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Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

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Ghana and More

30 April 2015 | The Fountain | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

The Fountain was among the organizers of an important conference in Ghana. Many participants described the conference as “first of its kind.” Professor Scott C. Alexander was one of the speakers. The following is a short report on the conference he wrote for The Fountain, and we are publishing it o…

Building a Society of Noble Ideals

30 April 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

The humans of this age have been victimized by a lack of idealism. Sometimes, in addition to lacking idealism, these individuals ignored their self-control and remained corrupt; some even went so far as to inflict destruction upon their environments, behaving like anarchists and nihilists so as to…

The Impeccable Sanitation of the Blood

30 April 2015 | Brian Turk | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Think of a marvelous machine that consists of pipes, pumps, processors, and plugs. This machine grinds and grates, pumps and pours, moves and maneuvers. It constructs and consumes constantly. Despite all this action and activity, it never rusts or ruptures. I believe most of you know what I’m tryin…

Causality in Science and Religion

30 April 2015 | Yusuf Malik | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

One of the most appealing questions in the history of science is if science and religion can be reconciled. Since religion and science both present cognitive perspectives about existence, this is a problem waiting to be solved instead of a question to be answered. The heart of this problem stems fr…

A Festival of Dialogue Exploring Multiculturalism and Language Diversity

30 April 2015 | Michael Anthony Samuel | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

The opportunity for 15 countries to assemble beneath one banner under the South African sky is a feat all of its own. The massive background logistics to co-ordinate a three hour show – the music performances, costumes, technology, accommodation, and travel – are easily under-estimated when one see…

Antimicrobial Activity of Honey

30 April 2015 | Fethi Yaman | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Honey has been used by humans for millennia. It’s beloved by kids and adults alike. Honey is one of those versatile food items which can also be used as a cosmetic ingredient or antibacterial agent. In stores, you may find that there are honey brands which are sold as natural ointments, because hon…

Putting Yourself in Others' Shoes

30 April 2015 | Osman Senkaya | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Empathy is more important than ever in human relations. Be it among employer and employee, husband and wife, or parents and children, empathy seems necessary to all circles of human interaction. Although fully covering this concept will require a long discussion, I’ll try to provide a general idea…

The Key-Lock System in Fertilization

30 April 2015 | Hamza Aydin | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Living things are equipped with sexual and asexual reproduction systems to enable life to continue. Sexual reproduction requires the presence of two opposite genders, male and female. Special reproductive cells, the sperm and egg, are produced in the reproductive organs of these individuals. The sh…

Speaking: A Magical Gift

30 April 2015 | K. Fatma Canan | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

He burst into tears. He could not understand what was happening to him. He looked like his friends, but when it came to this one thing, something was wrong. Half an hour ago, his teacher asked him to read a text from the book, but unlike his peers, he couldn’t, even though he’d learned to read thre…

The World of Cats

30 April 2015 | Ibrahim Ugurlu | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Cats have lived with humans since ancient times. They are one of the most friendly, playful, cute residents of our houses. These creatures claim corners on our beds during winter time, their quiet cat songs keeping us company at night. They have become indispensible heroes in cartoons, stories, nov…

Adab (Mannerliness)

30 April 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Its meaning covers being sensible and reasonable, well-behaved, well-mannered, treating people kindly. Adab (mannerliness) is used in the terminology of Sufism to defend against errors and to distinguish the factors leading to errors. It is dealt with under the categories of “mannerliness in Shari‘…

Curvature of the Heavens

30 April 2015 | D. Omer Guney | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Mevlana Jalal al-Din Rumi, who lived in the 13th century, is still recognized as one of the most influential Muslim mystics in history [1]. Rumi is especially known for his poetry, which spread messages of love, diversity, and self-transcendence. Some of his major works include Mathnawi, Divan-i Ka…

Four Cups of Tea

30 April 2015 | Thomas Petriano | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

A visit to a mosque and a simple gesture of kindness remind the author that, despite what the news might report, people of different faiths have far more similarities than differences. Be kind, for wherever kindness becomes a part of something, it beautifies it; wherever it is taken from somethin…

Complexity Or Cooperativity?

30 April 2015 | Murat Erdin | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Books, bodies, and beautiful paintings – these are all emergent systems. As our understanding of these systems grows, so, too, do the questions about how we study them. Scientific revolutions require the shift of paradigms [1]. According to Thomas Kuhn, a paradigm is more than a current theor…

Bless Your Own Baby

30 April 2015 | Mary Lahaj | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Upon the birth of her first child, the author took it upon herself to bestow an important blessing. Twenty-five years later, she used that blessing to help another new mother take her first steps into parenthood. The story begins in the ninth month of my pregnancy, as I was reading a book enti…

Humans and Metallic Materials

30 April 2015 | Mustafa Akdag | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

If we study the way metals are structured and processed, lessons can be drawn about how human’s function, too. One just has to look closely enough. Humans and metallic materials are both worth investigating for their comparable features. Both are open to improvement. Both take time to develop…

Numerical Codes and Gematrical Mysteries in the Qur'an

30 April 2015 | Sefik Hikmet Toprak | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Just as there is a perfect order that allows life to exist and function, there are incredible numerical symmetries and orders within the Qur’an. Exploring them can deepen our appreciation of both the Qur’an and the world. The studies on numerical and gematrical codes in the Qur’an show great v…

Music of Rain

30 April 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

rops of rain, as if smiles from the worlds beyond, Travel here and there seeking the seas they parted from. They fall with the sound of plucked lute-strings: And hearing it, the earth begins to breathe. Drops of rain float down with the grace of butterflies, As if arranging some meaning in most r…

Fuel Cells

30 April 2015 | Ismail Eren | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Today, humans get most of their energy from fossil fuels. We know this rate of consumption isn’t sustainable. Will fuel cells be the primary energy source of tomorrow? Humans have always needed energy. Throughout history, humans have developed various systems to produce this energy. Just as…

Realizing Ideals

30 April 2015 | The Fountain | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Question: In a society where disorder is rampant and a war of values is taking place, how can balance be established between reality and ideals? What are the characteristics of those who can achieve this balance? It is a fact that our social values have been turned upside down. It is very difficul…

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