Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty Member of Psychology Department, Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan's latest book in the İFA “Human’s Factory Settings” series, “Transcending Borders”, meets its readers. In this context, Turkey's first scientific theory launch was held. The launch, broadcast live on the Youtube Açık Beyin channel, was attended by notable figures such as TV presenter Pelin Çift and Açelya Akkoyun, along with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan. In his speech, Tarhan made striking remarks, saying, “Those who go from us to America receive Nobel prizes, and those who go to Germany find the Covid-19 vaccine. In other words, the problem is not with our people, but with the system.”
“Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan made the cold face of science warm and amiable”
In his speech, Tarhan emphasized the intellectual fallacy in Turkey; “Most people who are exploratory and open to new experiences are extraordinary individuals. These extraordinary individuals are also misunderstood due to many of their characteristics. They can foresee many things; they actually do crazy things… What we call crazy things are the truths of the future. I see these qualities in Sinan Hodja. I know his good intentions and great efforts, and as a result, beautiful things will emerge. I always tried to support him; he always gave beautiful messages to society. He made the cold face of science warm and amiable. He has very important observations regarding the reconciliation of science with our belief system and values. Because the culture we are born into as humans has a belief system, accumulation, and tradition; there is a false intellectual fallacy in Turkey, which is to be against these. That fallacy is a misconception like ‘we can be modern if we object to our past’. I see that he has done groundbreaking things in changing this intellectual fallacy. For this reason, I have wished for his work to continue in a more beautiful and systematic way.”
“Those who go to the US get Nobel, those who go to Germany find the vaccine, why?”
Tarhan continued his words by referring to Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan's project; “I would also like to mention the İFA (Human’s Factory Settings) project. This is a very ambitious statement. Laboratories have been working for years to discover this, philosophy comes into play, but in this discovery, theories constantly emerge. When we look at the chain of philosophy, what one philosopher produces, the next one refutes. There is a chain of philosophy that rather than completing each other, finds each other's shortcomings. In such a situation, philosophy cannot find solutions to everything. The success of modern Western civilization is related to not forgetting philosophy, and finding it valuable. The reason for the Ottoman Empire's civilization crisis was its disregard for philosophy and the development of thought. For example, Fatih did not have this. After the Ottoman Empire became a superpower, they removed everything, including Socrates and Aristotle, from the education system, saying 'what is the need for these?'. Later, they succumbed to the industrial revolution. That is, the sultans adopted many innovations, but we could not produce them. Even Russia received many Nobel Prizes, but we could not. It is interesting that those who go from us to America receive Nobel prizes, and those who go to Germany find the Covid-19 vaccine. In other words, the problem is not with our people, but with the system. This situation is another point of the matter. This means that we have not yet created an education system that will facilitate mental transformation, discovery, and open up new ideas and new possibilities. In a traditional education system, we have created a new tradition. We cannot develop because we cannot escape this traditionalism and question it. I see this inquisitiveness in Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan.”
“It is not possible for a person to chart a path for others without analyzing themselves”
Tarhan also touched upon the importance of self-knowledge, referring to the topic of existence; “We call it human’s factory settings, we need to start by knowing ourselves. The traditional paradigm of psychology was built not on knowing oneself, but on knowing others. If a person who does not know himself is going somewhere on a map, the destination is clear, he tries to chart his way, but if he does not know where he is, how will he find that place? Therefore, a person must identify all their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, chances, and threats, and accordingly, be a person suitable for their existence and purpose of creation. Here, it is not possible for a person to chart a path for others without analyzing themselves.”