Beşir Fuat is a standalone work written by Ahmet Mithat Efendi, addressing the life, intellectual legacy, and tragic end of Beşir Fuat (1852-1887), a significant figure in Turkish intellectual and literary history. Published by Dergâh Publications, this book serves as a fundamental reference in academic literature for its modern account of Beşir Fuat’s materialist ideas, his relationship with the intellectual environment of his time, and the reasons behind his suicide. Edited by Bahar Dervişcemaloğlu, the first edition was published in 2014, and the third edition was released in January 2023.

Content and Thematic Structure

The work contains Ahmet Mithat Efendi’s personal observations and assessments of Beşir Fuat’s ideas, stemming from their close friendship. The book details Beşir Fuat’s philosophical stance, particularly his efforts to introduce and disseminate Western-derived intellectual currents such as materialism, positivism, and naturalism within the Ottoman intellectual sphere. Beşir Fuat challenged the traditional literary and intellectual understanding of his time by emphasizing the supremacy of science and reason, advocating for realist and naturalist approaches. In this work, Ahmet Mithat Efendi presents the reader with Beşir Fuat’s extensive knowledge in literature, medicine, philosophy, and science, as well as his synthetic approach to different disciplines.

Intellectual Analysis and Tragic End

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the events surrounding Beşir Fuat’s suicide and the psychological and philosophical reasons behind this act. By analyzing Beşir Fuat’s suicide letters and the intellectual depth contained within them, Ahmet Mithat Efendi reflects on his friend’s internal conflicts and the social pressures faced by intellectuals of the era. In this context, the repercussions of Beşir Fuat’s materialist views within society and the isolation he experienced while defending these ideas are among the main themes of the work. Ahmet Mithat Efendi suggests that the suicide should be regarded not merely as an individual tragedy but as a case study demonstrating the psychological state of the intellectuals of the period and the reception of Western thought within Ottoman society.

Author's Position and Significance of the Work

Beşir Fuat is more than a biography; it is a vital primary source for understanding the materialist and scientific tendencies of early Turkish modernization thought. This work is an indispensable text for comprehending both the person of Beşir Fuat and the intellectual atmosphere he inhabited, maintaining its place in Turkish intellectual and literary history. This study, authored by Ahmet Mithat Efendi, compellingly reveals the identity crises, intellectual impasses, and the pains of modernization experienced by 19th-century Ottoman intellectuals during the Westernization process.