Wisdom in Science Awards: Opening Address by Prof. Dr. Hacı Duran

Prof. Dr. Hacı Duran, Head of the Sociology Department at Istanbul Aydın University, delivered the opening keynote at the “Wisdom in Science Awards,” where he emphasized that wisdom and sagacity only attain true value when integrated with knowledge, experience, lived reality, humanity, and moral values. Quoting the renowned folk poet Yunus Emre, he remarked, “Knowledge is to understand what knowledge is; knowledge is to know oneself. If you do not know yourself, what is the point of all your reading?” to provide a definitive perspective on the essence of wisdom. Furthermore, Prof. Duran noted that scholars at European universities often receive more extensive training in moral and ethical frameworks compared to those in the Islamic geography, suggesting they are more advanced in regards to these specific values.