Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated as a speaker at the “Online Psychology Summit” event organized by AKANSEL Education Consultancy. At the summit, followed by numerous psychiatrists, psychologists, psychological counselors, and individuals from various fields of expertise, Tarhan made important evaluations under the title “Computational Psychology.” Tarhan pointed out that old understandings are being abandoned with the digitalization and development of the universe, emphasizing the developing aspect of the human brain. Tarhan stated; “The human brain has no evolution, but it has development.” Tarhan also expressed that if we can unite psychiatry, psychology, and mathematics, we will understand normal and non-normal people better mathematically.
“To know the universe, it is necessary to know human psychology”
Underlining that the perception of the universe has changed over time at the online summit, Tarhan emphasized the importance of understanding human psychology. Tarhan said; “In today's seminar, under the title ‘Can There Be Computational Psychology?’, I will answer questions such as ‘Is the universe a simulation, what is the metaverse, and where is it taking psychology?’. I also want to talk about the future and expectations of psychiatry. If we don't know the expectations, we will insist on mistakes. If we know the expectations, we can catch historical events, take a position, and do things that will leave a mark behind us. It is important to answer the question: Is the universe a simulation, are we in a post-truth era? In 2014, a post-materialist science manifesto was published. In this manifesto, we participated in the ‘International Summit on Post-Material Science, Spirituality, and Society’ held at Canyon Ranch on February 7-9, 2014, hosted by Dr. Gary E. Schwartz from the University of Arizona, Dr. Mario Beauregard, and Dr. Lisa Miller from Columbia University. The transition from materialist science to post-materialist science is even more important for the development of human civilization than the transition from geocentrism to heliocentrism, which was vitally important. The transition to a heliocentric understanding of the world happened with the Age of Enlightenment. Now we are moving from a heliocentric understanding to a universe-centric understanding. Therefore, we need to know the universe, and human psychology has a very special place in this universe. Human psychology is in a special place because it has an organ called the mind. This organ places it in a different position.”
“The understanding of Tawhid (Oneness of God) appears to be the most rational theory as a mathematical reality”
Making evaluations about the increasingly developing digital universe, Tarhan underlined that concepts like “wahdat al-wujud” (unity of existence) and “wahdat ash-shuhud” (unity of witness), expressed in ancient Islamic tradition, are now becoming clearer. Tarhan said; “Metaverse, VR, awakening, legitimate reality, science fiction, digital games, and quantum events. The non-mathematized state of science is philosophy. Neurobiology was born as a result of theoretical models. Does the philosophy of existence need to be reinterpreted? The things said by these figures who put forth the concepts of Wahdat al-Wujud and Wahdat ash-Shuhud have started to become much more understandable. Wahdat al-Wujud, the first claim of Ibn Sina, calls God a necessary being. Wahdat ash-Shuhud is the claim of Ibn Arabi, who says that everything we see is God. He was even executed for saying that everything we see is God. The understanding of Tawhid appears to be the most rational being as a mathematical reality. Metaverse is a magnificent digital game world based on science fiction. There are games played by 350 million people simultaneously. In my 2009 book ‘Psychology of Belief,’ I stated that the universe is a digital, energy-based universe. That is, any theory, an embryonic sketch not yet even a theory, and I transformed this sketch into a theory here.”
“It was understood that time expands backward, and no information is lost”
Pointing out that changes in the realm of matter will cause great transformations in the science of psychology, as in all fields, Tarhan said; “As a result of technological developments, many things will change in the upcoming period. New things will be done in matter, and we need to know where psychology will stand in this. The interesting thing is that quantum psychiatrists will give rise to new fields like communication networks. This situation was considered proof that the speed of light has been surpassed. Photon telepathy has been confirmed. It was understood that time expands backward, and no information is lost in the universe. Isn't this very important for us? For example, for someone dealing with human psychology, it was understood that time expands backward, and everything done remains in the universe, and no information we create in the world is lost in photon telepathy. Because information can be permanent. This information suggests that two entities using the same source or at the same time communicate with each other. For example, photons launched simultaneously are in constant interaction with each other. This may not be seen as a very important detail by some at the moment because views stating that everything in the universe is in communication with each other have been supported. Everything exists in the universe, and everything that exists interacts with each other. This is very important in psychology. Humans, animals, birds are always in interaction with each other; nothing is independent. More recent transfers in the brain's pathways appear brighter, and older transfers appear darker. Information is not lost.”
“The human brain has no evolution, but it has development”
Emphasizing the developing structure of the human brain, Tarhan stated that civilizations are a manifestation of the human brain. Tarhan said; “What we call memory is actually a general function of the whole. ‘An ambitious statement: Without the brain, there would be no morality and civilization.’ Ambitious but true. What is the relationship between the physical brain, religion, and the soul? What is the relationship between the physical brain and religion? The first is an ontological or existential question about the nature of the mind. The second is a philosophy of science question that understands how information and science pass from one to the other, seeing that there are two different things, and the cause-and-effect relationship between souls that the brain will know. Here there is both an existential and a unity philosophy question. Now we look at quantum mechanics; everything in the universe is connected. They affect each other and thus achieve balance. Within this balance, what is the influencing power of our brain? What are the features that distinguish humans from other beings? The characteristic of the brain's frontal lobe is that it teaches decision-making, abstract thought, and symbolic and conceptual thought. We can say that our brain is the brain region least affected by evolution. However, this brain has no evolution, but it has development. The civilization created by the human brain is evident. This feature of the human brain is called the mind.”
“Above the brain is the mind, above the mind is consciousness”
Tarhan, stating “Above the brain is the mind, above the mind is consciousness,” drew attention to the existence of a different brain, mind, and holographic brain above the brain. Tarhan said; “What is this consciousness above the mind? This is being researched. It emerges as an ontological question for us. Something Howard Gardner created in the 1980s; he puts forth 6 virtues and 24 wisdom concepts. The left brain is related to logic, speech, aggregation. The right brain is related to wholeness, intuitions, solving problems. The right brain is considered spirituality. Justice, courage, wisdom, moderation, and transcendence are all concepts beyond matter. These concepts are met in the brain. These are all concepts that form a person's psychology. Will we not address these concepts with a dimension of creativity? According to the philosophy of mind, the human brain is bigger and more than the body. This was first put forth by Descartes. He said that mind and body are two different substances. A book called ‘Descartes’ Error’ was written. Our brain functions like a quantum receiver echoing in the quantum field. They are not independent of matter. They are quantum receivers echoing in the quantum field. What and who is the external power, information, intelligence, will? Let's ask this question. Here you see mirror neurons. Just as there are mirror neurons that imitate eating, there are also mirror neurons that imitate emotions. They used to say that just as the liver produces bile, the brain produces the soul. According to the dialectical materialist understanding, the thought of matter emerged first, then abstract thought. Now it is understood that there is no matter first, there is information. After information, there is mathematics. There is a magnificent mathematics in the universe. That's not enough; there is energy and physics. Then, there is chemistry and matter. After matter, there is biology and life. There is a magnificent order. Without information, there is no matter.”
“We must unite mathematics with psychology…”
At the end of his speech, Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between mathematics, psychology, and psychiatry, said, “The union of mathematics and reason, as you know, gave birth to computers. The union of mathematics with psychology and psychiatry will also lead to the diagnosis of diseases. It will reveal treatment modalities. Our job is indeed difficult. But we will sit down and study mathematics. If we can unite psychiatry, psychology, and mathematics, we will understand normal and non-normal people better mathematically.”