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SUMMARY:
This paper presents those aspects of Leibniz’s philosophy that both anticipate and prepare the founding of aesthetics by A. G. Baumgarten. The analysis is directed on Leibniz’s comprehension of reception and production of beauty or the aesthetic experience one the one hand, and on the metaphysical character of beauty on the other. The analysis shows that although positions of Leibniz and Baumgarten concerning the aesthetic experience are very similar, the domination of the metaphysical conception of beauty prevented Leibniz to develop an aesthetics.

(Arhe, vol. 12, br. 23, 2015, 47-62.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is dedicated to Batteux’ characterization of a new concept of fine arts. The author examines the way in which Batteux in his theory of fine arts forges the new modern understanding of what art is, as well as the conditions under which such formation of a new concept of art has happened. The analysis given in this paper compares the traditional definitions of art and the one construed by Batteux, and it is focused on new meanings given to traditional concepts. Finally, the analysis confirmed that Batteux’ determination of fine arts presents a radically new and essentially modern understanding of the essence of art, developed in the horizon of a development of modern idea of science.

(Arhe, god. XIV, br. 28, 2017, 156-170.)

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SUMMARY:
In this paper we will consider the impact of Aristotle’s ‘Poetics’ on developing the understanding of art and artistic creation in the Renaissance. However, an ancient idea of mimesis is changed in this context due to the new idea of artistic production, in the light of which its intervening with the problem of imagination is especially emphasized. In this paper, by comparing Aristotle’s and the Renaissance understanding of mimesis, we will try to point to shifts in the sense of the term, and thus to shifts in the way of understanding of the essence of art. Further, we will try to investigate whether and to what extent Averroes’s comments on Aristotle’s heritage caused these changes.

(Зборник Матице српске за класичне студије, бр. 19, 2017, 77-89.)

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SUMMARY:
This essay is going to discuss the character and development of  aesthetics in Serbian philosophy. Apart from presenting the main philosophers and problems, I will address the main question of  Serbian aesthetics, namely the question of  methodology. Research is orientated towards comparing the work of  several main Serbian aesthetitians, as well as towards the histories of Serbian aeshtetics, which serve as a meta-position of research. Such analysis confirms the thesis that the very distinctive feature of Serbian aesthetics is its orientation to the question of  aesthetics as such, that is to the question of  its methodological character. In consequence, such result allows for a coherent analysis of  various theories within Serbian aesthetics, as well as for the understanding of its development during the 20th century.

(E. Protopapadakis, G. Arabatzis (eds.), Thinking in Action, Hellenic Serbian Philosophical Dialogue Series I, The NKUoA Applied Philosophy Research Laboratory Press, Athens, 2018, 75-88.)

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SUMARRY:
Relations between persons in the contemporary world often resemble those of the same persons towards objects. We are accustomed to ‘use’ – and even see – others as if they are, to put it in Kantian terms, merely a means to an end, and not as if they are an end in themselves. Such blurring of lines between objects and persons surely has significant moral and political consequences. However, in this paper I reach instead for a very traditional example and suggest it as a possible model for understanding these contemporary issues. I’d like to offer an analysis of icons, with regard to the concepts of latreia (worship) and proskynesis (devotion), developed and discussed in the Byzantine empire during the era of iconoclasm. By revisiting this old quarrel, I wish to invert the issue of persons becoming (like) objects, since in the case of the icons the question is whether an object can and should be treated as a person. Such an inverted image could, in my opinion, offer us a new perspective on contemporary intersubjective relations and present us with a double optic, which can teach us to distinguish between esteem for objects and respect for persons.

(Logos I Ethos, 2 (58), 2021, 7-19.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about the specific character of the aesthetic experience of icons. I am arguing for the idea that the aesthetic experience of icons is a necessary condition of their role and function in Christian worship, and, moreover, that this particular aesthetic experience is of an apophatic kind. My arguments will be developed on the background of the Byzantine iconoclastic debate and the apophatic theology of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Also, they should present the very debate from the perspective of aesthetics, often overlooked in favour of more theological or ontological issues related to it.

(Veritas (Porto Alegre), Vol. 67, No. 1, 2022, 1-16.)

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SUMMARY:
Renaissance conception of poetics is discussed in this paper with respect to emphasized importance of imagination and innovation in the process of creation of the work of art. The importance of imagination is directly opposed to the Aristotelian concept of imitation, and its primacy shows the Aristotle’s influence on Renaissance understanding of poetics, as well as its specific character made possible through the rejection of Aristotle. The development of an understanding of imagination as the origin of poetry in this paper is, in addition to the consideration of the concept of imitation, discussed with respect to the question of aesthetic pleasure, and to the issues of truth and morality.

(Arhe, Vol. 13, br. 26, 2016, 41-56.)

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SUMMARY:
The analysis offered in this paper is focused on the consideration of three examples of phenomenological aesthetics of music. Considerations of music which can be found in N. Hartmann, R. Ingarden and M. Dufrenne represent the focus of the analysis with respect to the key differences between their positions, which are the effect of a different use of the phenomenological method in view of the phenomenon of art. The analysis, therefore, is in all three cases conducted through focusing on the relationship between the phenomenological method and the specific character of music in relation to other arts, as well as through a comparison of these positions. The result of analysis represents an insight into new phenomenological understanding of the formal character of the music, as opposed to the tradition of aesthetics.

(Theoria, Vol. 60, br. 3, 2017, 212-228.)

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SUMMARY:
In this paper I will investigate phenomenological aesthetics of Michel Henry, and his interpretation of abstract painting. Henry‘s focus is the work of W. Kandinsky, for which the French phenomenologist believes that it presents us with extraordinary example of abstract painting, which shows that all art essentially is of abstract character. Analysis will compare Kandinsky’s ideas with those of Henry, and will be particularly focused on the relationship between interior and exterior, on the question of the relation of content and means of painting, and on the problem of colour and sensual qualities. Results of the analysis will show the domain of the encounter and the possible outcome of phenomenological interpretation of Kandinsky‘s painting.

(Arhe, god. XV, br. 30, 2018, 133-148.)

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SUMMARY:
Aesthetic of nature is in this paper presented in the context of its revival in contemporary philosophy. Nature as the object of aesthetic experience and valorisation is mainly a question of traditional aesthetics, so its revival is here presented as the problem of redefinition of aesthetics in contemporary terms. The analysis encompasses examples from contemporary aesthetics, philosophy and art, and it is focused on revealing the key features of new aesthetic understanding of nature. These key features are in conclusion seen as indications of the future perspective of the development of philosophical aesthetics.

(Synthesis Philosophica, Vol. 33, No. 2, 2018, 515-526.)

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SUMMARY:
This essay presents Heidegger's understanding and critique of tradition of philosophy using the one of their most important motifs, namely the interpretation of traditional philosophical conceptuality. The analysis given in the essay is dedicated to defining the conceptual and methodological character of fundamental concepts, such it is presented in Heidegger's early philosophy, and therefore to shed light on character and the manner of usage of destruction.

(Arhe, vol. 11, br. 21, 2014, 131-147.)

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SUMMARY:
The main focus of this paper is Heidegger’s interpretation of Klee’s painting. I am aiming to show that the interpretation of Klee has radicalized earlier Heidegger’s understanding of art, so that now painting is an alternative to poetry in the context of Heidegger’s philosophy of art. This will be exemplified by a comparative analysis of Heidegger’s views on painting and poetry, with regard to the possibility that art can be an instigation for the change in the philosophy itself; the overcoming of an image will be our special focus. Analysis will show that the interpretation of Klee allows for a further radicalization of Heidegger’s philosophy of art, such that would introduce the overcoming of the art itself.

(Theoria, Vol. 62, br. 2, 2019, 35-52.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about Heidegger’s conception of space and place, with regard to the role of artworks and art in his later philosophy. I will use three main examples – namely, temple, bridge and sculpture – to present the relationship between Heidegger’s thinking of space, place and artworks. Therefore, I will analyze The Origin of the Work of Art (1935-36), Building Dwelling Thinking (1951) and The Art and Space (1969). My aim is to use the analysis to show that Heidegger’s later understanding of space and place is essentially bound to his interpretation of art and artworks. I will also present the dynamics of change of the connotations of place and space in later Heidegger’s philosophy. Resulting from the analysis, the problem of space will be presented as one of the key points for the interpretation of Heidegger’s philosophy of art. In conclusion, I suggest an interpretation of Heidegger’s philosophy of art which would not be orientated to his definition of the essence of all arts, but which would accentuate the differences between multiple phenomena of artworks.

(Godišnjak Filozofskog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, knj. XLV-2, 2020, 207-218.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about Heidegger’s understanding of the artwork experience, with regard to the notion of Stimmung, which is to replace traditional conception of aesthetic emotion, that is, of aesthetic experience. Namely, Heidegger disregards modern discourse on cognitive powers of the soul, and so he also abandons the conception of aesthetic emotions. His critique of modern representational thinking leads to the notion of Stimmung, which, if related to the work of art, replaces the notion of aesthetic emotions, but also goes a step further. The notion of Stimmung in Heidegger’s thought is equally related to the production and reception of artworks. However, with regard to the reception, it implies the necessity of radical transformation of the way we feel and understand being, provoked by art. Finally, this notion is also related to the dialogue of thinking and poeticizing, since Heidegger ascribes it both to philosophy and art.

(Theoria, god. 65, br. 2, 2022, 123-132.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is concerned with the characteristics of the conceptuality of fundamental ontology, which are presented through an analysis of existentials as the concepts typical of this philosophical position. The analysis first presents the meaning and role of existentials in relation to the main ideas of fundamental ontology as well as Heidegger’s critique of the categories. The second part of the paper then presents the conceptual character of the existentials through the analysis of the concept of the world and in terms of the conceptual relations they form. The analysis draws on Heidegger’s early ideas about the essential relation between thinking and language in philosophy, according to which the language of philosophy emerges from and indicates how a particular philosopher thinks.

(Filozofska istraživanja, Vol. 43, br. 1, 2023, 59-74.)

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SUMARRY:
The main theme of this essay is the problem of language and interpretation of Heidegger’s philosophy. The problem of interpretation of this philosophy is here seen as fundamentally connected with its language. Therefore, the analysis of character and function of language of Heidegger’s philosophy should lead to proper position for its interpretation. The analysis of language of Heidegger’s philosophy is to show various types of Heidegger’s conceptuality, as well as their function in development of Heidegger’s new philosophy.

(Arhe, vol. 12, br. 24, 2015, 55-70.)

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SUMMARY:
The topic of this paper are Heidegger’s conceptions of space and place, with regard to spatiality of a thing, that is, of beings which are different from Dasein. My aim is to show that Heidegger’s understanding of these beings is more important for both his early and later philosophy than it is usually presented in interpretations. Since Heidegger goes against traditional philosophy, and claims that traditional metaphysics was forged according to the model of non-existential beings (things), his own project is largely overshadowed by the primacy of Dasein and the question of being as such. Accordingly, the issue of being of non-existential, that is, categorial beings is often seen only in view of these other two prominent problems. In this paper I will try to challenge such positions by analyzing the relationship between space and being of non-existential beings, that is, their non-existential spatiality. I will try to show that such non-existential spatiality is at the core of Heidegger’s reflections on existential spatiality of Dasein in Being and Time, and that most of his ideas about non-existential spatiality survive his turn away from fundamental ontology towards his later philosophy. To prove this point, I will compare Heidegger’s positions on place and sculpture from his later work The Art and Space with his ideas about place and space from Being and Time. Although situated against different background ideas, both of these works share at least two important points regarding the problem of space, namely, Heidegger’s critique of scientific and traditional philosophical conceptions of space, and the inversion of the relationship between space and place, in favour of place. Relying on these two points, I will try to point out to the specific changes between these two works regarding the issue of space. Finally, Heidegger’s later works, avoiding the early primacy of existential spatiality, clearly shows that the issue of space is directly related to the question of being of non-existential beings. Such perspective, in my view, allows for the reexamining of Heidegger’s philosophical strategy in both his later and early philosophy.

(Kritika, god. 1, br. 2, 2020, 251-271.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper brings forth an interpretation of a few Heidegger’s comments on Baumgarten, presented in his lecture The Question Concerning the Thing. The analysis shows Heidegger’s focus on the relation between metaphysics and aesthetics in Baumgarten, and also that Baumgarten’s foundation of aesthetics is related to modern understanding of a being as a thing and as an object of perception. The results imply a very important role of Heidegger’s critique of Baumgarten in his project of overcoming of aesthetics. Also, they allow for an insightful interpretation of some of the key aspects of Heidegger’s philosophy of art.

(Arhe, god. XVIII, br. 35, 2021,183-201.)

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SUMMARY:
In this paper I will present Heidegger’s idea of the overcoming of aesthetics, as a particular manner of a metaphysical way of thinking. The analysis will show that the overcoming of aesthetics is related to the new understanding of philosophy and the new view on thinking, opposed to the modern representational model. Also, I will present Heidegger’s interpretation of painting as his attempt to learn about this new thinking following the artistic model of the image. Finally, the analysis proves that the overcoming of the representational image and aesthetics is essentially related to the question of Being and the ontological difference.

(E. D. Protopapadakis, G. Arabatzis (eds.), Hellenic-Serbian Philosophical Dialogue Series, Vol III: Modernity and Contemporaneity, The NKUA Applied Philosophy Research Lab Press & Filozofski Fakultet, Novi Sad, Athens, 2022, p. 121-141.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about the concept of joint, that is, joining, as Heidegger presents them in his second major work, Contributions to Philosophy. The concept of joint is related to the inner structure of the proposed new way of thinking in the second beginning. Therefore, in this paper, I will analyze joint and joining primarily in the methodological respect. The analysis shows that the methodology of joint and joining is based on the ontology (of be-ing), which I will also briefly address in the second part of the paper. Results of the research allow for the thesis that this joint thinking can be used as a key for the interpretation of the entire (later) Heidegger’s philosophy and as the basis for the so-called topological thinking.

(Filozofska istraživanja, Vol. 44 No. 1, 2024, 123-139.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about the changed understanding of philosophical concepts in Dionysius the Areopagite. In order to justify philosophy as a speech about God (theology) in the apophatic manner, Areopagite discards the usual conceptual matrix and creates a new type of concepts, whose origin is in ecclesial hymns. The relation between the language of hymns and language of philosophy is the subject of my analysis, which will be focused on the case of key concepts – divine names. Analysis shows that these concepts do not function according to semantical and logical rules, but instead of those, although with the similar purpose, introduce namelessness and multinamedness (of God).

(Godišnjak Filozofskog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, knj. XLVI-1, 2021, 231-243.)

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SUMMARY:
The research presented in this paper is focused on the atomistic theory of P. Gassendi. Gassendi’s atomism is discussed in terms of formation of modern idea of science, primarily in context of the new physical understanding of matter. Through the analysis of concepts which explain the basic characteristics of atoms and their function in the explanation of natural phenomena, the author explores the question of whether Gassendi’s atomism essentially has physical or metaphysical character. Based on the conducted research the author concludes that this theory does not have a metaphysical character.

(Arhe, god. XIV, br. 27, 2017, 169-183.)

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SUMMARY:
St. Augustine’s metaphysical thought is oriented around the concept of esse, i.e. around the concept of being. St. Augustine used this term as a philosophical indication of the God, but he also applies it to the creatures.The equivocality of the concept of esse is in the center of the analysis in this paper: it is analyzed the view of God as the referent of the term, and in terms of the origin of its constitution in human reason. I argue that the equivocality is the critical and constitutive feature of Augustine’s notion of esse, and that, consequently, the identity of the divine esse is its condition of possibility.

(Arhe, god. XV, br. 29, 2018, 15-28.)

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SUMMARY:
In his Confessions, St. Augustine of Hippo offered his most famous analysis of time. Related to the problem of time is memory, human faculty that allows for our experience of the past and arranges it. Such experience of the past determines the manner in which a human being is aware of objects that are no longer co-present with his own existence, but which are present to his consciousness in a special mode – mediated through his experience of his own existence, as a re-pre-sentation of objects once grasped and known. Memory, therefore, is a concept that refers to the relationship between person and world, and which reveals the world of created beings as a field of relations and interconnections. However, it is also a concept that refers to the person as such, while the experience of the past not only reveals the objects that were once given to the mind and co-present with our own existence, but it also summons our past self and allows for its unification with the present self. Such function of memory is, ultimately, the very condition of personhood, while the person is only possible through unified awareness of particular relations of soul with other beings, self and God. In this essay I will examine St Augustine’s understanding of memory and personhood in both of its aspects presented in Confessions – the theoretical and the performative one; theoretical aspect being presented with St Augustine’s analysis of memory, and the performative one being given with the very composition of Confessions as such.

(D. Prole, G. Rujević (eds.), Hellenic-Serbian Philosophical Dialogue Series, Vol II: Personhood, Filozofski Fakultet, Novi Sad & The NKUA Applied Philosophy Research Lab Press, Novi Sad, 2020, 29-48.)

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SUMARRY:
This paper is about Spinoza's definition of substance, specifically important for his philosophical system. I will firstly present the methodological meaning and role of substance definition in Spinoza's thought, and then I will analyze all three aspects of the definition; ontological, epistemological, and logical. I will present a specific character of Spinoza's substance definition in comparison to Descartes's definition and medieval philosophical tradition. Spinoza proclaims the idea of substance, which is the basis for the formulation of substance definition, to be the most important among the true ideas because this idea can become the paradigm for true knowledge and proper method in gaining the knowledge. The methodological primacy of the idea of substance is reflected in the definition of substance, i.e. in the order of its three aspects, which shows not only what substance is, but also how should we think (about it). Hence, the analysis of the definition of substance proves its methodological significance.

(Годишњак Филозофског факултета у Новом Саду, књ. XLIX-1, 2024, 49-62.)

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SUMMARY:
The philosophy of John Locke is discussed in this paper from the perspective of his understanding of ideas and sensation, in order to reconstruct Locke’s method of thinking. Locke’s method, new way of ideas, is here understood as essentially determined by his empiricist position, and as constitutive of the entire project of his philosophy. The central analysis in this paper is focused on the consideration of connection of perception, ideas, and the philosophical way of thinking which is defined by them.

(Arhe, Vol. 13, br. 25, 2016, 185-200.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is intended to give an account of the problem of memory as presented in the philosophy of G. W. Leibniz. Leibniz’s understanding of memory is here analyzed with respect to the problem of knowledge, that is, to the way in which memory can have an impact on workings of reason. The analysis is followed by a comparison of Leibniz’s and Descartes’s accounts of memory, with a focus on the scope in which Leibniz was influenced by Descartes. I conclude that for Leibniz, as opposed to Descartes, memory is a necessary and integral part of knowledge, and therefore of the methodology of sciences as well. In this respect, the analysis also presents Leibniz’s understanding of two possible formalizations of memory: one given with the art of memory, and the other being the part of the philosophical language. In both cases memory is considered close to logic and connected with it. I argue that the second formalization, the one given in philosophical language, is more useful for the interpretation of how Leibniz understands memory, while the project of formal and symbolic language is a kind of precondition for the formal account of process of thinking in general – in terms of validating knowledge as certain and reliable, as well as in terms of acquiring new knowledge. Such findings, in turn, prove that the problem of memory in Leibniz’s philosophy is primarily to be seen as a problem of methodology and epistemology. In other words, they prove that other aspects of Leibniz’s concept of memory, such as metaphysical or theological ones, are to be interpreted on the basis of methodological meaning of this concept.

(Facta Universitatis, Series: Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology and History, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2017, 201–212.)

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SUMMARY:
Thomas Aquinas’ doctrine of transcendentals is here presented with regard to its inherent epistemic character. The doctrine will be analyzed with respect to the general problem of the possibility of the transcendental concepts’ development. The analysis results with the primacy of the secondary three transcendentals (aliquid, verum, bonum) as the key for the interpretation of the doctrine in general, as well as with the conclusion that the doctrine has a metaphysical, not theological character. Finally, the meaning of the doctrine of transcendentals is presented in the view of the development of the new Thomistic interpretation of metaphysics.

(Arhe, vol. XVI, br. 31, 2019, 15-33.)

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SUMMARY:
This paper is about the problem of individuation, which has significantly marked Western medieval philosophy. The problem of individuation will be presented from the ontological perspective, as the question of what is it which makes a singular entity's being. The question will be addressed through parallels of the problem of individuation and the incomprehensiveness and ineffability of the Divine being, encapsulated in the term esse. The analysis will show that both of the two basic approaches to the problem of individuation, the inclusive and the exclusive approach, are problematic because of the logical-metaphysical relation between substance and accidence on which they are based.

(Arhe, god. XX, br. 40, 2023, 107-126.)

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SUMMARY:
This study is dedicated to examining the motif of light in the thought of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and St. Augustine. In both cases, the motif of light is tied to the fundamental Christian problem of the ineffability of God; the two thinkers offer two very different responses to this problem. In line with his apophatic theology, Areopagite opts for an extremely unusual solution embodied in the formulation of the divine darkness, as a double negation of earthly light. In contrast, St. Augustine argues for the possibility of gradual enlightenment of the soul through knowledge leading up to discern-ment, but not the vision of the divine inaccessible light.

(Arhe, god. XXI, br. 42, 2024, 205-322.)

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SUMMARY:
Due to the decentralised nature of blockchain technology, NFT art has changed notions of authorship and ownership, diminished the role of art world experts, and influenced the global art market. However, the question of whether NFTs can be considered art at all remains open to debate. In order to distinguish NFTs from other digital and non-digital artworks, we will first provide an overview of what NFTs are and what kind of digital space they belong to. Secondly, we will analyse the conditions that an NFT must fulfil in order to be considered an artwork, according to its inherent characteristics. The results will show that, firstly, an NFT artwork depends on its artistic concept; secondly, its representational content has to be a visual interpretation of the NFT concept and related to data according to the concept; and finally, the concept defines the whole ecosystem and the aesthetic properties of NFT artworks.

(Synthesis Philosophica, 76 (2), 2023, 255-273.)
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SUMMARY:
This paper is about the embodiment of the art inhabiting the crypto space. Crypto art will be presented as an example of an essential feature of the artwork – to be the birthplace of a world. Because the crypto space is not institutionalized, but decentralized and still constituting itself, crypto artwork enters it freely, and therefore it is a good example for our purpose. As we will show, crypto artwork creates and encompasses both NFT entities and the surroundings (ecosystem) in which they appear, giving birth to the world (of its own), organized according to the essence of the artwork in question. The essence of the crypto artwork is its (artistic) concept, as a generic method of the full individuation of NFT entities. Finally, the world of the (NFT) artwork is proven as a point of the (re)constitution of meanings – the space of the organization and structuring of what is given (data), the way of seeing and understanding.

(Проблем предвиђања у филозофији и науци / Живот као филозофско и научно питање / Филозофија и нова реалност, СФД, Београд, 2024, 239-252.)
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SUMMARY:
In this essay, we will address the relationship between aesthetics and progress by examining the nature of an artwork and its potential to influence the development of society. Every autonomous, wholesome, fulfilled, and originative artwork through its own manifestation witnesses and suggests a world. The gathering of various artworks is harmonious. Therefore, artworks are not to be cross-referenced, nor should any of them be ascribed a higher value. Also, addressing the progress of society and its inner constitution can be done through artwork. Artwork is originative for its (own) world that manifests specific meaning based on the artwork’s aesthetic principle comprehended through spirit. Therefore, a society based and organized through such artwork would be founded by the same principle and meaning that artwork embodies. Such a community is a higher poetical society, superior to the governing matrix of the culture.

(И. Драшкић Вићановић, У. Поповић, Д. Ћаловић, М. Новаковић, М. Миладинов, С. Грбовић (ур.), Естетика и прогрес, ЕДС, Београд, 2024, 141-157.)
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SUMMARY:
In this paper, we argue for the thesis that the aesthetic evaluation is based upon the evaluation of the principle according to which the (art)work is created and not on the (art)work’s appearance. Recognition of the (art)work’s principle as the subject of aesthetic values provides a single criterion for aesthetic evaluation that excludes the relativization of aesthetic values and firmly relates aesthetic evaluation to the (art)work as such. Firstly, we will explain in which sense and how the (art)work’s principle is the cornerstone of aesthetic evaluation, and then we will differentiate and further analyse the inner and the outer-inner principle of the (art)work. The resulting conclusions prove that the authentic aesthetic value has only the autonomous (art)work with the inner creative principle. Consequently, the (art)work created with no principle at all has no aesthetic value whatsoever, while the (art)work created according to the outer-inner principle has borrowed aesthetic value.

(Theoria, Vol. 68, No. 1, 2025, 175-181.)
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SUMMARY:
This paper explores the process of creating artwork, with a particular emphasis on the artist’s role in that process. The concept of the ‘donkey’s dilemma’ is used to illustrate the artist’s position when faced with the act of creation. Specifically, the artist must decide whether to adhere to the inherent principle of the artwork, ensuring that all stages of its creation are aligned with this internal logic, or to conform to an external principle, thereby adapting the artwork to fit preexisting frameworks. The inherent, inner principle guarantees a coherent relationship between the metaphysical essence of the artwork and its physical form, ensuring that this principle is clearly expressed in the final work. In contrast, the external principle represents external ideas, ideologies, or cultural contexts that assign value and meaning to objects considered art within a given context. The artist, like the donkey, must bear the burden of his choice, and the dilemma lies in deciding which burden to accept - a dilemma we argue is ultimately false. In either case, the artist remains inextricably bound to the moral and ethical consequences of his choice regarding both the artwork and the principle guiding its creation. Art created in accordance with an inner principle possesses intrinsic value - a valor derived from the work itself, grounded in its own internal logic. By contrast, art tied to an external principle lacks inherent value, as its worth depends on the value system the artist adopts. This paper further argues that such external value systems, including widely accepted aesthetic standards, are context-dependent and therefore relativistic. By contrast, the genuine disposition for an artwork to possess value resides in its ontology - that is, in its inner principle. Accordingly, the decision between an inner or external principle in the creative process is, fundamentally, a choice between authentic value – that is, the valor, and imposed perceptions of value shaped by societal constructs.

(Balkan Analytic Forum, BAF 2: Dispositions & Dispositions and Values, Belgrade, 2025. (In print))
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SUMMARY:
In this paper, we will present the concept of creative knowledge. Creative knowledge is the notion that refers to the exertive knowledge that delivers, shows, and communicates the how of being of everything that has arisen and is coming into being. Creative knowledge is foundational knowledge that is directly shown in creation; it is an exertive grasp and perception that escapes established definitions and descriptions of knowledge. Such knowledge is formal and universally principled: the how of something's being, communicated by the creative knowledge, pertains to the entire class of such cases and to all relations at once. As exertive, creative knowledge precedes the establishment of any established and recognized theoretical framework and provides the basis for conceptual reflection. Consequently, creative knowledge is beyond the reach of explanation through science and the scientific method, and it precedes the established distinction between explanation and understanding. Creative knowledge has its own internal necessity and lawfulness, and it is revealed to consciousness as an answer to a raised question. Among forms of theoretical knowledge, creative knowledge is akin to metaphysical systems and the most general models of the physical world, as they concern the totality of reality. In this paper, we will present creative knowledge and its inherent internal necessity and lawfulness as the basis of metaphysical explanation: creative knowledge is the how and whence of the shaping and deriving of me-ta/physical understanding of reality.

(Објашњење и разумевање, САНУ, Београд, 2025. (In print))
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SUMMARY:
This paper deals with the explication of the artistic method of complete individuation. The method of complete individuation is a branch of the (artistic) method of exception. The method of exception allows for the univocal identification of a single event’s occurrence envisaged in time. The method of complete individuation, however, refers to events and occurrences within the (human) person, i.e. to events and occurrences within the spirit and inner time. Inner time, differing from the outer measurable and quantifiable time, eludes all restrictions and, consequently, all definitions and all measuring. Therefore, occurrences within the spirit, which are lived and through which one defines and individuates oneself, can be indicated and made visible only through the artwork, the ‘imprint’ of the spirit/soul. The artwork created according to the method of complete individuation, however, is not an artistic expression of personality, nor is this changeable personality (in development) the final source and origin of the artwork. On the contrary, it is about the possibility of making visible the meaning of inner events through the work of art and the application of the artistic method; such meaning is not restricted to any single individual, but is integral for all of them. The artistic method is a set of actions within the mind and the spirit of the artist, a particular way of the spirit, directing the unique meaning and the truth of the artwork to its fashioning and appearance. Therefore, the method directs the artwork’s making and provides a way of using the techniques and technologies so that their meaning and purpose are defined according to the method. Consequently, in this paper the method of complete individuation is considered starting from its direct application in the creation of an artwork; specifically, a painting series. Our presentation will accordingly address the topic of existence and creation from the perspective of the artistic creation focused on the authentic existential situation, revealed solely through creation and the artwork.

(Анали Филолошког факултета, год. XXXV, бр. 2, 2023, 93-103.)
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SUMMARY:
In this essay, we will reflect upon comparative aesthetics with regard to the thesis about so-called different art kinds, i.e. their comparison. The analysis shows that the thesis is based upon considering the art starting from the artwork’s appearance, as well as the artistic medium and the technology of making the artwork supported by the medium. The analysis also proves that the application of the same artistic method can result in artworks in different media; since their origin is one and the same, such artworks are akin despite the differences in the appearance. Finally, our results confirm that the thinking about the art has to start with the artworks, and that the art is one of the kind. On the other hand, the kinship, as well as the particularities of individual artworks can and should be explained by referring to the artistic method. The analysis is done on the example of making the artworks in real and crypto space, by applying the artistic method of exception.

(Theoria, Vol. 67, br. 1, 2024, 141-150.)
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SUMMARY:
In the past few years crypto space and art are getting to know each other. Due to the decentralized character of the technology it is based on, crypto space is free from regulatory bodies of the art world, and thus free from prescribed aesthetic criteria and the tyranny of experts. Nevertheless, is NFT really an artwork, and if yes, what kind of artwork it is, is still an unresolved question. In this paper, we provide an answer by taking into account the nature of the entire space within which NFT is situated, but also by comparison of NFT with the essence and meaning of art as such. The analysis will show that NFT works, according to their nature, come to be out of design and according to the artistic concept, while fine art is created according to the spirit and as its expression.

(Filozofija medija: mediji i sloboda, EDS, Beograd, 2024, 83-96.)
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SUMMARY:
In this essay, we will address the issue of the identity of the artwork in digital surroundings. The question about the identity of the artwork in digital surroundings should be the question of the ontological-aesthetical identity of the artwork. The question concerns the fact that in the crypto space artworks are mostly related to large series, encompassing several thousand members. The question of the ontological-aesthetical identity of the artwork will be analysed using the example of the long-form generative art. We will show that the entire series, all its particular generated members, as well as the code that generates the series, is considered to be one and unique artwork. We will analyze the ontological categories which could describe such unique artwork, but also the artwork’s aesthetic criteria. The analysis will confirm that the aesthetic criteria are based on the ontological constitution of the artwork.

(Filozofija medija: mediji i identiteti, EDS, Beograd, 2025, 95-107.)
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SUMMARY:
This paper examines the concept of negation as a method through which artificial intelligence is employed to create artwork. Since AI algorithms function based on human-given instructions and parameters (known as prompts), such art is aptly called prompt art. These AI algori-thms are designed according to specific principles - a code that serves as a normative framework for creating prompt art by setting predefined guidelines and parameters for the algorithm's operation. Within these normative boundaries, positive instructions direct the algorithm's actions toward achieving the desired result. Conversely, negative instructions allow the algorithm to synthesize available forms by excluding those specified by the negative instructions. Negative prompt art eliminates forms selected based on their frequency in the algorithm's database, as well as assumed desirable forms. Therefore, negative prompt art uses this tool in its most intense form, except when the prompts pertain to the basic visual ele-ments shapeing the desired forms.

(Естетика, уметност, стил, ЕДС, Београд, 2025. (In print))
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SUMMARY:
This paper explores the relationship between morals and art; more precisely, we will address the question of the ethical character of artistic creation. In contemporary aesthetics, ethical considerations of artworks are mainly relativistic, focusing on particular contexts and influenced by themes relevant to the prevailing cultural paradigm. In contrast, we argue that the ethical nature and value of artwork are absolute and do not depend on changes in socio-cultural circumstances or subjective opinions of the observer. In this work, we maintain the position that ethics and aesthetics cannot be separated either in the act of creation or in the reception of the artwork. The artwork must be ethically and aesthetically evaluated according to its creative principle, the principle by which the artwork comes into being. We base our contemplation of the artwork creation on the personal experience in artistic practice; in both creative-exertive and theoretical refletions and conclusions. We will conduct the consideration and examining of the ethical character of the artwork creation in dialogue with Kant‘s philosophy, invoking the categorical imperative.

(Звездано небо нада мном и морални закон у мени, СФД, Сремски Карловци/Нови Сад, 2025. (In print))
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SUMMARY:
In modern civilization, algorithms referred to as artificial intelligence are emerging as a reference point and the most reliable source of knowledge. Modern technology ensures that any question can be answered by searching an enormous database, leading to uncritical acceptance of offered responses. The delegation of responsibility for acquiring knowledge and independent thinking is underway, as so-called AI algorithms successfully analyze and systematize any chosen content. The question we want to pose is whether so-called AI can be used oppositely - as a (didactic) tool to stimulate thinking and, particularly, for teaching philosophy. Sucha an algorithm would not provide data on existing philosophical ideas but would have to operate as a philosopher - it would pose questions. In this paper, we will show that so-called AI in principle cannot operate as a philosopher, but that it is possible to use it in a philosophical way.

(Filozofija medija: mediji i inteligencija, EDS, 2025. (In print))
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SUMMARY:
The first book in OCC Triology - the O Book - presents and ellaborates the Metod of Exception as the fundamental creative principle (logos, i.e. artistic method) of all artworks belonging to the OCC (GEN) ART.
The Metod of Exception was devised as an answer to the question: how to unambiguously identify a single event occurrence in time, encompassing all its actual features? In creating the works of art according to this creative principle, the rigorous principle-defined procedure is followed. The event occurrence identified through the metod is necessary for the artwork’s coming into being, so that the created artwork uniquelly and univocally indicates exactly that event.
According to the Metod of Exception, an event occurrence can be identified either in the inner omnitime of the (human) spirit or in the external physical time. Thus, the Method of Exception has two forms: the Metod of Individuation according to which the artworks are created indicating an inner event, and the Metod of Complete Individualization (of Large Series) according to which the artworks are created indicating event occurrence in external physical time.
The O Book presents the most fundamental analysis of both of these two forms of Method of Exception, including the ellaborations on the metaphysical being of artworks created according to this logos.

(In print)

SUMMARY:
The second book in the OCC Triology - the (first) C Book - focuses on the Method of Individuation, as a form of the Method of Exception. The artworks created according to this creative principle (logos) belong to OCC ART.
In creating according to the Method of Individuation, the artworks come to be indicating an inner event - an (event) occurrence in the human spirit. This creative principle mandates for the physical making of such an artwork to be realized within the time period corresponding to the inner time unfolding of the event. The principle also proscribes a set of procedures ensuring that the physical fashioning of artwork’s visual elements and composition will be directed by the inner event occurrence. The completed artwork unambiguously indicates the inner event through its metaphysical being, while providing the inner event’s description through its appearance.
The (first) C Book offers an extensive elaboration of fundamental meaning of the Method of Individuation, as well as the formal structure of creating procedure for the artworks realized according to this logos. Additionally, a case study is presented - how the method was followed in creating the Feat painting series.

(In print)

SUMMARY:
The third book in the OCC Triology - the (second) C Book - focuses on the Method of Complete Individualization (of Large Series), as a (second) form of the Method of Exception. The artworks created according to this creative principle (logos) belong to OCC GEN ART.
In creating according to the Method of Complete Individualization (of Large Series), the artworks come to be indicating an external event - an (event) occurrence in the (external) physical time. The artworks created according to this logos are realized in crypto digital medium, as NFT series encompassing thousends of individual art pieces. The method makes it possible for each of these NFT art pieces to be created through the same technical procedure and to have similar, but yet distinctive and original appearance (representational content).
The (second) C Book offers an extensive elaboration of fundamental meaning of the Method of Complete Individualization (of Large Series), as well as the formal structure of creating procedure for the artworks realized according to this logos. Additionaly, a philosophical consideration of crypto (NFT) artwork ontology is included, as a prerequisite for understanding the criteria defining the NFT artwork and discerning it from non-art NFTs. Finally, a case study is presented - how the method was followed in creating the MM/FMM NFT co-series.

(In print)

SUMMARY:
The book is dedicated to an exploration of Martin Heidegger’s philosophical interpretation of painting. Although Heidegger’s philosophy of art is predominantly focused on poetry, this study demonstrates that painting holds an equally important place within the development of his thought, particularly in his later philosophy. The question of the image becomes central to the problem of overcoming aesthetics, and with it, metaphysics, thereby granting the theme of painting a distinctive significance. The book is structured around four main chapters, each devoted to one of the painters Heidegger considered most significant and to their respective works.

(ЕДС, Београд, 2021, 1-228.)

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SUMMARY:
The central theme of the book is Baumgarten’s founding of aesthetics. This study takes as its guiding thread Baumgarten’s idea that aesthetics should be a science, equal in scholarly status to other philosophical disciplines. The first part of the book examines Baumgarten’s early works and the very emergence of the idea of aesthetics. At the same time, the main body of the research is devoted to his magnum opus, Aesthetica. Particular attention is given to Baumgarten’s philosophy of art, which plays a crucial role in this investigation.

(СФД, Београд, 2019, 1-295.)

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SUMMARY:
The book is devoted to a systematic reconstruction of Heidegger’s philosophy of language as presented in his first major work, Being and Time, as well as in the lectures and writings from the period of the development of fundamental ontology. The inquiry into the relation between being and language in Heidegger’s early thought is thematically focused on detailed analyses of the passages where language is discussed, with particular emphasis on the positioning of language within the framework of the existential of understanding in the Analytic of Dasein.

(СФД, Београд, 2019, 1-341.)

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