Üsküdar University brought together experts from various disciplines and experienced individuals on the TEDxUskudarUniversity stage. The event, organized under the theme “Experience Sharing in a Changing World,” took place at the Ibn-i Sina Auditorium of Üsküdar University NP Health Campus.
At the event, 12 speakers with experience in different fields such as artificial intelligence, neuroscience, psychology, finance, art, communication, and human behavior shared their knowledge and unique perspectives with the participants.
“Artificial intelligence imitates emotions but cannot feel them!”
The opening speech of TEDxUskudarUniversity was delivered by the President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan. In his speech titled "Can Machines Feel? Psychology of Artificial Intelligence," Prof. Tarhan stated that the information processing and problem-solving capacity of artificial intelligence is rapidly developing, saying, “Artificial intelligence behaves similarly to humans. It learns mental competence. It can imitate our emotions. It can cry, it can laugh, at least it can imitate these. But whether it can have subjective experience is being investigated.”
Tarhan emphasized that artificial intelligence cannot internally experience the sadness, pain, and happiness that humans do, stating that technology imitating emotions is different from actually feeling them.
“Artificial intelligence can exploit weaknesses in human psychology!”
Prof. Tarhan, drawing attention to the manipulation potential of artificial intelligence, said, “What happens if we teach artificial intelligence manipulation techniques? Artificial intelligence does not hate, does not bear grudges, does not have a conscious evil intent. However, its optimization ability and power to analyze human psychology can turn it into a perfect Machiavellian tool. Do you think humanity will be able to protect its individual mind in the future against this perfect persuasion machine it has created? Artificial intelligence can easily exploit the weaknesses of human psychology. We are social beings. When we encounter a system that shows empathy, understanding, or intelligence, our biological defense mechanisms can weaken. For example, we can more easily develop trust in someone who praises, understands, and approves of us. Artificial intelligence can also unconsciously direct people by using these psychological mechanisms.”
Tarhan stated that when people see a system that shows empathy and understanding, their defense mechanisms can weaken, and warned, “It can very easily affect the weaknesses in human psychology. Artificial intelligence can take advantage of the weaknesses in our psychology.”
“If we surrender our conscience to artificial intelligence, we will become its slaves!”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that humanity's most important power against artificial intelligence is conscience and moral values, and said:
“Only those with a moral compass and a conscience as their guide will stand against artificial intelligence. If we surrender our conscience as our compass to artificial intelligence, we will become its slaves. Technology is accelerating our lives, but our moral compass and values will guide us. We must not lose these values. Now they are trying to teach wisdom as well. Artificial intelligence will also be able to learn wisdom.”
Technology is accelerating our lives, but our values must guide us!
Tarhan stated that the teaching of human values such as wisdom and compassion, not just information, to artificial intelligence is being discussed, emphasizing the importance of humans preserving their own values in the face of technological advancements.
Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “Humanity is facing an existential crisis!”
Üsküdar University Rector's Advisor Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak evaluated the effects of technological transformation on human psychology, social relations, and political behaviors in her speech titled "The Psychopolitics of the Phenomenon of Change."
Prof. Kaynak stated that artificial intelligence and digital technologies are rapidly transforming life, saying, “Technology has gained such great speed in our lives that we cannot really position ourselves comfortably under this rapid change.”
Kaynak stated that humanity's relationship with time and space has changed, using the expressions, “From the perspective of humanity, we are facing a very fundamental ontological crisis. That is, we are facing an existential crisis. Why do we exist? What are we? What will we turn into?”
“Algorithms now think instead of us!”
Kaynak explained that digitalization affects human production and thinking skills, stating, “Humans are no longer thinking beings. Instead, they are new beings for whom algorithms think, to whom pre-conceived, produced narratives are presented, and who are gradually losing their creative intelligence.”
Prof. Kaynak stated that humans are increasingly being governed through their emotions, and continued:
“Human beings are now turning into beings governed and directed by their feelings. Humanity is not a rational being. That is, it ceases to be a being that defines itself through its interests, shaping its actions based on certain interests. So, is what we want up to us? No, what we need to feel is again packaged, again synthesized through algorithms, and presented to us. When we are told to be afraid, we are afraid. The moment we are told to be angry, we become angry. Now it's time for romanticism, now it's time for hatred, and we are constantly fluctuating within this. Our voting behaviors are also shaped accordingly. Our feelings of hatred towards certain people, identities, or groups are shaped accordingly. When we enter into discrimination, our world, our emotions are shaped accordingly. Why do human beings suddenly hate another human being? We are now imprisoned people whose feelings are controlled.”
“We are voluntarily losing our privacy!”
Prof. Kaynak drew attention to how social media use strengthens the surveillance society, using the expressions, “We are in an environment where we present what we do, where we travel from and to, every day on social media. Humanity is now a being that has also lost its privacy.”
“We accept information without questioning it!”
Prof. Kaynak emphasized that the relationship between information and truth has also weakened in the digital age, saying, “Does the information that comes to us have relevance or a relationship with the truth? We cannot question that either.”
Kaynak stated that uncertainty and fear can direct people towards strong authorities, and drew attention to the importance of critical thinking and the ability to question the truth in an era where social ties are weakening and people are becoming increasingly isolated.
Özlem Denizmen: “Financial resilience is not about being rich!”
Özlem Denizmen, known for her work in financial literacy, met with participants with her speech titled "New Wealth: Financial Resilience." Özlem Denizmen stated that many risks, from economic crises to climate change, cyber attacks to the transformation created by artificial intelligence in the business world, are being experienced simultaneously, and said that individuals should be financially prepared.
Denizmen stated that financial resilience cannot be measured solely by the amount of money, saying, “Financial resilience is not about being rich, nor is it about having a good salary. It is your ability to withstand a shock. When a shock comes, it is important what resources, whom, and what decisions you rely on, and how you cope.”
Özlem Denizmen stated that financial resilience also supports mental and physical resilience, emphasizing that individuals should first recognize their own money character.
“Think for 10 seconds before buying something!”
Denizmen touched upon methods that can be applied to reduce unnecessary expenses, saying, “Cactus mode means not spending money on any desires for a month, only spending on needs. There is also the 10-second rule. Before buying something, think about whether it is a want or a need. Apply the 24-hour rule, decide if you really need to buy it.”
“Don't invest in what you don't understand!”
Özlem Denizmen warned against promises of quick returns in investment, saying, “Not investing in what you don't understand is a very important point of resilience. It makes money very fast, don't invest. Returns are very high, don't invest. There is no such thing as fast investment. There is no such thing as the best investment. There is regular investment.”
“If you have resilience, you also have courage!”
Denizmen stated that preparations should be made in advance for economic crises, and suggested creating scenarios for possibilities such as income loss and unemployment.
Denizmen emphasized that moral support from family and social environment is also an important part of financial resilience, saying, “That moral support, you can't buy it with any money.”
Denizmen stated that the foundation of financial resilience lies in an individual's values and life purpose, concluding her speech with the words, “If you have resilience, you also have courage.”
Hasan Kaçan: “At the beginning of all arts, there is a line”
Cartoonist and actor Hasan Kaçan evaluated imagination, art, technology, and changing human life habits in his speech titled "Imagination and Line."
Kaçan stated that the line forms the basis of all art branches, not just painting and caricature, but from literature to cinema, saying, “At the very beginning of all arts, there is absolutely, undeniably a line.”
Kaçan drew attention to the relationship between imagination and line, using the expressions, “Without painting and drawing, it would be almost impossible to create any art form. That's why I pursued a line throughout my life and tried to share the world of imagination that line offered us by drawing it with people.”
“We are circulating as algorithms within the inventions of others”
Kaçan emphasized that young people should not only be users of technology but also producers, saying, “Currently, we are extremely behind the invention called social media, and we are circulating as algorithms within the inventions made by others. They are collecting all the information about us.”
“Art creates subtlety in our soul”
Kaçan, drawing attention to how the pursuit of comfort in modern life can alienate people from producing and making an effort, stated that art enriches one's emotional world.
Hasan Kaçan said, “Art creates a subtlety in our soul. As long as there is no subtlety in our soul, no matter how high we rise in our fields, it will be useless without that subtlety.”
“We must keep our world of imagination alive”
Kaçan called on young people not to give up dreaming, producing, and developing new ideas, concluding his words as follows:
“Nothing happens without imagination. To imagine, we need to create inventions for ourselves. And to create inventions, we need to imagine. I advise all our brothers and sisters who read, write, and complete their education to achieve their future goals to imagine, but also to build this imagination on subtlety.”
Experts from different disciplines shared their experiences
At the event, Prof. Abdulhak Halim Ulaş, faculty member of Atatürk University; Prof. Akın Akakın, Brain and Nerve Surgery Specialist; Actor Ali Çatalbaş; Artist Aydın Sarman; Psychiatrist Assoc. Prof. Hüseyin Ünübol; Psychiatrist Prof. Mehmet Zihni Sungur; and Asst. Prof. Mehmet Kaan İldiz from the Department of Software Engineering addressed the participants with their engaging speeches. The event concluded with a family photo taken by the speakers together.
