Üsküdar University brought together academics, artists, and experienced individuals from various disciplines on the TEDxUskudarUniversity stage. The event, held with the theme “Experience Sharing in a Changing World,” took place at the Ibn Sina Auditorium of Üsküdar University NP Health Campus.
During the event, knowledge and experiences were shared in various fields such as artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, psychology, financial resilience, art, communication, and human behavior. Speakers not only discussed the opportunities offered by technology but also raised new questions it poses for human life.
Prof. Barış Metin: “TEDx is a very good platform for experience sharing”
Speaking at the opening of the event, TEDxUskudarUniversity Organizer Prof. Barış Metin stated that they bring together speakers from different fields with participants every year. Metin said, “Every year, we have different guests, different experiences, and different insights. This year, too, we have speakers from very different fields and communities. TEDx is a very good platform for sharing experiences. Why? Because we have limited time here. We have to convey a lot in a short time.”
Prof. Abdulhak Halim Ulaş: “What do we forget while machines learn?”
Prof. Abdulhak Halim Ulaş, a faculty member at Atatürk University, evaluated the effects of technological developments on human thinking, questioning, and curiosity skills in his speech titled “What Do We Forget While Machines Learn?”
Ulaş stated that while artificial intelligence's capacity to generate information is rapidly developing, human emotional and conscientious qualities constitute a different dimension. He said, “We are in an era where machines learn at a dizzying speed. We are talking about machines that learn to write code, diagnose diseases, compose music, imitate our voices, and even summarize for us. But in the midst of this great learning feast, there is a fundamental question no one dares to ask: What do we forget while machines learn?”
Stating that technology providing instant answers to every question can weaken the human thinking process, Prof. Ulaş said, “Today, we are experiencing the frictionless mind syndrome.”
Emphasizing that humans must preserve their sense of conscience and compassion, Prof. Ulaş said, “Conscience is not a codifiable list of rules; conscience is the pang of feeling another's pain in one's own heart. If we surrender our decisions solely to the cold rationality of algorithms, we will build a very orderly, very fast, very profitable, but compassionless world of ice.”
Prof. Akın Akakın: “Who holds the key to our brain?”
Brain and Neurosurgery Specialist Prof. Akın Akakın discussed developments in neurotechnology and the ethical issues these developments might raise in the future, in his speech titled “Is Your Brain Under Your Control?”
Prof. Akakın explained that the deep brain stimulation method is used especially in the treatment of Parkinson's and movement disorders, and said that artificial intelligence-supported surgical technologies significantly accelerate operation planning processes.
Prof. Akakın stated that with the advancement of brain technologies, not only the treatment of diseases but also the influencing of human behavior and decision-making processes will come to the fore, and he posed the question, “Are we affecting human autonomy? For us, it's a great achievement for them to lift a glass again, but are we affecting their decisions, their free will?”
Emphasizing that the protection of brain data will be one of the significant ethical discussions of the future, Prof. Akakın used the expressions, “So, how will we be able to protect this privacy of the brain? I mean, if we can change the brain, where is the limit? Who holds the key to our brain?”
Prof. Mehmet Zihni Sungur: “The times we resist change the most are often the times we need it most!”
Psychiatrist Prof. Mehmet Zihni Sungur, a faculty member of Üsküdar University's Psychology Department, discussed the inevitable place of change in human life and individuals' attitudes towards change in his speech titled “Remaining Human in a Changing World.”
Prof. Sungur stated that people often want life to proceed according to their own expectations, adding that the world is not shaped by individual demands.
Emphasizing that resistance to change sometimes becomes the most significant obstacle to development, Prof. Sungur said, “However, the times we resist change the most are often the times we need change the most.”
“Remaining a perpetual learner is a value”
Prof. Sungur explained that purposes and values are distinct in life, stating that purposes represent achievable outcomes, while values represent a lifelong orientation to be sustained.
Prof. Sungur said, “In a world where information is abundant but wisdom is increasingly scarce, possessing knowledge is a goal. But remaining a perpetual learner is a value. Surviving is a goal, but being able to lead a meaningful life is a value.”
Stating that remaining human is based on an individual recognizing their own values and acting in accordance with them, Sungur concluded his speech with the words, “Do not just chase positive emotions, friends. Because life is not just about feeling good; life is about feeling all emotions.”
Assoc. Prof. Burcu Polat: “Brain health does not begin and end inside the skull!”
Neurologist Assoc. Prof. Burcu Polat explained in her speech that brain health cannot be limited solely to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases but should be evaluated in conjunction with one's living environment and social conditions.
Stating that medicine has made great progress in diagnosis and treatment but that patients' living conditions should also be taken into account, Assoc. Prof. Polat said, “We know the brain is inside the skull, yes. But brain health does not begin and end inside the skull.”
Assoc. Prof. Polat stated that brain health is linked to many factors, from access to clean air and water to nutrition, education, and social relationships, saying, “Brain health is actually a whole from childhood to old age. The brain is inside the skull, but brain health can only grow and develop through our relationship with the world, with each other, and with the environment. This means that our brain can reach its best state through social harmony and cooperation.”
Ali Çatalbaş: “People engaged to life!”
Actor Ali Çatalbaş, in his speech titled “Fear of Success,” explained the contradiction between the desire to achieve success and the avoidance of responsibilities that success entails, using examples from his own life.
Stating that some people find it difficult to act to reach their highly desired goals, Çatalbaş said, “We have known people in our lives who, despite strongly wanting to be something, put no effort into it, stepping aside to dream about it.”
Pointing out that success can sometimes change a person's relationships with their environment and their life order, Çatalbaş used the expressions, “Sometimes we feel that some of our friends are afraid of success. In that case, what do we say? Sir, succeeding is rising, high places are cold, there is loneliness there.”
Stating that the fear of success sometimes manifests itself in the form of incomplete projects, postponed goals, and constantly staying in the preparation phase, Çatalbaş said, “We have known some people, haven't we? They entered 3 universities but left them unfinished; sir, they are writing a novel, but that novel never gets finished. Even if it finishes, it cannot be published due to some setbacks. Sir, that doctoral thesis goes on for years, it can never be completed. I call such people ‘people engaged to life’.”
Çatalbaş stated that he sometimes sees himself in this group and shared his experiences with the participants in a sincere and humorous language.
Aydın Sarman: “We talk but we don't listen!”
Musician and composer Aydın Sarman evaluated the effects of listening on human relationships, art, and personal development in his speech titled “In This Age Where Everyone Strives to Be Visible and Heard, Listening is More Virtuous Than Talking.”
Stating that with digitalization, people constantly try to express themselves but do not allocate enough time to listen to each other, Sarman said, “We live in an age where the desire to be visible and heard has turned into a major ailment. Everyone wants to be visible, everyone wants to be heard. Everyone has something to say, everyone has a story to tell, and everyone has an idea to share.”
Stating that communication in daily life often turns into mutual talking, but genuine listening remains in the background, Sarman said, “We talk, we talk. We talk but we don't listen.”
Sarman stated that during his work at the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği, he made new discoveries by listening to the architecture and acoustics of the space, emphasizing that listening is important not only for understanding people but also for understanding nature and history.
Assoc. Prof. Hüseyin Ünübol: “Who remains when words are gone?”
Psychiatrist Assoc. Prof. Hüseyin Ünübol, in his speech titled “Who Remains When Words Are Gone?”, recounted his recovery process after suffering a stroke and how this experience changed his thoughts on human identity.
Stating that he lost his ability to speak after suffering a stroke in 2022, Ünübol evaluated the effects of language and emotions on human identity with examples from his own life.
Ünübol stated that after the stroke, not only his speaking ability but also the way he made sense of his emotions changed, adding that during this process, he pondered on identity, consciousness, and humanity's capacity to rebuild itself.
Stating that instead of returning exactly to his old life during the recovery process, he created a new identity and field of experience, Ünübol said, “I mean, I rebuilt things, but at the end of the day, human capacity is not about what it is, but what it will become.”
Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz: “We must understand ourselves before using artificial intelligence”
Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz of the Software Engineering Department evaluated digital identities, virtual worlds, and the effects of artificial intelligence on humans in his speech titled “Understanding Humans and Artificial Intelligence Before Measuring Them.”
Stating that artificial intelligence systems can increasingly take on human tasks in more areas, İldiz said that the limits of responsibility given to these technologies should be correctly determined.
İldiz noted that artificial intelligence transforms individuals' ways of thinking and producing, pointing out that unquestioningly accepting the results provided by technological systems could create problems in terms of personal responsibility and identity.
İldiz said, “Before using artificial intelligence, we need to understand ourselves very well and properly evaluate what position we place it in.”
TEDxUskudarUniversity concluded with a family photo
The TEDxUskudarUniversity event, where different perspectives on science, technology, art, psychology, and human life were shared, provided an environment for participants to engage in interdisciplinary experience sharing.
At the end of the event, thanks were extended to the speakers and the teams that contributed to the organization. TEDxUskudarUniversity concluded with a family photo taken by the speakers together.
