Tarhan: "Positive Action is One of the Important Pillars of Positive Psychology"

Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, participated as a speaker in the “Positive Action E-Workshop” organized by Risale Academy. Making evaluations on “Positive Action Psychology/Individual,” Tarhan said, “Break the chains, tear down the walls, do what your heart desires. This kind of approach, implying you'll be happy that way, is leading to a global current of hedonism. Currently, we are witnessing a crisis of Western civilization, similar to the late Roman period. If we don't offer an alternative in such a crisis, doomsday will arrive, or a new sociological period will begin. Therefore, we must offer alternatives. Positive action is one of those alternatives.”

“Positive psychology embraces positive action very well”

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that positive psychology is connected with positive action. Tarhan said, “Positive psychology embraces positive action very well. In fact, when we look at the reference of positive psychology, we see that it is Anatolian wisdom. Positive psychology has taken Anatolian wisdom, turned it into science, and presents it to us in a systematized way. When I realized this, I said it was our fault. Following this, to demonstrate that these exist in our own resources, I wrote books such as Mevlevi Therapy, Yunus Therapy, and Love Therapy.”

“Positive Action is one of the important pillars of positive psychology”

Tarhan stated that the current equivalent of 'müspet' in today's language is positivity and constructiveness, and that positive action is one of the important pillars of positive psychology. He used the expressions, “Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, when speaking of positive action, referred to it as a methodology. He called positive action a method for a service, a movement, to reach its goal in this era. The current equivalent of 'müspet' in today's language is positivity. Positive action is one of the most important pillars within this positive psychology.”

“Positive action is one of those alternatives”

Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that alternatives must be offered to stem the global spread of hedonism, and positive action is one of them. After providing information about the California syndrome, Tarhan said, “Western civilization has changed the human type. In ancient times, working only for oneself was considered wrong. But Western philosophy chose hedonism as a goal for humans, defining the pursuit of pleasure as the purpose of life. The approach of ‘Break the chains, tear down the walls, do what your heart desires. This is how you'll be happy’ is causing a global current of hedonism. Currently, we are witnessing a crisis of Western civilization, similar to the late Roman period. If we don't offer an alternative in such a crisis, doomsday will arrive, or a new sociological period will begin. Therefore, we must offer alternatives. Positive action is one of those alternatives.”

“One must know the reason for human existence”

Tarhan emphasized that for a person to always make correct decisions and progress in life, they must know the reason for their existence. “It is possible by continuously making positive adjustments in their relationships, from their Creator to their close environment. Who do you think best knows human factory settings? If you say ‘I know,’ unfortunately, this is making yourself a god on earth. Believe me, the one who can best know what is beneficial for a person can only be “That Being” who created them. Therefore, if we call it positive action to constantly try to make our settings in accordance with the Creator; with nature, laws, and our conscience, we probably wouldn't be mistaken,” he stated.

Mathematics is the science that best describes Allah…

Tarhan stated that physics and mathematics reveal Allah, saying, “The greatest science of Allah's existence is mathematics. It is not social sciences but mathematical sciences. It is said that religion is a social phenomenon. But existence is a mathematical phenomenon. The science that best introduces Allah is the science of mathematics. When we perform probability calculations, we find Allah through mathematics.”