Prof. İbrahim Özdemir: "The most important environmental problem is selfishness and greed..."

Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences organized the event "Environment, Religion and Culture in the Context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". The online event was attended by Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Philosophy, Faculty Member Prof. İbrahim Özdemir. Pointing out that the most important environmental problem is selfishness, greed and not thinking about others, Özdemir emphasized that a person should question oneself in an existential sense.

The event was moderated by Head of the Department of Philosophy Prof. Çiğdem Yazıcı. Students as well as academicians of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences attended the event.

"Religions and cultures are our identity"

Underlining that sustainable development has been on the agenda of the world for a long time, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Philosophy Prof. İbrahim Özdemir stated that "The debate between secularism and religion that we see in our country and in different parts of the world has emerged. Although some people say that we can solve everything with science and technology, this document of ours was accepted because the statistics revealed an understanding that religions and cultures are not related to the environment or sustainable development without taking religion and culture into account due to their principles related to our identity, personality and existence."

"We need to question ourselves in an existential sense"

Pointing out that the most important environmental problem is selfishness, greed and not thinking about others, Prof. İbrahim Özdemir stated that "In order for us to achieve the 17 goals, we need to have the rule of law, democracy and good governance. There should be facilitating environments at international levels because we cannot do some things on our own. For instance, it is discussed that the best minds among these incoming immigrants should come in America. Social development and environmental protection, eradication of poverty and hunger. The most important environmental problem is selfishness, greed and not thinking about others. The solution is to change ourselves culturally. What is our meaning? What is the meaning of life? We need to question ourselves in an existential sense. I think the usual approach of secular science is to marginalize religion. In fact, not to approve publicly is not to expect anything from religious people or at least from religious thinkers."

"We need a holistic understanding of religiosity"

Prof. İbrahim Özdemir underlined the need for a holistic understanding of religiosity. Özdemir stated that "We need a holistic understanding of religiosity. Both religion, science and culture. We need many perspectives such as anthropology, philosophy, critical thinking, eco-feminism. A religious person, who does not show the care, love and compassion that Yunus Emre, Rumi and Haji Bektash Veli showed to all living things and animals, does not mean much to me. Yunus Emre's understanding of 'I love the creature, because of the Creator' is not religiosity in my opinion, which does not worry about endangered animals, plants, polluted seas, waters, consciences and hearts, and does not worry about inequality and poverty in society. It may be called other things. Everyone needs to go through a change."

"I have seen many atheists who are very moral and honest"

Pointing out that the important thing is always morality, Özdemir stated that "I have seen a lot of atheists. They are very moral and honest. I have seen atheists who give a part of their salary to the students who are in financially need across the world for education. The one who does no has not lied all their life, that is, they are morally excellent. An evolutionist and scientist say the same thing about the religious people."

The event ended by answering the questions of the students.

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)