Goran Vranešević | University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts (original) (raw)
Papers by Goran Vranešević
Rivista di Estetica, 2024
The article deals with Hegel’s distinctive conceptualization of language, which takes a speculati... more The article deals with Hegel’s distinctive conceptualization of language, which takes a speculative form. Not only does language play a crucial role in understanding Hegel’s speculative philosophy, but it also provides a novel way of understanding the inner mechanics of thought formation and explication. While language does fulfil a common communicative purpose for Hegel, this is but of minor importance; Hegel rather emphasized the everyday use of language in all its speculative splendour. There is namely an ambiguity present in some of the most ordinary words, which often carry not just different meanings but opposite ones. This is not an error or imprecision in need of correction, but a constitutive feature of the speculative spirit of language. Moreover, this notable characteristic is closely linked to Hegel's insight that thoughts are first and foremost expressed through the medium of language.
Journal for the psychoanalysis of culture & society/Journal for the psychoanalysis of culture and society, Apr 22, 2024
Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society, 2024
The article seeks to delineate the often misunderstood idea of speculation that has conceptually ... more The article seeks to delineate the often misunderstood idea of speculation that has conceptually been converted from an epitome of pure thought into an economic category of profitability and self-interest. But to define speculation already means to pose a problem. In Augustine speculation designates the mutual relationship between reflection and the mirrored appearance of God's gaze. This dictates an unattainable task of catching God's gaze, which is more inward than my innermost self and which models our thoughts accordingly. Such extimate activity as defined by Lacan is the formal condition for the construction of visibility and is inscribed into contemplation. The article postulates that this fundamental discrepancy was also the foundation upon which Hegel carved a positive determination of thought.
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel, 2024
The chapter attempts to conceptually dissect the conditions of possibility for the idea of the go... more The chapter attempts to conceptually dissect the conditions of possibility for the idea of the good as introduced by Hegel in his Outline of a Philosophy of Right. We must certainly not overlook that there are very convincing studies on the systemic place occupied by the idea of the good as it is featured in Science of Logic, but while taking this into account, our analysis will focus on the conditions produced by the notion of the good in the framework of Hegel’s practical philosophy. This is expressed in “the practical activity of the idea”, or more precisely described as “the drive of the good to bring itself about” (TWA 10, § 225/Hegel 2010b, 291). There are readings that take into account Hegel’s other political stage where politics and religion work hand in hand; however, that is not the intention of the chapter. The idea of the good is the pivotal concept by which Hegel strives to grasp our social world, explicating that which the social protagonists already know, but he uses the scientific method to render it in the least distorted possible form. The idea of the good is an idea that cannot be predicted or calculated in terms that are preconditioned by the world, as that idea actually preconditions the world. It is in this light that the idea of the good should also be understood as it appears in Hegel’s Outline of a Philosophy of Right, namely as “the absolute end of the world”.
Religionsphilosophie in und nach der Klassischen Deutschen Philosophie, 2024
The paper highlights some basic features of faith and reason in Jacobi's thought in order to unde... more The paper highlights some basic features of faith and reason in Jacobi's thought in order to understand the limits that arise from the merely speculative conception of man . In this context, previous and current debates as well as common prejudices regarding his philosophy of faith should not be ignored, as they profoundly shape the image of his "unphilosophical obstinacy". In the case of Jacobi in particular, a clarification of the controversies surrounding him and his philosophy seems indispensable, as he was always involved in the debates of idealism as a kind of dark other side. In this respect, we will focus primarily on the status of reason and its relationship to sensuality.
Problemi International, 2024
The article re-examines the relationship of power and subordination that Hegel brought to the for... more The article re-examines the relationship of power and subordination that Hegel brought to the fore in the figures of master and slave. Rather than following the standard practice of analyzing their struggle for recognition of self-consciousness, we will focus on the role of feelings in their face-to-face confrontation. At this moment their only recourse is their sense of self. They are immersed in the being of life, in self-feeling, which is why the feeling of fear for their lives shakes their self-consciousness to the core. However, one of them, who later becomes the master, vehemently disregards these feelings, while the other, the slave, is obliged to carry the burden for both of them. In this context, we will conceptualize the often neglected feelings as an essential part of Hegel's thought, but also contribute to the understanding of the contemporary master, who, in contrast to the traditional one, often wants to be recognized as having feelings.
Filozofska istraživanja
U radu se izlaže formalni vidik obrazovnog procesa, koji suvremena pedagoška ideologija strukturn... more U radu se izlaže formalni vidik obrazovnog procesa, koji suvremena pedagoška ideologija strukturno ne uzima u obzir. Pedagogija je kao trud za ostvarenje specifičnih ciljeva, kroz svoju formaciju, postala konstitutivna srž društvene realnosti. Na isti način na koji smo nesvjesno upleteni u ideološku realnost putem zajedničkih društvenih praksi, tako ostajemo slijepi i za formalni vidik savjesnih obrazovnih djelatnosti, bez obzira na njihovu aktualnost. Dok se trudimo razumom uspostaviti red, logiku i smisao, istovremeno ostvarujemo um koji ne rezultira odgovarajućim poznavanjem sadržaja, nego onime, što spoznajni subjekt ne zna. Um izniče kroz spoznavanje neuspješnog traganja za znanjem i istinom, pri čemu je formalni vidik pedagogije – upravo odraz tog neuspjeha. Zato istinska samorefleksija ne može biti ni ishodište, a ni cilj, nego se može ostvariti samo usputno – u procesu formiranja pojedinca. Tako se Hegelov doprinos pedagogiji ne ogledava u tome što nastupa kao nositelj istin...
Metodički ogledi, 2020
U članku se ističe uloga vlasništva u uspostavljanju slobodne volje. Ljudska sloboda obično se sh... more U članku se ističe uloga vlasništva u uspostavljanju slobodne volje. Ljudska sloboda obično se shvaća kao sposobnost pojedinca za proizvoljno donošenje odluka. Iako se čini da se radi o svjesnim akcijama, akcijama u kojima smo najbliže sebi, ipak nismo svjesni uzroka kojim se utvrđuju ove akcije. Ipak, umjesto da izgladimo vrijednosnu podjelu između slobode i nužnosti, naš je cilj objasniti kako je logika slobode imanentno vezana za nužnost izlaska izvan sebe. Hegel nije prvi koji je pokazao tu logiku, ali bio je najdosljedniji u iznošenju ideje slobode kao postajanje drugim. Za njega, biti slobodnom osobom, subjektom, znači eksternalizirati našu volju u neovisne vanjske stvari i time steći vlasništvo nad njima. Sloboda, dakle, nije individualna kvaliteta, već društveni princip, jer vlasnička prava mogu postojati samo u intersubjektivnim odnosima. U tom kontekstu, postavlja se pitanje: kako je u okolnostima gdje je subjektivnost proizvod vlasništva i dalje moguće stvoriti nešto iz n...
This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regar... more This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regarding the role that contradiction plays in cultivating emancipatory praxis; a curiously novel endeavor, which is to be considered an offspring of the German idealistic tradition, having Hegel as its procreator. Here, my intention is not to indicate an inherent problem with this premise, but to think through an impasse that is embedded in the bowels of dialectical thinking. While McGowan is adamantly advocating contradiction in the name of emancipation, there is an imposing realm left untouched if abridged to just this. As a (ontological) deadlock, emancipation has to be thought as immanently tied to language, which is in Hegel's mind the purest speculative form. Furthermore, in contrast to the contemporary use of speculation as a financial practice, Hegel regards the commitment to a speculative spirit as thinking in the terms of a life worth less than meaning. It is at this conjun...
The Language of Touch, 2019
A Touch of Doubt
There is am yriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiarn ature of scepticism, all worthyofat... more There is am yriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiarn ature of scepticism, all worthyofathorough commentary.However,itisbynomeansclear whether asceptical endeavour is even suited to perform ad elicate gesture needed to grasp af irm essence, consideringt hat the sole positive assurance preservings uch an endeavour is constant doubt.I nt he context of psychopathology, such ad rive would undoubtedlyb ea ssessed as an addiction to doubt(Zweifelsüchtigkeit). This text willi nstead propose adifferent route: aHegelian one, aquestioning of the use of languagewhen appropriatingelements of knowledge.Thismight be aworthyaim, as the role of languagei so ften disregarded when striving for certitude. Contrary to common usage, languages hould not be considered as am edium of adequation, precipitatinga bond between thingsa nd words, but as ap laceholder of contradiction (Widerspruch); speaking against itself through the medium of the nonsensical sound of words. Or,t op ut it more plainly, the task of languagei sn ot to offer the right words for the right things, but to arrangeappropriate junctures between words themselves. Accordingly, the object of analysis must primarilybeknowledge itself, while it is onlyonits heels that it is possibletodiscern the contours of language. Knowledge is not an explication of fundamental truths, as Aristotle argued, or an adequate articulation of at hing that one ponders about,not even the notion of wise ignorance, but ap roduct of workingo no neself and grasping such an errand.H egel acknowledgedt his when he claimed, "What is familiar and well known (Das Bekannte)a s such is not really known for the very reason that it is familiar and wellk nown";¹ that is, there is an uanced argument to be made regardingk nowledge that usually favours the idea accordingt ow hich knowledge ensures the path to truth, or at least certitude. However,i ti sskepsis,aretraction of truth, thate nables knowledge to establish its footing through its otherness, through its negative facet,t hrough its differencei ni tself. Meeting the other of oneself in oneself, however,i sm ore appropriatelye xpressed as ap roposition that meetsi tself in separation from itself. And this rather speculative portrait of skepsis-an interjection of negativity/failuret hat causes as eparation within statements and produces positive knowledge-is exemplarilyp resented through as imple gesture of touch induced by homophony: ap air of words that sound the same, but have ad ifferent spelling.P rocuringacommon bond for "Kant,"" count," and even "cunt" might seem unfathomable were it not for ac hance coincidencei nt heir enunciation. By capturingd ifferent morphemes in as ingle sound, homophones literallye nable disparate words to touche ach
A Touch of Doubt: On Haptic Scepticism, 2021
There is a myriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiar nature of scepticism, all worthy of ... more There is a myriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiar nature of scepticism, all worthy of a thorough commentary. However, it is by no means clear whether a sceptical endeavour is even suited to perform a delicate gesture needed to grasp a firm essence, considering that the sole positive assurance preserving such an endeavour is constant doubt. In the context of psychopathology, such a drive would undoubtedly be assessed as an addiction to doubt. The text instead proposes a different route: a Hegelian one, a questioning of the use of language when appropriating elements of knowledge. This might be a worthy aim, as the role of language is often disregarded when striving for certitude. Contrary to common usage, language should not be considered as a medium of adequation, precipitating a bond between things and words, but as a placeholder of contradiction; speaking against itself through the medium of the nonsensical sound of words. The task of language is not to offer the right words for the right things, but to arrange appropriate junctures between words themselves. Accordingly, the object of analysis must primarily be knowledge itself, while it is only on its heels that it is possible to discern the contours of language.
Psychoanalysis and the Unrepresentable: from Culture to the Clinic, 2016
If we are content with simple beginnings, this chapter could be summarized with the question: why... more If we are content with simple beginnings, this chapter could be summarized with the question: why are people inclined to point with their finger? It seems a marginal topic where we could easily be content with a simple description of external features (movement of hand, outstretched finger) and/or inner motivations. However, the gesture of pointing is also pervaded by a certain discrepancy, where it seems that the above question doesn’t sufficiently articulate the problem. The intended meaning of pointing is framed by the overlapping of language and body. It could be interpreted as neither one nor the other, but something that emerges in the junction of both, in the movement from one to the other. The focus will therefore lie in establishing an overview of this peculiar habit and in unravelling its basic characteristics through Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theory.
S: Journal of the Circle for Lacanian Ideology Critique, 2018
The article undertakes an analysis of the phenomenon of dreaming through the framework of Lacania... more The article undertakes an analysis of the phenomenon of dreaming through the framework of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, but drawing on the arguments offered by Hegel and Kant. The remembrance of Hume interrupted Kant's dogmatic slumber, and inaugurated the period of reinvigorated speculative philosophy which would come to define the modern era. If we initially omit the scope of implications that followed, it seems that a simple dream of a philosophical figure was enough to form a new mode of thinking. However, Kant didn't propose a grandiose undertaking of renewing the human spirit, as he argued in the context of the Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, where he merely questioned the premise of the possibility of pure sciences. He based his reflections on an essentially theological assertion that men of his time are reconciled with belief that the established mode of knowing is undoubtedly true: the dogmatic presumption being that it is possible to make progress in pure knowledge by strictly following the realization of concepts without first putting forth a critique of reason itself. at least in the formal sense, Kant articulated a contrasting framework which rested on the exposition of conditions of possibility of knowledge or appearance. Yet interestingly the path that led him there seemed to be knitted out of material made of dreams. Where do the conditions of knowledge then meet with dreams? Such a premise can lead us to hypothesize that Kant dreamt of certain speculations on Hume, which led him to articulate an unconscious desire
Teorija in Praksa, 2014
This article analyzes the general characteristic of once exceptionally popular genre of adventure... more This article analyzes the general characteristic of once exceptionally popular genre of adventure video games, which reached its peak with the famous pirate series Monkey Island. Although there have been various attempts to revive it, it is inevitably situated among the relics of history. The reason could be traced to a variety of developmental, economic and conceptual features, but in the final instance it was its own structure that led to its downfall or death. Since its formation, the adventure genre was namely imbued with an unabolishable contradiction, which certainly situates it alongside psychoanalytic practice. It was simultaneously striving for something too much and too little. The adventure games are on the one hand based on the assumption that all the in-game possibilities are prearranged , so that the player is only left to acknowledge and approve the already adopted path. But on the other, the genre thrived on experimenting with the game mechanism, where the contingent acts of pointing retroactively undermined the necessity of such preconditioned actions. The article is accordingly based on the premise that the ensuing inference doesn't solely indicate a specific feature of this genre, but also highlights the peculiarity of human existence as such.
CONTINENTAL THOUGHT & THEORY: A JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, 2019
This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regar... more This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regarding the role that contradiction plays in cultivating emancipatory praxis; a curiously novel endeavor, which is to be considered an offspring of the German idealistic tradition, having Hegel as its procreator. Here, my intention is not to indicate an inherent problem with this premise, but to think through an impasse that is embedded in the bowels of dialectical thinking. While McGowan is adamantly advocating contradiction in the name of emancipation, there is an imposing realm left untouched if abridged to just this. As a (ontological) deadlock, emancipation has to be thought as immanently tied to language, which is in Hegel's mind the purest speculative form. Furthermore, in contrast to the contemporary use of speculation as a financial practice, Hegel regards the commitment to a speculative spirit as thinking in the terms of a life worth less than meaning. It is at this conjuncture that I, on one hand, accordingly aim to broaden the debate on emancipation through an unfolding of the framework of contradiction itself, and on the other, to distill the process according to which language is able to form thoughts from empty words.
Conference Presentations by Goran Vranešević
The Idea of Good in Kant and Hegel, 2022
Hegel understands the highest and sole drive as the movement of the concept itself, which “finds ... more Hegel understands the highest and sole drive as the movement of the concept itself, which “finds and recognizes itself through itself in all things”. That's why it has its place at the very beginning, as a kind of impulse to start moving things out of the simple determination of thinking and it goes on from there. This first universality has the meaning of being, which is however so poor that not much fuss ought to be made about it. There seems to be much ado about nothing, but this "unanalysable" beginning is supposed to accompany the realisation of reason until it coincides with itself in the absolute end of the objective spirit or the idea of the good. Since the good enters into actuality only through the mediation of the subjective will and is "only in and through thinking", the question remains open as to how the good, which functions as the core of our essence, is determined if the subject in doing so arbitrarily handles the principle of positing: is the good of the world therefore constantly being realised, or does arbitrariness testify to the fact that this world is possible, but that the moment for it has not yet arrived?
Suspending Touch: Haptic Skepticism for Life During a Pandemic, 2021
The presentation does not conceive haptic dogmatism in opposition to haptic skepticism, for tacti... more The presentation does not conceive haptic dogmatism in opposition to haptic skepticism, for tactility can be produced precisely by insisting on the dogmatic embedded beliefs, until its contradictions come to the fore. The articulation of this contradiction or antagonism is what roughly forms and represents touch. Not the touch of another outside of oneself, but the touch and thus the difference to oneself.
Books by Goran Vranešević
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel, 2024
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel is the first book to provide a comprehensive treatment of... more The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel is the first book to provide a comprehensive treatment of the good as a central concept in classical German philosophy, while at the same time opening up areas of interest that have not traditionally been associated with this subject. The contributors to this volume, eminent scholars in fields related to the topic, engage with current debates on Hegel, Kant, morality, and the fundamental status of the good. They offer a systematic introduction to the philosophical implications of the concept of the good, but more importantly, they expand the horizon of possible interpretations and encourage critical reflection.
Rivista di Estetica, 2024
The article deals with Hegel’s distinctive conceptualization of language, which takes a speculati... more The article deals with Hegel’s distinctive conceptualization of language, which takes a speculative form. Not only does language play a crucial role in understanding Hegel’s speculative philosophy, but it also provides a novel way of understanding the inner mechanics of thought formation and explication. While language does fulfil a common communicative purpose for Hegel, this is but of minor importance; Hegel rather emphasized the everyday use of language in all its speculative splendour. There is namely an ambiguity present in some of the most ordinary words, which often carry not just different meanings but opposite ones. This is not an error or imprecision in need of correction, but a constitutive feature of the speculative spirit of language. Moreover, this notable characteristic is closely linked to Hegel's insight that thoughts are first and foremost expressed through the medium of language.
Journal for the psychoanalysis of culture & society/Journal for the psychoanalysis of culture and society, Apr 22, 2024
Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society, 2024
The article seeks to delineate the often misunderstood idea of speculation that has conceptually ... more The article seeks to delineate the often misunderstood idea of speculation that has conceptually been converted from an epitome of pure thought into an economic category of profitability and self-interest. But to define speculation already means to pose a problem. In Augustine speculation designates the mutual relationship between reflection and the mirrored appearance of God's gaze. This dictates an unattainable task of catching God's gaze, which is more inward than my innermost self and which models our thoughts accordingly. Such extimate activity as defined by Lacan is the formal condition for the construction of visibility and is inscribed into contemplation. The article postulates that this fundamental discrepancy was also the foundation upon which Hegel carved a positive determination of thought.
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel, 2024
The chapter attempts to conceptually dissect the conditions of possibility for the idea of the go... more The chapter attempts to conceptually dissect the conditions of possibility for the idea of the good as introduced by Hegel in his Outline of a Philosophy of Right. We must certainly not overlook that there are very convincing studies on the systemic place occupied by the idea of the good as it is featured in Science of Logic, but while taking this into account, our analysis will focus on the conditions produced by the notion of the good in the framework of Hegel’s practical philosophy. This is expressed in “the practical activity of the idea”, or more precisely described as “the drive of the good to bring itself about” (TWA 10, § 225/Hegel 2010b, 291). There are readings that take into account Hegel’s other political stage where politics and religion work hand in hand; however, that is not the intention of the chapter. The idea of the good is the pivotal concept by which Hegel strives to grasp our social world, explicating that which the social protagonists already know, but he uses the scientific method to render it in the least distorted possible form. The idea of the good is an idea that cannot be predicted or calculated in terms that are preconditioned by the world, as that idea actually preconditions the world. It is in this light that the idea of the good should also be understood as it appears in Hegel’s Outline of a Philosophy of Right, namely as “the absolute end of the world”.
Religionsphilosophie in und nach der Klassischen Deutschen Philosophie, 2024
The paper highlights some basic features of faith and reason in Jacobi's thought in order to unde... more The paper highlights some basic features of faith and reason in Jacobi's thought in order to understand the limits that arise from the merely speculative conception of man . In this context, previous and current debates as well as common prejudices regarding his philosophy of faith should not be ignored, as they profoundly shape the image of his "unphilosophical obstinacy". In the case of Jacobi in particular, a clarification of the controversies surrounding him and his philosophy seems indispensable, as he was always involved in the debates of idealism as a kind of dark other side. In this respect, we will focus primarily on the status of reason and its relationship to sensuality.
Problemi International, 2024
The article re-examines the relationship of power and subordination that Hegel brought to the for... more The article re-examines the relationship of power and subordination that Hegel brought to the fore in the figures of master and slave. Rather than following the standard practice of analyzing their struggle for recognition of self-consciousness, we will focus on the role of feelings in their face-to-face confrontation. At this moment their only recourse is their sense of self. They are immersed in the being of life, in self-feeling, which is why the feeling of fear for their lives shakes their self-consciousness to the core. However, one of them, who later becomes the master, vehemently disregards these feelings, while the other, the slave, is obliged to carry the burden for both of them. In this context, we will conceptualize the often neglected feelings as an essential part of Hegel's thought, but also contribute to the understanding of the contemporary master, who, in contrast to the traditional one, often wants to be recognized as having feelings.
Filozofska istraživanja
U radu se izlaže formalni vidik obrazovnog procesa, koji suvremena pedagoška ideologija strukturn... more U radu se izlaže formalni vidik obrazovnog procesa, koji suvremena pedagoška ideologija strukturno ne uzima u obzir. Pedagogija je kao trud za ostvarenje specifičnih ciljeva, kroz svoju formaciju, postala konstitutivna srž društvene realnosti. Na isti način na koji smo nesvjesno upleteni u ideološku realnost putem zajedničkih društvenih praksi, tako ostajemo slijepi i za formalni vidik savjesnih obrazovnih djelatnosti, bez obzira na njihovu aktualnost. Dok se trudimo razumom uspostaviti red, logiku i smisao, istovremeno ostvarujemo um koji ne rezultira odgovarajućim poznavanjem sadržaja, nego onime, što spoznajni subjekt ne zna. Um izniče kroz spoznavanje neuspješnog traganja za znanjem i istinom, pri čemu je formalni vidik pedagogije – upravo odraz tog neuspjeha. Zato istinska samorefleksija ne može biti ni ishodište, a ni cilj, nego se može ostvariti samo usputno – u procesu formiranja pojedinca. Tako se Hegelov doprinos pedagogiji ne ogledava u tome što nastupa kao nositelj istin...
Metodički ogledi, 2020
U članku se ističe uloga vlasništva u uspostavljanju slobodne volje. Ljudska sloboda obično se sh... more U članku se ističe uloga vlasništva u uspostavljanju slobodne volje. Ljudska sloboda obično se shvaća kao sposobnost pojedinca za proizvoljno donošenje odluka. Iako se čini da se radi o svjesnim akcijama, akcijama u kojima smo najbliže sebi, ipak nismo svjesni uzroka kojim se utvrđuju ove akcije. Ipak, umjesto da izgladimo vrijednosnu podjelu između slobode i nužnosti, naš je cilj objasniti kako je logika slobode imanentno vezana za nužnost izlaska izvan sebe. Hegel nije prvi koji je pokazao tu logiku, ali bio je najdosljedniji u iznošenju ideje slobode kao postajanje drugim. Za njega, biti slobodnom osobom, subjektom, znači eksternalizirati našu volju u neovisne vanjske stvari i time steći vlasništvo nad njima. Sloboda, dakle, nije individualna kvaliteta, već društveni princip, jer vlasnička prava mogu postojati samo u intersubjektivnim odnosima. U tom kontekstu, postavlja se pitanje: kako je u okolnostima gdje je subjektivnost proizvod vlasništva i dalje moguće stvoriti nešto iz n...
This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regar... more This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regarding the role that contradiction plays in cultivating emancipatory praxis; a curiously novel endeavor, which is to be considered an offspring of the German idealistic tradition, having Hegel as its procreator. Here, my intention is not to indicate an inherent problem with this premise, but to think through an impasse that is embedded in the bowels of dialectical thinking. While McGowan is adamantly advocating contradiction in the name of emancipation, there is an imposing realm left untouched if abridged to just this. As a (ontological) deadlock, emancipation has to be thought as immanently tied to language, which is in Hegel's mind the purest speculative form. Furthermore, in contrast to the contemporary use of speculation as a financial practice, Hegel regards the commitment to a speculative spirit as thinking in the terms of a life worth less than meaning. It is at this conjun...
The Language of Touch, 2019
A Touch of Doubt
There is am yriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiarn ature of scepticism, all worthyofat... more There is am yriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiarn ature of scepticism, all worthyofathorough commentary.However,itisbynomeansclear whether asceptical endeavour is even suited to perform ad elicate gesture needed to grasp af irm essence, consideringt hat the sole positive assurance preservings uch an endeavour is constant doubt.I nt he context of psychopathology, such ad rive would undoubtedlyb ea ssessed as an addiction to doubt(Zweifelsüchtigkeit). This text willi nstead propose adifferent route: aHegelian one, aquestioning of the use of languagewhen appropriatingelements of knowledge.Thismight be aworthyaim, as the role of languagei so ften disregarded when striving for certitude. Contrary to common usage, languages hould not be considered as am edium of adequation, precipitatinga bond between thingsa nd words, but as ap laceholder of contradiction (Widerspruch); speaking against itself through the medium of the nonsensical sound of words. Or,t op ut it more plainly, the task of languagei sn ot to offer the right words for the right things, but to arrangeappropriate junctures between words themselves. Accordingly, the object of analysis must primarilybeknowledge itself, while it is onlyonits heels that it is possibletodiscern the contours of language. Knowledge is not an explication of fundamental truths, as Aristotle argued, or an adequate articulation of at hing that one ponders about,not even the notion of wise ignorance, but ap roduct of workingo no neself and grasping such an errand.H egel acknowledgedt his when he claimed, "What is familiar and well known (Das Bekannte)a s such is not really known for the very reason that it is familiar and wellk nown";¹ that is, there is an uanced argument to be made regardingk nowledge that usually favours the idea accordingt ow hich knowledge ensures the path to truth, or at least certitude. However,i ti sskepsis,aretraction of truth, thate nables knowledge to establish its footing through its otherness, through its negative facet,t hrough its differencei ni tself. Meeting the other of oneself in oneself, however,i sm ore appropriatelye xpressed as ap roposition that meetsi tself in separation from itself. And this rather speculative portrait of skepsis-an interjection of negativity/failuret hat causes as eparation within statements and produces positive knowledge-is exemplarilyp resented through as imple gesture of touch induced by homophony: ap air of words that sound the same, but have ad ifferent spelling.P rocuringacommon bond for "Kant,"" count," and even "cunt" might seem unfathomable were it not for ac hance coincidencei nt heir enunciation. By capturingd ifferent morphemes in as ingle sound, homophones literallye nable disparate words to touche ach
A Touch of Doubt: On Haptic Scepticism, 2021
There is a myriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiar nature of scepticism, all worthy of ... more There is a myriad of topics that can illustrate the peculiar nature of scepticism, all worthy of a thorough commentary. However, it is by no means clear whether a sceptical endeavour is even suited to perform a delicate gesture needed to grasp a firm essence, considering that the sole positive assurance preserving such an endeavour is constant doubt. In the context of psychopathology, such a drive would undoubtedly be assessed as an addiction to doubt. The text instead proposes a different route: a Hegelian one, a questioning of the use of language when appropriating elements of knowledge. This might be a worthy aim, as the role of language is often disregarded when striving for certitude. Contrary to common usage, language should not be considered as a medium of adequation, precipitating a bond between things and words, but as a placeholder of contradiction; speaking against itself through the medium of the nonsensical sound of words. The task of language is not to offer the right words for the right things, but to arrange appropriate junctures between words themselves. Accordingly, the object of analysis must primarily be knowledge itself, while it is only on its heels that it is possible to discern the contours of language.
Psychoanalysis and the Unrepresentable: from Culture to the Clinic, 2016
If we are content with simple beginnings, this chapter could be summarized with the question: why... more If we are content with simple beginnings, this chapter could be summarized with the question: why are people inclined to point with their finger? It seems a marginal topic where we could easily be content with a simple description of external features (movement of hand, outstretched finger) and/or inner motivations. However, the gesture of pointing is also pervaded by a certain discrepancy, where it seems that the above question doesn’t sufficiently articulate the problem. The intended meaning of pointing is framed by the overlapping of language and body. It could be interpreted as neither one nor the other, but something that emerges in the junction of both, in the movement from one to the other. The focus will therefore lie in establishing an overview of this peculiar habit and in unravelling its basic characteristics through Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theory.
S: Journal of the Circle for Lacanian Ideology Critique, 2018
The article undertakes an analysis of the phenomenon of dreaming through the framework of Lacania... more The article undertakes an analysis of the phenomenon of dreaming through the framework of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, but drawing on the arguments offered by Hegel and Kant. The remembrance of Hume interrupted Kant's dogmatic slumber, and inaugurated the period of reinvigorated speculative philosophy which would come to define the modern era. If we initially omit the scope of implications that followed, it seems that a simple dream of a philosophical figure was enough to form a new mode of thinking. However, Kant didn't propose a grandiose undertaking of renewing the human spirit, as he argued in the context of the Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, where he merely questioned the premise of the possibility of pure sciences. He based his reflections on an essentially theological assertion that men of his time are reconciled with belief that the established mode of knowing is undoubtedly true: the dogmatic presumption being that it is possible to make progress in pure knowledge by strictly following the realization of concepts without first putting forth a critique of reason itself. at least in the formal sense, Kant articulated a contrasting framework which rested on the exposition of conditions of possibility of knowledge or appearance. Yet interestingly the path that led him there seemed to be knitted out of material made of dreams. Where do the conditions of knowledge then meet with dreams? Such a premise can lead us to hypothesize that Kant dreamt of certain speculations on Hume, which led him to articulate an unconscious desire
Teorija in Praksa, 2014
This article analyzes the general characteristic of once exceptionally popular genre of adventure... more This article analyzes the general characteristic of once exceptionally popular genre of adventure video games, which reached its peak with the famous pirate series Monkey Island. Although there have been various attempts to revive it, it is inevitably situated among the relics of history. The reason could be traced to a variety of developmental, economic and conceptual features, but in the final instance it was its own structure that led to its downfall or death. Since its formation, the adventure genre was namely imbued with an unabolishable contradiction, which certainly situates it alongside psychoanalytic practice. It was simultaneously striving for something too much and too little. The adventure games are on the one hand based on the assumption that all the in-game possibilities are prearranged , so that the player is only left to acknowledge and approve the already adopted path. But on the other, the genre thrived on experimenting with the game mechanism, where the contingent acts of pointing retroactively undermined the necessity of such preconditioned actions. The article is accordingly based on the premise that the ensuing inference doesn't solely indicate a specific feature of this genre, but also highlights the peculiarity of human existence as such.
CONTINENTAL THOUGHT & THEORY: A JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, 2019
This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regar... more This paper engages with Todd McGowan's Emancipation after Hegel by changing the perspective regarding the role that contradiction plays in cultivating emancipatory praxis; a curiously novel endeavor, which is to be considered an offspring of the German idealistic tradition, having Hegel as its procreator. Here, my intention is not to indicate an inherent problem with this premise, but to think through an impasse that is embedded in the bowels of dialectical thinking. While McGowan is adamantly advocating contradiction in the name of emancipation, there is an imposing realm left untouched if abridged to just this. As a (ontological) deadlock, emancipation has to be thought as immanently tied to language, which is in Hegel's mind the purest speculative form. Furthermore, in contrast to the contemporary use of speculation as a financial practice, Hegel regards the commitment to a speculative spirit as thinking in the terms of a life worth less than meaning. It is at this conjuncture that I, on one hand, accordingly aim to broaden the debate on emancipation through an unfolding of the framework of contradiction itself, and on the other, to distill the process according to which language is able to form thoughts from empty words.
The Idea of Good in Kant and Hegel, 2022
Hegel understands the highest and sole drive as the movement of the concept itself, which “finds ... more Hegel understands the highest and sole drive as the movement of the concept itself, which “finds and recognizes itself through itself in all things”. That's why it has its place at the very beginning, as a kind of impulse to start moving things out of the simple determination of thinking and it goes on from there. This first universality has the meaning of being, which is however so poor that not much fuss ought to be made about it. There seems to be much ado about nothing, but this "unanalysable" beginning is supposed to accompany the realisation of reason until it coincides with itself in the absolute end of the objective spirit or the idea of the good. Since the good enters into actuality only through the mediation of the subjective will and is "only in and through thinking", the question remains open as to how the good, which functions as the core of our essence, is determined if the subject in doing so arbitrarily handles the principle of positing: is the good of the world therefore constantly being realised, or does arbitrariness testify to the fact that this world is possible, but that the moment for it has not yet arrived?
Suspending Touch: Haptic Skepticism for Life During a Pandemic, 2021
The presentation does not conceive haptic dogmatism in opposition to haptic skepticism, for tacti... more The presentation does not conceive haptic dogmatism in opposition to haptic skepticism, for tactility can be produced precisely by insisting on the dogmatic embedded beliefs, until its contradictions come to the fore. The articulation of this contradiction or antagonism is what roughly forms and represents touch. Not the touch of another outside of oneself, but the touch and thus the difference to oneself.
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel, 2024
The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel is the first book to provide a comprehensive treatment of... more The Idea of the Good in Kant and Hegel is the first book to provide a comprehensive treatment of the good as a central concept in classical German philosophy, while at the same time opening up areas of interest that have not traditionally been associated with this subject. The contributors to this volume, eminent scholars in fields related to the topic, engage with current debates on Hegel, Kant, morality, and the fundamental status of the good. They offer a systematic introduction to the philosophical implications of the concept of the good, but more importantly, they expand the horizon of possible interpretations and encourage critical reflection.