x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Converging Dialogues

Converging Dialogues

Converging Dialogues is a podcast that is designed to have honest and authentic conversations with a diversity of thoughts and opinions. Wide-ranging topics include philosophy, psychology, politics, and social commentary. A spirit of civility, respect, and open-mindedness is the guiding compass. convergingdialogues.substack.com

science social sciences

All Episodes

140:20

#214 - Assyria: The World's First Empire: A Dialogue...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/04/03

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

en

118:25

#213 - The Reopening of The Western Mind: A Dialogue...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/03/30

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

en

116:36

#212 - The World Through Our Senses: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/03/27

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

en

72:02

#211 - Armageddon: A Dialogue with Bart Ehrman

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/03/19

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

en

90:49

#210 - Trauma and Justice: A Dialogue with Judith Herman

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/03/13

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

en

53:21

#209 - Autism: Difference and Disability: A Dialogue...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/03/06

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

en

75:52

#208 - Introduction to Psychology: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/27

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

en

65:16

#207 - Science Communication and Free Speech in...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/23

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

en

74:30

#206 - Mourning the Presidents: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/20

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

en

98:14

#205 - A Philosophy of Protest: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/16

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

en

89:27

#204 - The Problem of Democracy: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/12

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

en

85:54

#203 - A History of Transplant Surgery: A Dialogue...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/09

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

en

93:18

#202 - The Culture of Incels: A Dialogue with William...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/06

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,

en

119:40

#201 - The Invention of Tomorrow: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/02/02

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

en

119:32

#200 - Marketing in the 21st Century: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/30

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

en

69:31

#199 - Breaking Barriers in Biology: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/26

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

en

76:05

#198 - Racial Equity and Selfhood: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/23

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

en

82:42

#197 - Freely Determined: A Dialogue with Ken Sheldon

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/19

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

en

108:03

#196 - Wagnerism: A Dialogue with Alex Ross

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/16

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

en

56:49

#195 - Healthcare and Public Health: A Dialogue with...

Converging Dialogues ·

2023/01/12

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

en

454 results

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter