Philosophy

I am İhsan Fazlıoğlu, a lecturer in the History of Philosophy at Istanbul Medeniyet University's Faculty of Literature, specifically in the Department of Philosophy. I am also the head of the Philosophy Department. Our department, which is part of Istanbul Medeniyet University's Faculty of Letters, started accepting undergraduate students in 2012. Within our department, we have five main branches of science: Islamic philosophy, history of Turkish thought, systematic philosophy, history of philosophy, and history of logic.
Istanbul Medeniyet University's philosophy department offers lectures within the framework of these five main disciplines. One of the distinguishing features of our department is that it covers not only historical lectures but also contemporary philosophy. For instance, we provide various courses that explore contemporary philosophical inquiries related to science, such as philosophy of biology, philosophy of mathematics, bioethics, transhumanism, feminism, and natural philosophy.
In their final year, students in our department write their theses with the guidance of their advisors. These theses take the form of small articles, where students delve into philosophical problems they have studied throughout their four years, drawing on relevant sources. As part of our student exchange programs, we have agreements with philosophy departments in various European universities. Details of these programs are available on our university's website and the international office page, which are regularly updated.
Over the past 11 years, our department has organized more than 500 international and national meetings. These gatherings include weekly, monthly, annual, seminar, conference, congress, and symposium events. We collaborate with philosophers in Turkey and abroad who work in various fields to address both historical and contemporary philosophical issues.
Due to the broad scope of philosophy, our graduates have opportunities to work in various fields within the public sphere, such as media, cinema, theater, and teaching at different levels of the education system. Our department is centered around abstract thinking and requires extensive reading of resources and books. It also emphasizes the learning of classical languages like Latin, Greek, and Arabic over a six-semester period starting from the second year. Additionally, our teachers provide guidance on developing writing skills and expressing abstract thoughts effectively in Turkish.
Being located in Istanbul, our students have access to a wide range of opportunities. Istanbul is not only a metropolis but also the cultural hub of Turkey, offering vibrant activities in music, art, theater, cinema, literature, and philosophy, particularly on weekends. We encourage our students to take advantage of these cultural offerings and establish effective communication with colleagues from various universities in Istanbul. As a department, we provide orientation training to help our students navigate their initial experiences in Istanbul. Every year, we introduce our first-year students to the challenges they may encounter and guide them on how to overcome them, while also acquainting them with our department, university, and city.
Prospective students considering our department should have a strong reading culture and a genuine interest in books. They should also possess the ability to think abstractly, as philosophy is a discipline conducted through and with language. Furthermore, it is important for them to actively follow contemporary scientific problems and outcomes. I extend my best wishes to our university candidates and invite them to join the Department of Philosophy at Istanbul Medeniyet University, where we can embark on this philosophical journey together. Our students who are taking the university entrance exam eagerly await the arrival of new candidates to our department. We offer the opportunity to walk this path together.