Srećko Kovač

Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb
  • Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb
    Retired faculty
University of Zagreb
Alumnus, 1992
Zagreb, Croatia
Areas of Interest
Logic and Philosophy of Logic
  •  7
    Im Folgenden stellen wir drei aktuelle Forschungsbereiche zur formalen Logik bei Kant allgemeinverständlich dar und greifen dabei auf die trans zendentale Logik nur dann zurück, wenn sie ein besseres Verständnis der formalen Logik ermöglicht: Zunächst wird Kants Beitrag zur Rezeption und Weiterentwicklung von Euler-artigen Diagrammen dargestellt. Diese Diagramme wurden in den 1990er Jahren wiederentdeckt, als formales System interpretiert und werden heute insbes. in der Didaktik, in den Kognitio…Read more
  •  52
    Stadler i Bauer o formalnoj logici
    Filozofska Istrazivanja 15 (3): 599-614. 1995.
    U tekstu se obrađuju Stadlerovo i Bauerovo shvaćanje i zasnivanje formalne logike. Formalna je logika u oba slučaja postavljena u duhu novoskolastičke filozofije druge polovice 19. stoljeća. Subjektivna je strana mišljenja (samosviest, djelatba) spojena s njegovom objektivnom stranom (objektivna vriednost), a logička se načela temelje na ontologijskim. Stadler se i Bauer oddvajaju od onodobnoga formalizma i logicizma, kao i od psihologizma i voluntarizma. Pritom je Bauer izrazitije ušao u razpra…Read more
  •  75
    Nazivlje u nastavi logike
    Metodicki Ogledi 4 (1): 23-32. 1993.
    U članku se promatraju osnovne karakteristike razvojne dinamike hrvatskoga logičkoga nazivlja od izlazka Pacelove Logike za gimnazije, prve sustavne logike na hrvatskome jeziku, 1868. godine, pa sve do Petrovićeve Logike, također za srednja učilišta, iz 1964., koja je još uviek u uporabi. Nazivlje je u tu svrhu razvrstano u nekoliko tipičih skupina. Općenito, uočava se porast zastupljenosti latinizama (i grecizama) na štetu hrvatskih naziva. U analizi nazivlja autor se ograničuje na knjige namie…Read more
  •  17
    The publication of Gödel’s Max IV contributes to better understanding of the complex development of Gödel’s philosophical thought, and, alongside the other published notebooks, it is a further contribution to modifying a conventional view on the 20th-century philosophy, where Gödel should be recognized as one of the most important and profound philosophers. Moreover, his questions, problem formulations, and ideas, particularly as presented in his philosophical notebooks, transcend the historical…Read more
  •  138
    Korijeni pojmova oblika i tvari: začetci filozofije u praslavenskom mitu i hrvatskoj predaji [The roots of the concepts of form and matter: The beginnings of philosophy in the Proto-Slavic myth and in the Croatian tradition]
    In Medhótá śrávaḥ II: Misao i slovo. Zbornik u čast Mislava Ježića povodom sedamdesetoga rođendana, Hrvatska Akademija Znanosti I Umjetnosti. pp. 339-355. 2023.
    The paper aims to show that by abstracting from a specific mythical historical- stylistic context and “ideation” of the notion of the Proto-Slavic deities Perun and Veles, especially in Croatian tradition, symbolic archetypes and abstract notions of form and primordial matter (materia prima) can be extracted from mythical content. We refer to mythical texts and contents according to the reconstructions and materials brought by Radoslav Katičić, and comparative analysis by Mislav Ježić. We distin…Read more
  •  133
    Logika i vjera [Logic and Faith]
    In Suvremena znanost i vjera / Contemporary Science and Faith. pp. 69-84. 2011.
    A close interrelationship between logic and religious faith is confirmed in many places of the Bible. In the paper, special attention is paid to the dialogue of Jesus and a Samaritan woman (John 4). In a proposed outline of a logical formalization, religious faith is described as a pragmatic function through which the linguistic and logical content is contextually realized. In the continuation of the paper, Gödel's ontological proof is commented, which in a logically rigorous way describes the o…Read more
  •  136
    The structure "home - world - ideals" is presented as the structure of "philosophical striving" (F. Marković). It could be formally described as a model consisting of a domain, relations and a valuation. On that basis, the identity, openness, and the significance of Croatian philosophy is investigated. The programme of the renewal of Croatian philosophy (as proposed 1882 by Franjo Marković) is re-examined, and some unsolved historical-cultural discontinuities within the programme are described. …Read more
  •  98
    A brief overview of the main Croatian philosophers of the 19th century is given (regardless of whether they worked in or outside of Croatia). Special attention is paid to Šimun Čučić (logic, metaphysics, ethics) and Franjo pl. Marković (logic, aesthetics). The philosophy of other authors is briefly summarized on the ground of the existing research results.
  •  149
    The first beginnings of modern logic in Croatia are recognizable as early as in the middle of the 19th century in Vatroslav Bertić. At the turn of the 20th century, Albin Nagy, who was teaching in Italy, made contributions to algebraic logic and to the philosophy of logic. At that time, a distinctive author Mate Meršić stood out, also working on algebraic logic. In the Croatian academic philosophy, until the publication of Gajo Petrović's textbook (1964) and the contributions by Heda Festini, a …Read more
  •  123
    Different forms and transformations of philosophy in the modern world are analyzed according to the view of the Croatian philosopher Vanja Sutlić (1925-1989). A key aspect is the "realization of philosophy" in "work science", which encompasses the entire "world of work" established in modern times. This universal and real science is also an important precondition for "historical thinking". The uniformity of this science, problematized by Sutlić, can be found today in refined logical and semantic…Read more
  •  6
    Teorijska filozofija na Zagrebačkoj akademiji 1776-1850 [Theoretic philosophy at the Zagreb Academy 1776-1850]
    Prilozi Za Istrazivanje Hrvatske Filozofske Baštine 16 (1-2): 23-39. 1990.
    The Zagreb Royal Academy, the successor of the former Jesuit Neoacademy, was founded in 1776 as the central institution of higher education in Croatia as part of the educational reform in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After presenting the basic characteristics of the reform concept, the paper deals with the teaching of theoretical philosophy at the Zagreb Academy. Philosophy was taught by E. Raffay, A. Minković, G. Valičić, S. Čučić, S. Pogledić, S. Moyses, and S. Muzler until the abolition of th…Read more
  •  130
    The basic principles of Cipra's metaphysics (according to his book "Metamorphoses of Metaphysics") are analyzed with respect to Cipra's request for the revision of classical logical principles (of identity, excluded middle and contradiction). In Cipra's metaphysics, the principle of identity holds for being, necessity and past only, the principle of excluded middle does not hold for coming-to-be, possibility and present, and the principle of contradiction does not hold for the actuality, reality…Read more
  •  15
    In memoriam Zlatko Posavac (1931–2019)
    Prilozi Za Istrazivanje Hrvatske Filozofske Baštine 45 (2). 2019.
    Zlatko Posavac is one of the most thorough and deepest experts on Croatian cultural history, with a focus on aesthetics both as a theory and as realized in artistic practice. On the basis of his improved factography, he examines aesthetic phenomena through the model of meaningful-stylistic structures and epochal change. As one of the fundamental phenomena, he highlights the "prevention of free transmission of tradition" (silencing, falsifying, expulsion of truth). He introduces significant struc…Read more
  •  146
    Meršić o Hilbertovoj aksiomatskoj metodi [Meršić on Hilbert's axiomatic method]
    In E. Banić-Pajnić & M. Girardi Karšulin (eds.), Zbornik u čast Franji Zenku, . pp. 123-135. 2006.
    The criticism of Hilbert's axiomatic system of geometry by Mate Meršić (Merchich, 1850-1928), presented in his work "Organistik der Geometrie" (1914, also in "Modernes und Modriges", 1914), is analyzed and discussed. According to Meršić, geometry cannot be based on its own axioms, as a logical analysis of spatial intuition, but must be derived as a "spatial concretion" using "higher" axioms of arithmetic, logic, and "rational algorithmics." Geometry can only be one, because space is also only on…Read more
  •  16
    Dragišićeva logika [The logic of Georgius Benignus]
    with Mihaela Girardi-Karšulin
    In Erna Banić-Pajnić, Bruno Ćurko, Mihaela Girardi-Karšulin & Ivica Martinović (eds.), Juraj Dragišić: život i djela, Institute of Philosophy. pp. 51-78. 2016.
    It is shown, first, that Georgius Benignus [Juraj Dragišić, ca 1445-1520] at the end of the 15th century almost fully disposed with the theory of the fourth syllogistic figure. Prantl's view on Benignus' logic is critically examined. Besides, Benignus' doctrines on the supposition of terms and logical consequences are examined with respect to his two versions of logic (1488/1489 and 1519) and to the main influences (e.g., Strodus, Paulus Venetus, Ferebrich, Paulus Pergolensis). A reduction of th…Read more
  • A reconstruction of a formal logical deduction of Kant's table of judgments and of the other forms of Kant's "general logic" is proposed on the basis of Kant's texts, remarks and lectures. Logical unity of apperception is taken as the starting point and the reconstructed deduction proceeds only by means of analytic judgments. In distinction to Klaus Reich's approach, the forms of judgment are not derived from the definition of a judgment as relation, but "regressively", starting from quantity, …Read more
  •  50
    Mate Meršić (Merchich, 1850-1928) sees the origin of Zeno’s paradox ‘Achilles’ in the ambiguities of the concept of the infinity. According to him (and to the tradition started by Gregory St. Vincent), those ambiguities are resolved by the concept of convergent geometric series. In this connection, Meršić proposes a general ontological theory with the priority of the finite over the infinite, and, proceeding from Newton’s concept of fluxion, he develops a modal interpretation of differential cal…Read more
  •  20
    Logika
    Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada, 15th edition, corrected and revised. 2016.
    The book contains an introduction to basic logical concepts and methods. It covers traditional logic of categorical judgment and syllogism, modern propositional logic, and introductory elements of predicate logic with corresponding methods (truth tables, natural deduction, truth trees).
  •  10
    Priručnik uz "Logiku" (Manual for the textbook "Logic")
    Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada. 2004.
    The booklet provides teachers and others who use the textbook "Logic" by Srećko Kovač with basic theoretical and philosophical ideas about logic as a discipline, as well as practical instructions on how to use the textbook.
  •  190
    Logika opravdanja u Boškovićevoj indukciji [Justification Logic in Bošković's Induction]
    In Nikola Stanković, Stipe Kutleša & Ivan Šestak (eds.), Filozofija Ruđera Josipa Boškovića, Filozofsko-teološki Institut Družbe Isusove. pp. 153-168. 2014.
    [English in PhilArchive, unpublished]. Ruđer Bošković's (Rogerius Joseph Boscovich, 1711-1787) induction is described as a reasoning procedure that combines abductive, generalizing and deductive forms of inference. According to Bošković, the application of inductive reasoning extends beyond natural science. Bošković's critique of the use of the principle of sufficient reason is discussed, and constructive rules of Bošković's inductive logic are proposed from the standpoint of contemporary justif…Read more
  •  9
    Berislav Žarnić (1959 - 2017)
    Prolegomena: Journal of Philosophy 16 (1): 75-82. 2017.
    Obituary for Berislav Žarnić, an outstanding, internationally influential, Croatian logician and philosopher. His main contributions are in logic of practical inference, logic of imperatives, logic of norms and philosophy of education.
  •  19
    Svojstva klasične logike [Properties of Classical Logic]
    Hrvatski studiji Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. 2013.
    The content for an advanced logic course is presented, which includes the properties of first-order logic language, soundness and completeness of the first-order logic deductive system, Peano arithmetic, Gödel's incompleteness theorems, higher-order logic and its properties. As a reminder, a brief description of first-order logic is included.
  •  182
    The book is a collection of papers addressing the role of logic in forming and developing philosophy. In particular, on the ground of modern development of logic, it is shown that philosophy can be established (and, in fact, to a large extent is established) as a modern science. The following problems are addressed: general relationship between philosophy and science (especially from a logical viewpoint); the use of logic in ordinary language; names and descriptions; Quine's pragmatic extensiona…Read more
  •  15
    This book is an introduction to elementary logic (classical propositional and first-order logic), comprising brief summaries of the basics of elementary logic, with the emphasis on typical questions and procedure descriptions and with a large number of corresponding exercises and problems. Solutions are given for each problem and exercise, often with commentaries. The first part, Basics of Logic, deals with (a) formal language, models, Venn diagrams for sentences, and translation from natural i…Read more
  •  12
    O izvorima i temeljima formalizacije [On the origins and foundations of formalization]
    In Gabriela Bašić-Hanžek, Ljudevit Hanžek & Dario Škarica (eds.), Radovi Znanstvenog centra "Berislav Žarnić", University of Split - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. pp. 13-28. 2022.
    It is shown in what sense essential characteristics of formalism, which is normative for exact knowledge, can be found already in Aristotle. It is described how exactness and formalism are pre-conditioned by sensible intuition. The machine character (Turing machine) of a formalism is considered. The general concept of provability leads to an expanding and dynamic understanding of a formalism, with the final source of logical patterns in the "forms of life" (Wittgenstein).
  •  130
    Remarks on the origin and foundations of formalisation
    In Marcin Będkowski, Anna Brożek, Alicja Chybińska, Stepan Ivanyk & Dominik Traczykowski (eds.), Formal and Informal Methods in Philosophy, Brill Rodopi. 2020.
    The Aristotelian origins of formal systems are outlined, together with Aristotle's use of causal terms in describing syllogisms. The precision and exactness of a formalism, based on the projection of logical forms into perceptive signs, is contrasted with foundational, abstract concepts, independent of any formalism, which are presupposed for the understanding of a formal language. The definition of a formal system by means of a Turing machine is put in the context of Wittgenstein's general cons…Read more
  •  191
    Proofs, necessity and causality
    In Enrique Alonso, Antonia Huertas & Andrei Moldovan (eds.), Aventuras en el Mundo de la Lógica: Ensayos en Honor a María Manzano, College Publications. pp. 239-263. 2019.
    There is a long tradition of logic, from Aristotle to Gödel, of understanding a proof from the concepts of necessity and causality. Gödel's attempts to define provability in terms of necessity led him to the distinction of formal and absolute (abstract) provability. Turing's definition of mechanical procedure by means of a Turing machine (TM) and Gödel's definition of a formal system as a mechanical procedure for producing formulas prompt us to understand formal provability as a mechanical causa…Read more
  •  21
    Faust Vrančić und der Aristotelismus in der Logik
    Studia Historiae Philosophiae Croaticae 2 229-252. 1993.
    Faust Vrančić's (Faustus Verantius, 1551-1617) logic is analyzed in comparison to Renaissance Aristotelianism in logic with regard to the problem of determining logic, the subject of logic, and understanding the method. Vrančić's logic is compared to Markantun de Dominis' understanding of logic and to the understanding of logic in Jacopo Zabarella and in the Jesuit Renaissance tradition (P. Fonseca, F. Toletus, F. Suárez). In addition, the concept of science is discussed. "Censura logicae" publ…Read more
  •  16
    Faust Vrančić i aristotelizam u logici [Faustus Verantius and Aristotelianism in Logic]
    Prilozi Za Istrazivanje Hrvatske Filozofske Baštine 17 (1-2): 17-33. 1988.
    Faust Vrančić's (Faustus Verantius, 1551-1617) logic is analyzed in comparison to Renaissance Aristotelianism in logic with regard to the problem of determining logic, the subject of logic, and understanding the method. Vrančić's logic is compared to Markantun de Dominis' understanding of logic and to the understanding of logic in Jacopo Zabarella and in the Jesuit Renaissance tradition (P. Fonseca, F. Toletus, F. Suárez). In addition, the concept of science is discussed. "Censura logicae" publ…Read more
  •  8
    Goran Švob (1947–2013) in memoriam
    Prilozi Za Istrazivanje Hrvatske Filozofske Baštine 40 (1): 345-348. 2014.
    Goran Švob was an influential Croatian logician and philosopher or language. According to him, logic should be based on a theory of meaning, propositions and truth, and, in its core, is inseparable from central philosophical questions. Švob was especially inspired by Frege's early logical philosophy. According to Švob, the concept of identity should include naming and knowledge and has self-identity of objects as its "degenerate" case.