Before this class, I thought about several things differently than I do now. I’m not saying that it fatally changed my mind about certain things; rather, it just strengthened or even helped me articulate my thoughts. It is difficult to say exactly what I learned in this class because this knowledge can’t be formulated simply but rather is a kind of way of thinking about the world and things around us. First, I would like to highlight the group work at the end of the lessons, as this was typical of all classes. It was helpful to talk to other Erasmus students in a team. Even though I knew most of them by sight, it was still this class that gave me the opportunity to start a conversation with them. The effect of the lesson was a bit like an Erasmus event, as it was also held to get to know each other. Here, however, we left unnecessary and embarrassing chit chat and immediately started talking about a more serious topic. Thus, we easily got to know each other’s thoughts. The other defining aspect of this is that after each lesson we wrote a reflection on our own experiences, feelings, and thoughts. This is useful for everyone, as it helps students formulate and summarize a multitude of tangled thoughts; the professor receives feedback every week; he can get to know the thoughts of the students better one by one; and the rest of us can also get to know the other person’s thoughts better through blog posts. Most of the other psychology classes I attended were mostly the same as those in other departments. They were obviously interesting, but just like any theory class in any other field. This lesson was much more special than these. Overall, we shouldn’t even be highlighting this, because every class in every school grade should be in this format. Groupwork brings the members of the group together, and the reflection brings the students closer to the teacher.

Thanks to the lesson, I also got closer to a better understanding of how nature works. While until now I preferred to separate nature from humanity, it is now clear that the same system works in both. Man tends to forget this and take the workings of nature for granted, since it is incomprehensible that he is capable of such a level of self-renewal. I don’t know if humanity thought this at the beginning, but I’m sure nature’s ruggedness surprised the world, and perhaps even itself. Perhaps therefore man cannot stop his destruction, for we see that the end will never come because it has never happened before. However, we completely forget about the high level of symbiosis we have with nature.

I used to separate humanity from nature in my head for a different reason. For me, nature is a unit that constantly gives and cares, while man is an exploitative way of being. I don’t know exactly how it could have turned out differently, since man naturally wants to dominate. There is also a hierarchy in the order of nature. I am interested to know when the moment came when we could no longer reverse the exploitation of nature. Of course, we only see this as so fatal now, but nature has always been used by man in the hope of survival; the only question is to what extent he has done so. It is also possible that we are now able to do it at this level because we already have the means to do so. Or maybe the ancient man would have respected nature more?

Now I know for sure that man is an inseparable part of nature, no matter how damaging it is now. We’ve changed nature just like wolves, just in a much more damaging way. However, nature is trying to adapt to us. Perhaps the main difference is that he had time for it a long time ago, but today we are not leaving enough space for it, unable to keep up with this level of destruction. An interesting parallel is that while we are constantly evolving technologically and heading forward, we are also constantly destroying the world around us. Why could this be the case? Would technology really destroy nature? I think technology could save it, but man doesn’t want that. Technology is equally a tool of man. We are afraid that a more advanced intelligence will turn against us and take control of us. We are afraid that nature will soon give up the fight and that unpredictable consequences will come upon us. We are afraid that the world will go to war again and that many people will lose their lives. But we are still not afraid of ourselves, even though we control them all. A person likes to take responsibility for his actions as long as it is convenient for him. I don’t know if these traits evolved because we struggled with our self-consciousness at the top of the food chain, or if these were already in us anyway. Is it in all other living things, or are we just too human for them? But is that really what it means to be human? It’s interesting that we start to be afraid of a robot after it shows emotions. On this principle, therefore, emotions will eventually manifest themselves in a rather negative form. If something feels like it, we take it as automatic that he would rebel against us because he doesn’t want to be in our service. Man treats self-awareness and emotions as the pinnacle of intelligence, but we forget that man is also at the service of man. So why are we so afraid to share with robots? Why is everything good for us only if it is at our disposal? Why don’t we consider the possibility that we can only get to know ourselves even better through the robot we have created? This also raises the question of whether we would like to know ourselves at all. There’s so much around us that we focus on; we explore, but we still like to overshadow our own knowledge. Perhaps it would be too depressing, with too many of our bad qualities? Knowing the world around us helps us to know ourselves. Moreover, nature perfectly reflects humanity. The state of nature not only indicates that there is a problem with it, but it also indicates that there is a problem with humanity. The one who can get really close to nature and her problems is the one who does not shy away from himself or his own problems. It is not for nothing that we refer to both nature and human nature in the same way. Man, like all other races in this world, can only truly be touched by himself. And, while this works for other living things, it has only recently given birth to human distances. I am not afraid of species that will exterminate us humans; I think man is the only living being responsible for himself and the other species on this earth. However, this is not only a blessing but also a task that we easily forget. Therefore, whoever destroys humanity one day will be man himself. My thought is greatly supported by the fact that we have already imagined every possible destiny, but we are still not truly terrified of ourselves and our lack of personal responsibility. But if we were honest with ourselves, they would notice that it was the most terrifying. While we may know this deep down, subconsciously we all know it, and it’s just a defensive effort to try to mask it so that we can live a life.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you for talking to each other about such topics and for getting us to summarize our own thoughts on the topic every week. It was almost like writing a diary again. Maybe I should start over. The clock makes me feel much closer to nature, which is probably where I see the biggest change compared to myself a few months ago. I feel like I’m finally part of this cycle and symbiosis that I live in, and it makes me feel good. From now on, I will appreciate every little movement and change much more. I’m not sure how much Athens changed since I moved here; probably nothing. However, Athens has caused huge changes in me. But that’s probably the case with most places in the world. However, after this class, I would like to leave a trace. not something that doesn’t fit into your natural surroundings. It’s not something that requires my name or face because, in this context, it’s irrelevant because it’s not the individual that matters. A person often forgets when returning that he is not making a point there. Perhaps the purest form of altruism is anonymity, and the fact that we frequently don’t even realize we’re doing something good for others. Perhaps true altruism is when we do not even know for sure that our good deeds are coming to an end, because then we cannot console ourselves that we have already done something good that day, so our conscience can be calmed. Anyway, are conscience and shame personality traits? Or is it a matter of upbringing?

It’s already fascinating to see what thoughts reflection arouses in me and where my thoughts go next. But I also know that this summary, this final essay, would take a completely different direction if I had written it yesterday or if I wrote it tomorrow. We have no idea how significantly our thoughts are shaped by what we have been thinking about in recent days, what has surrounded us, or what influences have befallen us. It’s exciting to consider why and get to know myself better. It’s exciting to read back to old reflections, through which I reflect not only on class but also on myself. Through it, I can recall and feel again a version of my older self, as well as see differences and my own development. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so at such an important and significant stage in your life. If I had to sum up in one word what this class has given me, I would say questions. By not giving me an existing answer, he led me to think about what I don’t do on my own because I find it too uncomfortable. Thank you for the questions and theories, and for making it easier for me to understand what is in my mind. This class was an initial cooking lesson for me. He made me try my hand at it and showed me a possible version of it. However, he also stressed that this is not the only way to the result. He started me on the road and then let me keep doing it with my own tools and ingredients. I’ve got a new, exciting spice that I can now add to any situation, because cooking works just like life. It takes practice, experience, and enjoyment to make the result really tasty.

We arrived here, the last time had come. In the end of every course, our conclusion was the connection of everything so crossword is a perfect metaphor for system theory, for the whole world and for human mind too. Crossword seems simple and maybe too easy at the first time, but it is its strength. We can concentrate to the game with two different approach. The first one is how gamer try to solve it, the procedure which is mainly similar with our perception of the life, or our personality. At the beginning all rubrics are empty, this is the hardest part of it, but if you start it and write the letters in the right place the next word will be easier, because you know a few letters from the common cube. It is important to choose an appropriate level one to get the feeling of success. Sure, if it is too hard for us, we can ask help or can give up the game. How we became older, hopefully we can choose harder and harder complexity version of the game. The second form of interpretation is the system and the meaning of the game. Crossword shows us that the fact we know how to make a meatball means we partly know how to make a cevapcici also. Crossword builds on our intelligence and our prior knowledge because without these we couldn’t see through the system. The system around us, what we can illustrate with an imagined crossword, which would have the same aspects like mutual influence and interaction. After this I can’t look at a food without seeing its system and crossword. 

The peak of the course was this gorgeous video about a graphic robot who serve us. I imagined what would be if it happened in my apartment. Firstly it seems enticing, somebody will always do my to-dos at home, but sure, what happened in the video, at the end the situation get strange. Naturally, every person in the world would like somebody who deeply knows us. But is this what we really need? Yes, if we see the objective and rational side of the situation it can be useful. Our other half knows better what we really want, can read in our mind and feel our vibration. On the other hand, when somebody says the same in an argument, it will frustrate us. Can we know each other that deeply like ourselves? Or can we know ourselves at all? I mean, most people talk more with others than themselves. So, if we don’t know ourselves, can a robot know us? Will a robot understand what I want to choose, what I wish or what is in my mind? My answer is yes, they can figure out what is in our head, but only with the help of the algorithm. Because to them we are just only numbers and that is the most important difference. In this space we always are statistics and data. But if the world changes that way, and the salt of life will also include a robot I hope I can turn off the ‘I know you’ button. 

My first thought after watching the film was that every teacher should ask their students to watch it. I know that system theory is the main topic of our course, but I think the movie will be useful for everybody. When we were watching it, I stopped the movie and asked a question of my girlfriend: “Both of us attend humanity studies, why didn’t we meet with that one?” I mean yes, it is an early-90s movie, and many aspects get changed during the next 30 years, but the main problems almost stay in their places. We found some solutions, but the changes come in little steps, instead of solving the problems. And my fear is the same, just like in my earlier reflection with the robots. We don’t realize that the fault is inside us. What will be the point when important people also understand it? I’m afraid this will be too late. The idea was born decades ago, but we don’t see how we can keep up with it. But one movie can’t bring the solution for every issue. So I would say every person should find a conversation like that one. Mindwalk should be as well-known and cultlike as Twelve Angry Men. Or maybe it is, I just didn’t know that earlier. So the only main thing I want to say in the end is thank you. Mindwalk is the movie I will never forget. I enjoyed it for its meaning, not because of the interior.

AI let me think about the ingredients of our lives. What do you think, AI should have such a main role in human life? Would AI be the salt, or maybe the pepper in our grey, casual days? I don’t think so. Indeed, AI scares me a lot, but not because it is robotic. I never want to imagine a world with significant part of robots, but it seems to me, this was the beginning of that kind of future. I saw many memes making jokes about how AI will steal our jobs. Firstly it’s can be entertaining, but behind the jokes we always can find some part of truth. In a theoretical, perfect future people wouldn’t stand at another person’s service. I think robots will do these works, because humanity always have to force somebody or something to serve themselves. Those people, who are at the bottom of the hierarchy do that kind of work right now. So I think that in the far future robots could help destroy poverty and inequality. Okay, yes, it is really theoretical and optimistic, maybe they can only contribute in this way. In my reality if people really would like to terminate bad things, we would have done already. But humanity doesn’t want to do this because it isn’t worth it for us. It is only worth it for sufferers. This will be the same with the robots as well. We always want to be the strongest, we are insatiable. If we feel that robots are better than us, we would like to become something like them. The problem isn’t the robots themselves, the main problem is that we created them. Everything from what we are afraid are inside of us. 

The last course made me think about the system of the chaos itself. What is chaos? Sure, it is a greek word, and the meaning of this sentence is space, gap, formless matter. In the greek mythology the chaos was the first thing and the world was created from it. The chaos who create the order. I think these two wouldn’t exist without the other. 

People also wouldn’t really exist without this pair of opponents. We need the order, this is in our senses, our instruct. We can start something with chaos, but we will end it with order. Just like in these physical experiment videos. The nature and the human nature strives for it also. But this a circle in the same time. Just like the snake who bites in its own tail, the meaning of the Ying and the Yang. The chaos always cause order, but the order can cause chaos again. Because they don’t exist only in themselves, but they exist in each other as well. 

For sure, recipes are excellent examples again. They are strict, we just have to follow the measure, the instructions and the ingredients. Some people can find the peace in this contract, but others find it boring or too straight. Sometimes if you don’t follow the recipe, you will fail, but in the other case, maybe you will create a way more complex, intense and unique thing than never before. The key is the method. You have to know the order to cross over it, and you need the chaos to be in calm after it. 

I am tired and I am freezing a little bit. To be honest, I didn’t think that 15°C can be this cold, when I was just sitting in the beach one month ago. But yes, the context is important. Anyway, this time the course make me think about the humanity. We see everywhere the destruction of the planet, but we don’t really want to believe, the main reason of these disintegrations are us. We can watch videos about this beautiful ecosystems, we can use less plastic product, and also we can shrink our ecological footprint. But can we ask the question from ourselves: does the planet need us? Is this a real symbiosis? This world already existed before us, the sun rose in the East and set in the West, the birds were singing and the trees photosynthesized.
I really want to believe that our existence isn’t just accidentally. The same ecosystem created us, just like those things which we are destroying. Maybe we have grown too big, we have became too advanced and the nature lost control over us. Why do we want to continue? Are we too narcissistic to admit the truth? The truth what is actually really clear. We are wolves. We change the ecosystem, no matter where we are. But these changes don’t have a good effect for the planet many decades ago. We have to accept, the nature is always fighting, and it will win that battle. But we know the recipe of the peaceful coexistence, we have to let nature role the kitchen, not us. 

First of all, for me this 2 hours are the most perfect deduction of the uni week. I hope that my classmates feel that way also because in the first case, yes, it is a psychology class, where we are playing, sharing our personal informations and having fun, but it is so much more than these. What we get here will accompany us, not to the end of the class, not to the end of the week, these will built into us. 

When we glanced to the projector, and saw that the pins of the world map wasn’t just in Europe was surprising. We think that we can imagine how the things are going in somewhere else, but we can realize easily we know about mostly nothing about others. In this class we really have the opportunity to know each other, because in the other courses we are just sitting next to each other, we talk with people we know, maybe make some small talk but nothing more. We are Erasmus students, so sure we are try to be open-minded and want to get know strangers, but in here we get some polite push to get out of our comfort zone. Inside people there are many inhibition, especially when we would like to start a conversation, but we don’t know how. The Professor knows our inhibitions, and he uses and plays these in a good way. I feel that this course exists because of us, and not vice versa. 

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