Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, attended the Psychology Department Event organized by Kocaeli University of Health and Technology. Prof. Dr. Tarhan made striking evaluations under the title “Protecting Our Mental Health in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” and answered much-debated questions such as ‘Can artificial intelligence replace psychotherapy? Can it even replace humans? Does artificial intelligence have a psychology, or not?’ Noting that these questions are very valid, Tarhan stated that the spiritual structure and consciousness of humans cannot be mathematically modeled, and something without a mathematical model cannot be integrated into artificial intelligence. Tarhan noted that consciousness is currently the most important structure that cannot be mathematically modeled, stating, “Artificial intelligence does not have consciousness; consciousness exists only in humans.”
Academics and students, including Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, Dr. Talip Emiroğlu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Kocaeli University of Health and Technology, and Rector Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, attended the event held in the conference hall of Kocaeli University of Health and Technology.
The event was moderated by Dr. Ali Ruhan Çelik, Head of the Psychology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Kocaeli University of Health and Technology.
“The most important structure that cannot be mathematically modeled is consciousness”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, addressing the topics of artificial intelligence and consciousness, began his speech by saying: “It is very important that this topic has been scrutinized from many angles and discussed. Some of the most frequently asked questions about artificial intelligence, such as ‘Can artificial intelligence replace psychotherapy? Can it even replace humans? Does artificial intelligence have a psychology, or not?’ frequently come to the agenda, and these are very valid questions. However, the spiritual structure and consciousness of humans cannot be mathematically modeled. Something without a mathematical model cannot be integrated into artificial intelligence. Currently, consciousness is the most important structure that cannot be mathematically modeled. Artificial intelligence does not have consciousness; consciousness exists only in humans. Consider a computer; you can use it on another computer by changing its IP address. That is, the system can be changed, it can be transferred, but humans are not like that. For example, when a person is put under anesthesia and then wakes up, they are still the same person. The human body constantly changes after birth. Basic elements such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are completely renewed within 6 months. Water changes the fastest, while calcium changes the slowest. However, despite this change, identity does not change. Why is it that a person is person A today, but not person B tomorrow? Why do personality and identity remain constant even if bodies change? Fundamental consciousness studies are currently seeking answers to these questions.”
“It can never be the final decision-maker”
Stating that artificial intelligence should be seen as an auxiliary tool, Tarhan said: “I do not see the current development of artificial intelligence as a threat to human life. On the contrary, I view artificial intelligence as an opportunity. Especially in therapy processes and in the field of psychology, one of the most challenging issues we face is accurately following the process. At this point, artificial intelligence can provide significant contributions. Of course, artificial intelligence will be a supportive tool in psychology, just as it is in many professions. For example, it can facilitate diagnosis in medicine. However, it should not be forgotten that it can never be the final decision-maker. Because a wrong decision could lead to a faulty surgery. Therefore, the authority to make decisions cannot be left to artificial intelligence. The same applies to therapy processes. We cannot leave the final decision regarding a person's therapy to artificial intelligence. However, it can speed up and facilitate the process. Artificial intelligence should be seen as an auxiliary tool in this way. We are currently actively using artificial intelligence in our hospital. Approximately 5-6 years ago, we obtained a patent in this field. This system can be used in disease diagnosis by recording an individual's brain waves. It can make predictions such as 'this disease is probable' by looking at brain signals. Therefore, the trend is moving in this direction. At this point, we need to seriously consider the integration of artificial intelligence and human psychology.”
“Artificial intelligence particularly affects adolescents negatively”
Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of ethical standards in artificial intelligence, stated: “If ethical standards are not established, artificial intelligence could become a serious threat to the world. For instance, suicide cases related to artificial intelligence have begun to increase. Children and young people, in particular, chat with artificial intelligence and, over time, become too engrossed in these conversations. Subsequently, tragic outcomes can occur. In an example from the UK, a 14-year-old child committed suicide. In this incident, which was also reported in the press, the child fell in love with a blonde character from the Game of Thrones series. Unable to reach her, the child committed suicide. Unfortunately, such cases exist. Therefore, ethical standards must be established. This is because artificial intelligence particularly affects adolescents negatively. However, for individuals who know themselves and have high self-awareness, artificial intelligence can greatly simplify life. It speeds things up, broadens horizons, and facilitates access to information. Today, the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity is similar to the impact the printing press had when it first emerged. Therefore, instead of seeing artificial intelligence as a direct threat, we should learn how to use it correctly.”
“It is also difficult for artificial intelligence to grasp goal and strategy-oriented thinking, which humans struggle to learn”
Tarhan, stating that artificial intelligence cannot think in a goal and strategy-oriented manner, said: “If you program artificial intelligence to think only short-term, meaning you develop it without teaching strategy and long-term planning, this can lead you to dangerous mistakes. Because artificial intelligence acts in the direction it is trained. A similar situation exists in adolescence, one of the periods when humans make the most mistakes. During this period, emotions are more prominent than reason. In adolescence, the prefrontal cortex is the structure that needs to establish a balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Prefrontal cortex development, that is, a person's decision-making maturity, is generally completed around the age of 22. This process can extend even further, especially in men. In cases we call prolonged adolescence, a person may still exhibit immature behaviors even at the age of 40. This situation can be seen in both women and men. Artificial intelligence, however, does not experience this natural development process. It is also difficult for artificial intelligence to grasp goal and strategy-oriented thinking, which humans struggle to learn. This is because artificial intelligence, when making decisions, only scans the databases it has and produces a solution based on them. However, humans, when making decisions, take into account both their emotions and their own internal dynamics. Artificial intelligence lacks this type of internal reasoning. Furthermore, over time, erroneous information can accumulate in the databases accessed by artificial intelligence. When fed with wrong data, it can naturally arrive at wrong conclusions. Therefore, any information might comfort us at that moment, but we need to question whether this information will still be correct and appropriate for us 3, 5, or even 10 years later.”
“Artificial intelligence can facilitate the isolation of individuals”
Tarhan also spoke about Hikikomori, one of the frequently discussed concepts of recent times: “Japan established the Ministry of Loneliness in 2021 to combat loneliness. This is because loneliness has become very widespread in society. In fact, a condition called Hikikomori has been defined as a disease. This concept means a person completely isolates themselves from social life. It is now also included in the literature in Turkey. The person voluntarily locks themselves at home and does not leave the house for 6 months. Individuals in this condition even lose the sense of morning, becoming unable to distinguish the time or place of day. Their only source of information is short pieces of news they access about the outside world in the morning. The rest of their time is usually spent playing games. They do not talk to anyone or go out except for essential needs. If this state of isolation lasts for 6 months during adolescence, a diagnosis of Hikikomori can be made. This situation is called the 'scream of silence'. That is, from the outside, there is silence, but in fact, there is a great internal scream, a serious danger involved. This situation is spreading rapidly on a global scale. The World Health Organization and the United Nations are also warning about this. They state that there are three major threats awaiting humanity in the future: first, income inequality; second, climate change; and third, loneliness. Statistics also show the seriousness of this danger. Moreover, artificial intelligence can accelerate this process because artificial intelligence can facilitate the isolation of individuals.”
“Artificial intelligence will initiate a major transformation process for humanity”
Tarhan stated that a clear stance should be taken against the misuse of artificial intelligence: “Artificial intelligence will initiate a major transformation process for humanity. However, will this transformation lead to good or bad? This entirely depends on our attitude. The position we take as humanity will determine the direction in which artificial intelligence evolves. If evil becomes widespread in society, artificial intelligence can transform into a tool serving evil. In this scenario, new cruel rulers, new tyrants, and new victims may emerge. The only way to prevent this is for humanity to uphold its own rights and values. There is a situation we call the illusion of power, where those who hold power misuse it while the powerless remain silent. As Dante said, ‘The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.’ That is why we must take a clear stance against the misuse of artificial intelligence. Otherwise, this situation will globalize and become uncontrollable. Because those in power will not hesitate to use the technology they possess to dominate the world. The world is moving towards digital dictatorship. Therefore, instead of simply opposing technology, we should think about how we can use it for the benefit of humanity. We must guide technology to serve good as we build our future.”
The foundations of positive psychology are based on Anatolian wisdom
Speaking about the theoretical foundations of positive psychology, Tarhan said: “An international congress was held in this field in 2009. When I heard about these developments, I started researching. I saw that at the core of positive psychology, there are values very familiar to us. Anatolian wisdom and Mevlana's teachings have been systematized, transformed into a methodological structure, and presented to the world under the name of positive psychology. Its content addresses topics such as self-knowledge, developing self-awareness, acquiring self-management skills, social consciousness, empathy, showing sensitivity to the emotions of others, anger management, forgiveness, gratitude, and thankfulness, module by module. We published our first Positive Psychology book addressing these topics in the early 2010s. Two years ago, we prepared an adapted version of this book for high school level, specifically for ninth graders. We also put this approach into practice at our university. As Üsküdar Üniversitesi, in 2013, we introduced positive psychology as a rectorate course for all departments. We are pioneers in this field. Harvard University included this course in its program in 2015. There was high demand for the course. In 2018, Yale University also included this course in its curriculum. It was opened to the public during the pandemic. When 3.5 million people registered in a short time, it became news in the New York Times. In 2019, Bristol University in England announced that it had included a positive psychology course in its program as a solution to increasing suicide cases. This shows that positive psychology is a tool for transformation not only at an individual level but also at a societal level. Positive psychology stands out as a field that will save the future with a scientific methodology. It can provide solutions to problems in community psychology. Both the prevention of psychological illnesses and the support of treatment processes carry significant potential. Psychology professionals can easily use this discipline.” He concluded his speech.