Osmanlı-Türk anlatılarında bilime yönelişin mantığı ve gelecek tasarıları (19 yüzyıl sonu ve erken 20 yüzyıl)

Abstract

One of the leading dynamics of innovative movements gained popularity in Ottoman Empire is the argument relating to “adoption of science and technology of the West” during 19th century. Such argument leads to the growth of a literary genre based on science at the end of 19th century when advantages and disadvantages of scientifical and technological developments are attempted to figure out. It could be asserted that political and social atmosphere of Ottoman Empire shapened this literary genre can be called as “scientific” as well. In this case, Fennî Bir Roman Yahut Amerika Doktorları (1888) by Ahmet Mithat, Tarih-i İstikbâl (1913) by Celal Nuri İleri, Rüyada Terakki ve Medeniyet-i İslamiyye-i Rü’yet (1913) by Molla Davudzâde Mustafa Nâzım, “Çamlar Altında Musahabe” (1913) by Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, “Rûşenî’nin Rüyası–Müslümanların ‘Megali İdeası’ Gaye-i Hayâliyesi” (1914) by Hasan Rûşenî Barkın, “Hülya Bu Ya...” (1921) by Refik Halid Karay, “Arzîler” (1925) by Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan and “Makineli Kafa” (1928) by Behlül Dânâ focus on science and technology in late 19th century or early 20th century have much significance. Since it could be observed that the reason for the rise in and tendency towards the science lies in economical and political depression of the age in the light of such works. In these texts, such themes like westernization, civilizing and development fictionalized are described to be in parallel with technological power. This common character of narrations is one of the reflections of Ottoman modernization movements in the literature. The effect of science regarded as means of production and/or source of political power by the intelligentsia of that period is tried to be narrated over European or American images in the works based on science. The science is considered to be a technological power and there established a connection between industrial and political power of the West hence such relations transferred in the Ottoman Empire in the texts we have analysed. However, "the Western" model shown as an example in terms of science and technology is seen to be criticized taking Ottoman traditions, religion, culture and identity into consideration. The variety of values attributed to machinery as a common image in the narrations specifically is the signifier of pluralism of intelligentsia towards science. These works not studied in detailed and not included in literary canon in current literature researches have an important place in terms of giving the meaning of modernity in Ottoman-Turk literature in 19th and 20th centuries.