Server tanilli a teacher of enlightenment

Abstract

Server Tanilli who passed away November 29, 2011 was a Turkish intellectual with some distinguished works in the fields of constitutional law, the history of civilization, philosophy, and political science. Despite the fact that he made his academic career in the Chair of Constitutional Law at Istanbul University Faculty of Law, his most well-known works were in the field of the history of civilization. His legendary work titled “History of Civilization: Introduction to Modern World” written at the beginning of the 1970s as a university textbook has deeply influenced people of all ages but especially young people for decades. As a constitutional lawyer, he believed that a constitution is not only consisting of law: He examined the principles and institutions of the constitution in his works in the light of politics, sociology, history and philosophy. Server Tanilli while a faculty member at the Faculty of Law, University of Istanbul was attacked on April 7, 1978. He was paralyzed from the waist down due to the attack. He had to move to France for a better treatment and stayed there 18 years. He returned to Turkey in 2000. Although Tanilli has written in many different areas, he managed to employ a language and style to tell the reader can easily understand in his all works. In this respect, Tanilli has used the same method with well-known science writers: Actually he has done for the readers from Turkey in the social sciences what Isaac Asimov and Richard Dawkins done in the natural sciences, All his works aim not only to tell the reader about realities of the world we live but also to show how to change society and the world. He has written his books from the perspective that people can change the world by learning the laws governing nature and society, and creates a new societal order based on equality and freedom. As an intellectual, he determined his duty to show the masses a better world without exploitation is possible and this world is worth fighting for. Tanilli believes that every human being is valuable because it is just human and this value must be protected under all circumstances. This can only be achieved in a social order based on true equality and freedom inspired by Marxist theory. “The only competent worldview that can solve the problems of our age is Marxism today" said Tanilli, warned us that Marxism should not be seen as a dogma but a rational, scientific method for seeking the truth. Tanilli always maintained optimism in the face of every problem. In the era of globalization, we are dealing with huge problems such as the revival of savage capitalism, deepening inequality, intolerance, racism, fundamentalism, population growth, unplanned urbanization, and environmental pollution. According to him, these major challenges should not lead us to be pessimistic; “all the problems arise along with their solutions”. In the course of history may be zigzags but the main line is progress. Mankind has the capacity to eliminate exploitation and oppression and establish an egalitarian-liberal social order by understanding the laws of nature and society.

Özet

29 Kasım 2011’de aramızdan ayrılan Server Tanilli, anayasa hu- kuku, uygarlık tarihi, felsefe ve siyaset bilimi alanlarında önemli eserler vermiş bir aydındı. Akademik kariyerini İstanbul Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Anayasa Hukuku Kürsüsü’nde yapan Tanilli’nin en çok bilinen çalışmaları uygarlık tarihi üzerinedir. Bir ders kitabı olarak 1970’lerin başında hazırladığı “Uygarlık Tarihi” adlı çalışması, on yıllar boyunca her yaştan insanı ama özellikle gençleri derinden etkilemiştir. Tanilli tüm kitaplarında, okuyucuya yalnızca yaşadığımız dünyanın gerçeklerini akıcı bir dille anlatmakla kalmaz, toplumu ve dünyayı nasıl değiştire- ceklerini de göstermeyi amaçlar. Bir aydın olarak görevini sömürüsüz bir dünyanın mümkün olduğunu kitlelere göstermek ve bu uğurda müca- dele etmek olarak belirleyen Tanilli, anayasayı sadece hukuktan ibaret görmeyen bir anayasa hukukçusuydu. Eserlerinde anayasal ilke ve ku- rumlar siyaset, sosyoloji, tarih ve felsefe gibi disiplinlerin verileriyle zenginleştirilerek incelenmiştir.