Conference on Science, Free Thought and Secularism

Hello everyone. I'll be writing about my observations about the conference I attended yesterday with two friends, and I think it's needed in some ways. Yesterday, I went to the Science, Free Thought, and Secularism conference, organized in collaboration with the Tree of Evolution, the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, the Global Organization for Secularism, the Free Thought Movement, the Young Enlightenment Club, the Genes of Evolution Society, and BIOGEN. I was among the first to register. My first criticism is, ask Bilkent University security; they'll tell you where you are on campus. The last time I asked for a seat was at Gazi University, and you had to arrive half an hour late to the first lecture of my course because of the wrong directions. There were also no notices in the building where the conference was held, no sign of the conference being there. Fortunately, we managed to find it anyway. After a few drives.

Normally the following participants were in the program.

• Prof. Dr. Mahinur Akkaya (METU Chemistry Department) – The Necessity of Rational Thinking
• Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Pak (METU Physics Department) – What is Science and Why is It Important in Modern Life?
• Çağrı Mert Bakırcı (The Tree of Evolution – Texas Tech University – Video Presentation) – Why Should We Defend Science, Free Thought, and Secularism?
• Dr. Işıl Arıcan (Liar- Video Presentation) – Science and Pseudoscience
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kerem Cankoçak (ITU Physics Breakdown) – Abuse of Science and Hostility to Science
• Sean Faircloth (President of Global Secularism Organization and Strategy) – Science and Secularism Can Create a Better Future!
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ergi Deniz Özsoy (Hacettepe University, Department of Biology) – Teaching Evolution, Objectivity and Freedom of Thought

Unfortunately, Prof. Dr. Mahinur Akkaya and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ergi Deniz Özsoy were unable to attend for various reasons. Frankly, I was saddened by their absence.

First of all, the main theme of this conference is about secularism. What is secularism? Simply put, secularism is shaping the structure of society according to scientific truths, not facts like religion. It's actually an open-ended concept. It's also known as worldliness. But I see it as a concept we desperately need, especially considering the current state of our country. For more detailed information, Click here.

The video presentation by Çağrı Mert Bakırcı, founder of Evrim Ağacı (The Tree of Evolution), was played first. He spoke generally about Evrim Ağacı and its mission. He discussed the importance of efforts to inform the public and prevent the spread of misinformation, and how everyone can and should do something about it. I agreed with him here, but I'd been wondering if there was a solution to making information accessible to the public, and it's something I'd been wondering about for a long time.

Prof. Dr. Namık Kemal Pak (METU Physics Department)

Then, Professor Namık Kemal Pak began his speech. Frankly, he is a witty and charming man. He is well-versed in Plato's philosophy. While many see Plato's state philosophy as anti-democratic, he doesn't. Considering the current state of democratic structures, I can agree with him. His speech generally went as follows: He charted the development of human civilization from its inception to the present day, demonstrating that science has accelerated this development tremendously over the last 400 years. For example, the average human lifespan rose from 20-30 years before the Renaissance and Reformation to 40-50 years afterward, and now to the 80s. He demonstrated that science is something that eases and simplifies human life. He demonstrated how the Ottomans fell behind when they failed to recognize this scientific revolution, and how, even if this knowledge was brought from abroad later, it was too late. He mentioned that although this scientific revolution had been made during Atatürk's revolution, its flame was now on the wane. He expressed, with what I sensed his own sadness, that the generation of '68 had failed to achieve this. I wish he had remained president of TUBITAK. He had articles in Bilimütopya magazine. I've made a note to research and read them. I recommend it to you, too.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kerem Cankoçak (ITU Physics Department)

The next speaker was Prof. Dr. Kerem Cankoçak. I remembered watching his videos online before. I particularly remembered him saying that because the universe is expanding and quantum possibilities exist, the universe couldn't have been designed even if it had been created. Frankly, it's a bit of my own! :). I could say he started with the definition of secularism. He began with the definition of science. He stated that it's wrong to perceive science, religion, and philosophy as completely different things. He continued, "They all ask the same questions, but their answers are different." He emphasized that while philosophy and religion aren't based on proof, science is, and that science is what's realistic and true. He also stated that secularism isn't enough and that secularism is necessary. Because teaching both religious knowledge and, say, the theory of evolution in school won't work. They conflict with each other. In reality, we've never been a secular country. Secularism means separating state and religious affairs, but in reality, there's a state-supported institution called the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which is run by the state. At the same time, it's an institution that caters solely to the Sunni sect of Islam. There's compulsory religion classes in schools, and it's also Sunni-oriented. There's a religion section on the ID card. Where's secularism? Time ran out for Professor Kerem. He actually had so much to say. I saw it on his slides: quantum mechanics, classical physics, general relativity, string theory. I asked him one last question. He said that a Turkish scientist had discovered traces of dark matter abroad, and that these traces could be the superpartners in supersymmetry, and that this foundation of m-theory was strengthened. Similarly, he's closely involved with supersymmetry and CERN experiments. Although supersymmetry doesn't support m-theory (because it also supports standard theory), he stated that without it, m-theory wouldn't exist, and therefore supersymmetry must exist.

Then, a video presentation by Dr. Işıl Arıcan from yalansavar.org was played. I'd heard of that site but hadn't had a chance to look at it yet. She addressed the very issues I was fighting against. She cited pseudoscience, false information on the internet, and similar things, offering examples. Astrology is the most widespread lie in the world right now. Half the world's population believes this nonsense. She particularly highlights and combats the distortion of science, the deception and deception of people through pseudoscience or pseudoscience, which I also dislike the most. This is a site worth supporting and following. I recommend you follow it too.

Sean Faircloth, President of the Global Secularism Organization and Strategy

Finally, Sean Faircloth, President of the Global Secularism Organization and Strategy, delivered his speech. First of all, I must say that he had conducted quite thorough research on Turkey before his arrival. Although I can't recall his exact introduction, he attacked Erdoğan with every sentence. He noted that the histories of America and Turkey are similar, that the founders of these countries initially held secular views, but that the structure later changed. He mentioned that Erdal İnönü, a secular politician, demonstrated ethical policies. Frankly, I was surprised by his thorough research. He particularly pointed out Berkin Elvan, who was shot in the head with a tear gas canister while going to buy bread, and Atatürk being called a drunkard. He also stated in very harsh terms that Erdoğan was attacking the Turkish people, particularly regarding the fact that there was only one hospital for every 8,000 people in the country (I don't remember the exact number he said), but only one mosque for every 800. He emphasized how much we need secularism in the world and that we should do everything in our power to achieve this, and even, if necessary, form our own party and enter politics. If you want to follow him on Twitter, you can search for @seanfaircloth.

Considering the current state of the country, it's clear how much we need a secular structure. All the speakers at this conference made this clear, and I agree with them. The world needs scientific facts, not misinformation. However, I particularly emphasize the following statements made during yesterday's local elections.

#Ext Türkiye is Over
#Now we will sort them out, within the law.
#Turkey has now entered a new era.
#We are at war with Syria.

Be prepared for what comes next.