Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan, Faculty Member of Üsküdar University Department of Psychology, said that evolutionary psychology should be discussed in a scientific environment in order to better understand the issue of "understanding human beings", which is one of the most important issues on earth, and to solve social problems.
The 1st International Congress on Evolutionary Psychology held at Üsküdar University Altunizade Campus was organized by Üsküdar University, Avicenna Ibni Sina Health Association and Open Brain. The congress, which brought together experts and important names working on evolution in the world and in our country, attracted great interest.
Evolutionary psychology should be discussed to solve social problems
In the opening speech of the congress, Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan, Congress Advisor, Üsküdar University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, said that evolutionary psychology should be discussed on a scientific basis in order to understand human beings and solve social problems. Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan said, "It is a very important starting point to make the subject of evolutionary psychology suitable for robust discussion on a scientific basis and, if you ask me, a very important starting point in the most important issue on earth, which we call "understanding human beings". Evolutionary psychology is trying to understand human beings. If we learn to think and use this information correctly, we will have the chance to walk from different angles and solve many of our social problems, many of our human problems, as well as many personal problems in our minds."
Let the sparks of truth come out, let's learn new things
Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan said, "Our problem is to understand human beings, and for this, I think evolutionary psychology issues are very central." Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan said that new ideas are born from different ideas and that it is important to discuss different ideas in this congress. Canan said the following:
"Today, we will try to discuss this issue with very full people from various parts of the world and from our country. Our most important goal in organizing this congress is, as our famous poet Namık Kemal said, to invite people who have accumulated knowledge in different fields so that bârika-i hakikat (truth) can be born, so that sparks of truth can emerge, so that we can exchange ideas, so that we can always think of something new, so that we can learn something new. Another goal of ours is to realize what we call the "edge effect" in biology in our ideas. To bring together people who work in different fields, who have different ideas, who have different world views, and to benefit from the benefits of different environments that meet at those boundaries called "ecotones" in nature. You know, you always learn new things when you meet and talk to people with different ideas. I think this is basically the purpose of today's program. There is another purpose, which I call the "seed effect." Each topic that will be discussed here will fall into our minds like a seed. My mental soil is a bit old, so I don't know if there will be much sprouting here after this time; but the minds of our young friends are very fresh, their soil is very fertile. I would personally like to see what these ideas can cause there. I hope we will start to experience the ideas of these products together while we are here. We will continue to carry out these activities. "
Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan stated that even within psychology, the number of people who see this subject as a scientific discipline is very few and said, "As a pioneering university, we have taken it upon ourselves to hold the first international meeting on this subject. The main purpose of the congress is to provide people with the scientific knowledge to discuss these issues with each other, to be aware of the most up-to-date information and to spread such a scientific field to other universities under the leadership of Üsküdar University in Turkey. Because this is one of the most important areas of understanding human behavior. Based on our leadership in brain sciences in Turkey, we attach great importance to the activation of this field in Turkey and the production of publications in this field. We are doing our part in this regard together with our young friends."
"Evolution of Morality" was explained
At the 1st International Congress of Evolutionary Psychology, academician Hasan Galip Bahçekapılı, in his presentation titled "Evolutionary Foundations of Moral Judgments and Prosocial Behavior", talked about research and studies in the field of experimental sociology and psychology on behavior in children and chimpanzees. Bahçakapılı stated that making moral judgments is more effective than material punishment in ensuring group cooperation and long-term harmony, and that people care about what kind of moral reputation they have. "The findings support the idea that the capacity to make moral judgments has evolved to ensure in-group cooperation and, once achieved, to maintain it," Bahçekapılı said.
Francys Subiaul from George Washington University in the USA, in his speech titled "The Evolution of Social Intelligence", talked about studies on humans and chimpanzees and cultural evolution.
Prof. Dr. Alp Sirman made a presentation titled "The Evolution of Violence" and Katherine P. Kauffman gave a speech titled "The Function and Evolution of Emotions". The congress was broadcast live on ÜÜTV and ÜÜRadyo.