaycase

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#34 - A More Person-Centered Journalism: A Dialogue With Monica Guzman Mar 29, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Monica Guzman about journalism, culture, and Latinos in the United States. They discuss how she became involved in journalism and how the current state of journalism is at both the national and local levels. They discussed how she co-founded the Seattle digital newsletter, The Evergrey, and how people within cities create culture. They also discussed her work with Braver Angels and some of the dynamics of race and multiculturalism. They discussed her upcoming book and some of the main concepts such as curiosity. They also talked about Latinos in the United States and some of the political, social, and cultural themes along with many other topics.

Monica Guzman is a Seattle-based journalist and writer who co-founded the digital newsletter, The Evergrey and is currently the senior media advisor for the Braver Angels organization. She is on track to release her book, I Never Thought of it That Way, in 2022. Join her newsletter here. Twitter: @moniguzman

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#33 - Leaving Race Behind: A Dialogue with Thomas Chatterton Williams Mar 25, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Thomas Chatterton Williams about race and our current social challenges. They talk about Thomas' reasoning for writing his memoirs and the major theme of race. They talk about the one drop rule for Black Americans and what Thomas means by leaving race. They also discuss his perspective living outside the United States and the lens of seeing race from a biracial viewpoint. They also talk about some of the major themes in culture today and developing a better compass for discussing race relations.

Thomas Chatterton Williams is a cultural critic and writer. He is the author of two memoirs, Losing My Cool and Self-Portrait in Black and White. He is also a writer for the New York Times Magazine and Harper's. He has had pieces published in the New Yorker, London Review of Books, and many other publications. You can find links to these articles and his books here. Find him on Twitter: @thomaschattwill

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#32 - COVID-19: The Malady of Our Time: A Dialogue with Nicholas Christakis Mar 22, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Christakis about the COVID-19 global pandemic. They discuss how he wrote his latest book, Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live, while the pandemic was happening in real time. They discuss the basic facts about the COVID-19 virus along with the lethality and infectious rates. They briefly consider if there is any validity that the virus is the result of a lab leak. They also present an overview of vaccine history and how the current mRNA vaccines work. They stress the importance of everyone getting a vaccine sooner than later and how the current vaccines appear to defend well against the virus variants. They also discuss herd immunity and what the timeline towards a return to normal looks like.

Nicholas Christakis is a physician and sociologist who conducts research at his Human Nature Lab at Yale University on social networks. Currently, he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, Internal Medicine, & Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. He has his MPH and MD from Harvard University along with his PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2009, he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is the author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of A Good Society, and Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live. You can find his lab here. You can find the app mentioned in this episode here. Twitter: @nachristakis

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#31- Crisis! The Current State of the Social Sciences: A Dialogue with Lee Jussim Mar 18, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lee Jussim about stereotypes, bias, and the current state of the social sciences. They talk about the scientific data on stereotypes, good and bad stereotypes, and how one understands stereotypes. They discuss some of the history of studies in social psychology and how that has changed currently. They discuss social perception and bias and give a detail description on how there is no general or universal definition of implicit bias. They talk about the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and some of the implications of this test. They also discuss some of the research on self-fulfilling prophecies along with Lee's current work in advocating for healthy viewpoint diversity within academia.

Lee Jussim is a social psychologist and the Chair of Psychology at Rutgers University. He continues to run the Social Perception lab at Rutgers and is extremely well published over the past 30 years on social perception, stereotypes, and bias. You can find many of his scholarly papers here. You can also find his popular writing here. Twitter: @psychrabble

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#30 - The Hidden Source of Consciousness: A Dialogue with Mark Solms Mar 15, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Mark Solms about consciousness, emotions, and how we understand the human psyche. They begin by discussing how Mark become involved in neuropsychology and psychoanalysis and how he combines these two worlds. They also discuss how he became involved with the late great Jaak Panksepp and their work on brainstem arousal and affect. They discuss Panksepp's seven affective states and make a distinction between drives, instincts, affect, emotions, and feelings. They talked about Mark's own work in understanding emotions in humans and locating some of the origins of consciousness in the reticular activating system and the periaqueductal gray (PAG). They discuss how consciousness could be in other animals and give some discussion on free will. They talk about the importance of bodily homeostasis and how it's a key feature for consciousness. They also provide some analysis and critique of the work done on emotions by Lisa Feldman-Barrett and also talk about some of the overemphasis on cognitive science.

Mark Solms is a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst. He holds the chair of neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and is also the research chair for the International Psychoanalytic Association. He has written eight books with his most recent, The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness, which can be found here. You can find a list of his scholarly publications here. Twitter: @mark_solms

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#29 - Video Games, Madness, and Our Society: A Dialogue with Christopher Ferguson Mar 11, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Christopher Ferguson about violence in mass media such as video games, madness with historical and political figures, and the implications for our society. They discuss the standard view of violent mass media and the idea that they influence behaviors in society. They talk about how reward-based video games are less common and do not translate to behavior within society. They discuss the current literature on violence in mass media and social behavior. They also mention some practical elements of kids playing video games.

The second half of the conversation centered around Chris' new book and some of the motivations for writing the book. They talk about the importance of understanding the psychological profiles of historical and political leaders and why that matters. They parse out the differences between insanity, madness, and mental illness. They dialogue about some of the history of institutionalization and de-institutionalization. They also discuss challenges with diagnostic criteria, delineations between psychopathy and sociopathy, and the progressive changes within society.

Christopher Ferguson is a clinical psychologist, professor, and writer. He teaches psychology at Stetson University and continues to conduct research on mass media violence. He is the author of two non-fiction books. His first book, Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games is Wrong and his most recent book, How Madness Shaped History: An Eccentric Array of Maniacal Rulers, Raving Narcissists, and psychotic Visionaries are both available here. You can find many links to his various publications and articles at his website. Twitter: @cjferguson1111

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#28 - Genetics, Race, and Populations: A Dialogue with Razib Khan Mar 08, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Razib Khan about genetics, how to understand populations and racial categories through genetics, and some of the social implications. They start by discussing the basics of genetics, the differences between DNA and genes, and how genes work over time. They talk about the different groups of humans as a species and understanding humans as a type of "super species." They discuss modern-day humans and how they spread around the world. They dialogue about the origins of Western Hemisphere Indigenous tribes and some of the genetic significance of Genghis Khan. They also mention some of the population structures of India. They also discuss how to understand genetics with race and some of the differences between race and ethnicity.

Razib Khan is a geneticist, writer, and podcaster. He has written for many scholarly journals on genetics. He has also written many pieces for mainstream outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and National Review. You can find all of his work, including his substack page here. Twitter: @razibkhan

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#27 - Mixed Race Identity and Pragmatic Conservatism: A Dialogue with John Wood Jr. Mar 04, 2021

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

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#26 - Getting Personal with Nietzsche and Heidegger: A Dialogue with David Hoinski Mar 01, 2021

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

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#25 - Postmodernism, Phenomenology, and Lived Experiences: A Dialogue with Bret Alderman Feb 25, 2021

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

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#24 - Deserts: Free Will and Moral Responsibility: A Dialogue with Gregg Caruso Feb 22, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Gregg Caruso about free will, moral responsibility, and retributive justice. They begin with discussing the motivation and process for writing his new book with Daniel Dennett. They provide a definition of free will and the term, desert. They talk about the interaction of free will with retributive justice and punishment. They also discuss the notion of luck and the three layers associated with this concept. They talk about the role of moral and social emotions with free will and the various ways of doing preventive and rehabilitative justice. They also discuss the social determinants involved with criminal behavior and many other topics.

Gregg Caruso is a philosopher, professor, author, and speaker. He is currently a professor of philosophy at SUNY Corning and Honorary Professor of philosophy at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Just Deserts: Debating Free Will (Co-authored with Daniel Dennett) and Rejecting Retributivism: Free Will, Punishment, and Criminal justice are his two most recent books published this year. You can find his work at his website. Twitter: @greggdcaruso

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#23 - The Underrated Magnum Opus of George Washington: A Dialogue with Lindsay Chervinsky Feb 18, 2021

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

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#22 - Statistical Value of Personality: A Dialogue with Allie Choate Feb 15, 2021

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

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#21 - Evidence-Based Treatments and Elimination Disorders: A Dialogue with Camilo Ortiz Feb 11, 2021

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

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#20 - The Phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty: A Dialogue with Talia Welsh Feb 08, 2021

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.

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#19 - The Labyrinth of Attachment Theory: A Dialogue with Nicole Barbaro Feb 04, 2021

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

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#18 - The Audacity of Race Data: A Dialogue with Wilfred Reilly Feb 01, 2021

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

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#17 - Fire and Vultures: A Dialogue with Iona Italia Jan 28, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Iona Italia about her personal memoirs, mixed-race identity, and current social issues. Iona discusses her various experiences around the world and how they have shaped her identity. Specifically, she mentions her time in Argentina, India, and Great Britain. She also discusses her background in English literature and the impact that had on her development. They talk about race and ethnicity and some of the distinctions for individuals who are mixed races. They also discuss the differences between individualism and group identity and many other topics.

Iona Italia is a writer, editor, translator, and podcaster. She has a PhD in English from Cambridge University and currently serves as the copy editor at Areo Magazine. She is fluent in four languages and also enjoys Tango dancing. You can find her at her website. Twitter: @ionaitalia

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#16 - Pragmatic Conservatism or Classical Liberalism: A Dialogue Between Bo Winegard and Nicholas Wolfinger Jan 25, 2021

In this special episode, Xavier Bonilla moderates a dialogue between Bo Winegard and Nicholas Wolfinger about the similarities and differences between conservatism and liberalism. They discuss immigration and the varying narratives on mass migrations along with conservative nationalism's perspective on immigration. They discuss the current conservative party and whether they can or cannot distance themselves from insurrection and sedition. They talk about the focus on criticizing some groups and not others. They also engage on the importance of studying differences in human variation. They discuss where to draw lines and distinctions on some political issues and how each party can combat extremism from within each party.

Both Bo and Nick discuss the current state of academia and how certain topics are taboo within academia. They engage about the need for viewpoint diversity within academia and how to resist double standards. Finally, they end the conversation giving some different perspectives on major court decisions.

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

Nicholas Wolfinger has a Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA and is professor of family and consumer studies as well as sociology at the University of Utah. He is the author of four books on marriage, family, and divorce. Currently, he is writing a new book on single motherhood. He is widely published and cited within academia and has written for The Atlantic, National Review, Huffington Post, and other outlets. You can find all links to his articles and books at his website. Twitter: @nickwolfinger

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#15 - Marriage, Divorce, and Single Motherhood: A Dialogue with Nicholas Wolfinger Jan 21, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Nicholas Wolfinger about marriage, divorce, and single motherhood. They start the conversation with an overview of sociology today and some of the differences between quantitative and qualitative methods. They discuss the history of marriage in American Society in the 20th century and some of the societal norms and changes in the 1960's. Nicholas provides an overview of the current data on marriage and the family unit along with data on divorce, both historically and currently. They discuss the positive impact of religion on marriage and some of the reasons for divorce. They also dialogue about the legal aspects of divorce and the data on remarriage. Nicholas also discusses the data on single motherhood and many other topics.

Nicholas Wolfinger has a Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA and is professor of family and consumer studies as well as sociology at the University of Utah. He is the author of four books on marriage, family, and divorce. Currently, he is writing a new book on single motherhood. He is widely published and cited within academia and has written for The Atlantic, National Review, Huffington Post, and other outlets. You can find all links to his articles and books at his website. Twitter: @nickwolfinger

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#14 - Nietzsche Contra Freud: Towards A Nietzschean Psychology: A Dialogue with Tyler VanOstrand Jan 18, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a in-depth dialogue with Tyler VanOstrand on his recently finished thesis discussing the divergence between the ideas of Nietzsche and Freud. At the start of this dialogue, Tyler provides a summary of the juxtaposition of Nietzsche and Freud's ideas. There is a discussion about Nietzsche's main concept of will to power and how this is an active idea along with the dimensions and extensions of this concept. They also talk about will to power as sitting within a super structure/hierarchy and some of the directionality that it encompasses. There is also a discussion about will to power as observational and descriptive but also some of its prescriptive elements.

Freud's formulation of life and death through tension reduction is also discussed. There is a discussion on the death instinct as a primary way of returning to the inanimate primordial origins. There is also a discussion about the role of sex as tension reduction and how this corresponds with the expenditure of power.

Throughout this dialogue there is a discussion about how Nietzsche's ideas and Freud's ideas intersect and then diverge. There is a discussion about the misreading of Nietzsche by Deleuze and Derrida, specifically on difference. There is also a discussion about pleasure and pain within the instincts for both Nietzsche and Freud. Finally, there is a discussion about Nietzsche's complex concept of the eternal recurrence of the same and some of the nuances within this concept.

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.

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#13 - Philosophy As An Attitude: A Dialogue with Sanjana Rajagopal Jan 15, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Sanjana Rajagopal about her experience in philosophy, the ideas of Martin Heidegger and Hannah Arendt, and philosophy in general. Sanjana talks about what led her into studying philosophy as a woman and as a Hindu and the roles they play in her life and studying philosophy. They discuss the general differences between continental and analytic philosophy. There is a discussion around the major tenets of Heidegger's concepts, namely: death and idle talk, Dasein and being, thrownness and worldhood, spatiality- de-severance and directionality.

They also discuss Hannah Arendt and her ideas on labor, work, and action, the vita activa and vita contemplative, along with her work on Kant's judgment and her political theory. They also discuss Arendt's idea of the banality of evil and her complicated relationship with Heidegger.

Sanjana Rajagopal is a PhD student in philosophy and has been primarily studying the work of Hannah Arendt along with Martin Heidegger. She also writes poetry. You can find her work here. Twitter: @sanjanawrites

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#12 - Stress, Psychology, and Self-Help: A Dialogue with Simona Efanov Jan 08, 2021

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Simona Efanov about the neurophysiology of stress, clinical psychology, and the dangers of self-help psychology. They discuss the various definitions of stress and talk about the aspects of positive stressors. They provide a review of neuroanatomy and discuss the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the cycle of stress. They define emotions in general and then explain the impact of chronic stress. There is also a discussion on the differences between chronic stress and trauma and how trauma can impact development and attachment.

In the second half of this dialogue, there is a broad discussion of what clinical psychology is and some of its functions and efficacy. Specifically, there is a description of the development and creation of statistical methods and psychological assessment. They discuss the differences between PhD's and PsyD's along with talking about some of the current challenges in the field of Psychology. They talk about the importance of explaining psychological science and research concretely to the general public. They offer a critique of self-help and pop psychology with a specific case example and critique of Brene Brown along with other topics.

Simona Efanov is a licensed clinical psychologist who has done research on stress and currently does clinical work in a private practice. She also is involved with clinical training and is a professor of neuropsychology and other clinical courses.

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#11 - Important Enough To Refute: A Dialogue with Stephen Clouse Jan 02, 2021

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

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#10 - Cold Takes: The Battleground of Ideas and Latino Diversity: A Dialogue with Angel Eduardo Dec 27, 2020

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

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#9 - Make Psychotherapy Great Again: A Dialogue with Ashley King Dec 23, 2020

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

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#8 - Bias, Replication, and Free Will: A Dialogue with Cory Clark Dec 18, 2020

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

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#7 - Truth and Compassion: Evolution, Biological Sex, and Gender Identity: A Dialogue with Colin Wright Dec 12, 2020

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

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#6 - Sex, Critical Race Theory, and The Social Sciences: A Dialogue with Rod Graham Dec 07, 2020

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

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#5 - The Necessity of Awe: A Dialogue with Jonah Paquette Dec 03, 2020

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

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#4 - Can We Have Diversity of Thought on Race?: A Dialogue with Brittany Talissa King Nov 25, 2020

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

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#3 - Is Pragmatism the Real Progressivism?: A Dialogue with Ben Winegard Nov 15, 2020

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

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#2 - Conservatism, Trumpism, and Immigration: A Dialogue with Bo Winegard Nov 09, 2020

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

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#1 - Freud, War, and the Will to Power: A Dialogue with Tyler VanOstrand Nov 02, 2020

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.

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