Eugen Zeleňák
Biographic Data
| ID | 1689463 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Eugen Zeleňák |
| GIVEN NAMES | Eugen |
| FAMILY NAME | Zeleňák |
| SIGNATURE | ZELEŇÁK E |
| AFFILIATIONS | Catholic University in Ruzomberok |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0576-4080 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 19 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Two Accounts of Historical Knowledge
This review essay examines a recurring distinction in the philosophy of history between the phase of establishing historical facts or knowledge claims and the phase of interpreting them. Focusing on two recent books by Aviezer Tucker and Chiel van den Akker, it analyzes how each author conceptualizes historical knowledge by emphasizing one of these phases. Tucker locates the core of historical practice in evidential reasoning and the production o…
Historical Narratives
Mapping Theory of History after the Linguistic Turn
During the last decades of the 20th century, the theory of history experienced an influence of the linguistic turn, primarily through the narrativist movement. Recently, however, interest in narrativism and the linguistic turn declined, and several new approaches to the theory of history emerged. In the paper, I discuss just two of them and, where relevant, I focus on how they transform or criticize narrativism. Namely, I explore new realism and …
On the Realist-Constructivist Controversy in Contemporary Philosophy of History
Debates between realists and anti-realists or constructivists have reappeared in philosophy of history several times. The most recent controversy between these authors has been contributing to discussions within what is sometimes called analytical philosophy of history. In the paper, I provide an overview of this controversy. I try to make explicit crucial presuppositions of the two positions and, more importantly, I argue that some realist inter…
Na obranu non-reprezentacionalizmu vo filozofii histórie
For several decades, there has been a heated debate between realists and anti-realists in philosophy of history. Realists, on the one hand, insist that historians face pre-structured past reality and their goal is to represent it in their works. Antirealists, on the other hand, challenge various details of realism, they emphasize constructive role of historians in their work and they welcome plurality in history. In his recent text in this journa…
How not to construe strong constructivism in philosophy of history
Koligačné pojmy v histórii ako predmet sporu medzi realizmom a konštruktivizmom
In their works, historians do not only deal with individual acts or smallscale events, but also with complex phenomena. Thus, it is common in historical works to discuss late antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Scholastic period, the Renaissance, the French Revolution, and the Cold War. In this context, some theorists and philosophers of history speak of specific concepts or terms used to unify a mass of information into a single whole. These so-call…
On Plurality and Relativism in History
The existence of differing historical interpretations of the same happenings and the consequences of this phenomenon have attracted scholarly attention and deserve to be studied in the future by philosophers of history. Plurality repeatedly surfaces in historical discussions and relativism seems to be one of the obvious conclusions drawn from the existence of competing historical accounts. In my paper, I begin with plurality in history to examine…
In a Parallel World
This article proposes to identify the conceptual structure guiding Frank Ankersmit’s philosophy of history. We argue that philosophical analysis of history consists in Ankersmit’s approach of three different levels: 1) the level of the past itself which is the subject of ontology, 2) the level of description of the past that is studied by epistemology, and 3) the level of representation of the past which should be analysed primarily by means of a…
How to Cure Narrativism with Rational Evaluation
Over the past years, narrativism has ceased to be the dominant research program in the philosophy of history and several authors have started to develop new research agendas. In his recent book, Jouni-Matti Kuukkanen presents an original postnarrativist philosophy of history as an attempt to surpass narrativism. Although he adopts what he calls the narrativist insight, he tries to avoid the problems of narrativism by focusing on epistemic questio…
Two Versions of a Constructivist View of Historical Work
Narrativist philosophy of history popularized a constructivist view arguing that historical works are not simple depictions of the past but rather are complicated constructions. According to narrativists, historians engage in a creative activity of proposing points of view, interpretations, or theses on the past that do not straightforwardly reflect past events. Although this is a broad constructivist view behind the theorizing of a number of aut…
Using Goodman to Explore Historical Representation
Several authors argue that historical works should be viewed as relatively complex and autonomous constructions that are of interest in their own right. In the paper I follow this general approach to history and provide an analysis of historical representation inspired mainly by Nelson Goodman’s observations about symbols. In Languages of Art , Goodman makes a number of interesting claims regarding pictorial representation, exemplification and ex…
Semantics of Historical Representation in Terms of Aspects
In his latest book, Frank Ankersmit proposes an original theory of historical representation. In this review I focus on what I take to be his most important semantic points with respect to representation, meaning, truth, and reference. First, I provide a short summary of the book. Second, I explore his semantics in terms of aspects and compare it with a different account inspired by the Fregean notion of mode of presentation. As my examination sh…
Modifying Alun Munslow's classification of approaches to history
Alun Munslow distinguishes three approaches to historical knowledge: reconstructionism, constructionism and deconstructionism. This threefold classification proved to be an effective means for him to discuss recent developments concerning such topics as narrative, correspondence, reference, etc. Moreover, his classificatory framework has also been utilized by other authors to interpret various issues of historical work. In this paper, however, I …
Indirect Reference and the Creation of Distance in History
In his discussion of David Hume and historical distance, Mark Salber Phillips points out that in the process of distance-creation there is a distinction between something occurring "within the text" and "outside the text." In this paper I draw on this distinction and introduce a semantic mechanism (namely, meaning) that allows a certain distance to be designed within a historical text. This mechanism is highlighted in a view of reference that see…
On Sense, Reference, and Tone in History
This paper tries to show how the Fregean semantic framework, especially the notions of sense and tone, can be used to explain certain features of history. Following Michael Dummett’s interpretation of Gottlob Frege’s notion of meaning, it is possible to conceive of historical works as proposing particular modes of presentation of past events. In fact, alternative historical works about the same past events could be viewed as differing in what sen…
On Explanatory Relata in Singular Causal Explanation
Explanation is usually taken to be a relation between certain entities. The aim of this paper is to discuss what entities are suitable as explanatory relata of singular causal explanations, i.e., explanations concerning singular causality relating particular events or other appropriate entities. I outline three different positions. The purely causal approach stipulates that the same entities that are related in the singular causal relation are al…
Exploring holism in Frank Ankersmit's historical representation
For over 20 years Frank Ankersmit has been one of the leading figures of narrativist philosophy of history. Despite the fact that his work has received considerable attention from other philosophers of history, few authors have attempted to provide a favorable interpretation of the interesting things he says about history. In this article I argue that such an interpretation of his account of historical representation may reveal a very important p…
Čo by malo priniesť historické dielo
Chápání historické práce podle Franka Ankersmita, tak jak je předvedeno především v jeho Narativní logice (1983), si získalo značnou pozornost mezi filosofy dějin a historiky. Ankersmitův narativismus klade zajímavé otázky a vnáší pochyby vůči tradičním předpokladům historiografie. Nejpřekvapivější, a pro některé autory nejotřesivější, je tvrzení, že historický narativ – narratio – nemůže mít žádnou pravdivostní hodnotu. Tento článek ukazuje a ro…
How to Cure Narrativism with Rational Evaluation
Over the past years, narrativism has ceased to be the dominant research program in the philosophy of history and several authors have started to develop new research agendas. In his recent book, Jouni-Matti Kuukkanen presents an original postnarrativist philosophy of history as an attempt to surpass narrativism. Although he adopts what he calls the narrativist insight, he tries to avoid the problems of narrativism by focusing on epistemic questio…
Exploring holism in Frank Ankersmit's historical representation
For over 20 years Frank Ankersmit has been one of the leading figures of narrativist philosophy of history. Despite the fact that his work has received considerable attention from other philosophers of history, few authors have attempted to provide a favorable interpretation of the interesting things he says about history. In this article I argue that such an interpretation of his account of historical representation may reveal a very important p…
Čo by malo priniesť historické dielo
Chápání historické práce podle Franka Ankersmita, tak jak je předvedeno především v jeho Narativní logice (1983), si získalo značnou pozornost mezi filosofy dějin a historiky. Ankersmitův narativismus klade zajímavé otázky a vnáší pochyby vůči tradičním předpokladům historiografie. Nejpřekvapivější, a pro některé autory nejotřesivější, je tvrzení, že historický narativ – narratio – nemůže mít žádnou pravdivostní hodnotu. Tento článek ukazuje a ro…
On Explanatory Relata in Singular Causal Explanation
Explanation is usually taken to be a relation between certain entities. The aim of this paper is to discuss what entities are suitable as explanatory relata of singular causal explanations, i.e., explanations concerning singular causality relating particular events or other appropriate entities. I outline three different positions. The purely causal approach stipulates that the same entities that are related in the singular causal relation are al…
Exploring holism in Frank Ankersmit's historical representation
For over 20 years Frank Ankersmit has been one of the leading figures of narrativist philosophy of history. Despite the fact that his work has received considerable attention from other philosophers of history, few authors have attempted to provide a favorable interpretation of the interesting things he says about history. In this article I argue that such an interpretation of his account of historical representation may reveal a very important p…
On Sense, Reference, and Tone in History
This paper tries to show how the Fregean semantic framework, especially the notions of sense and tone, can be used to explain certain features of history. Following Michael Dummett’s interpretation of Gottlob Frege’s notion of meaning, it is possible to conceive of historical works as proposing particular modes of presentation of past events. In fact, alternative historical works about the same past events could be viewed as differing in what sen…
Modifying Alun Munslow's classification of approaches to history
Alun Munslow distinguishes three approaches to historical knowledge: reconstructionism, constructionism and deconstructionism. This threefold classification proved to be an effective means for him to discuss recent developments concerning such topics as narrative, correspondence, reference, etc. Moreover, his classificatory framework has also been utilized by other authors to interpret various issues of historical work. In this paper, however, I …
Indirect Reference and the Creation of Distance in History
In his discussion of David Hume and historical distance, Mark Salber Phillips points out that in the process of distance-creation there is a distinction between something occurring "within the text" and "outside the text." In this paper I draw on this distinction and introduce a semantic mechanism (namely, meaning) that allows a certain distance to be designed within a historical text. This mechanism is highlighted in a view of reference that see…
Using Goodman to Explore Historical Representation
Several authors argue that historical works should be viewed as relatively complex and autonomous constructions that are of interest in their own right. In the paper I follow this general approach to history and provide an analysis of historical representation inspired mainly by Nelson Goodman’s observations about symbols. In Languages of Art , Goodman makes a number of interesting claims regarding pictorial representation, exemplification and ex…
Semantics of Historical Representation in Terms of Aspects
In his latest book, Frank Ankersmit proposes an original theory of historical representation. In this review I focus on what I take to be his most important semantic points with respect to representation, meaning, truth, and reference. First, I provide a short summary of the book. Second, I explore his semantics in terms of aspects and compare it with a different account inspired by the Fregean notion of mode of presentation. As my examination sh…
Two Versions of a Constructivist View of Historical Work
Narrativist philosophy of history popularized a constructivist view arguing that historical works are not simple depictions of the past but rather are complicated constructions. According to narrativists, historians engage in a creative activity of proposing points of view, interpretations, or theses on the past that do not straightforwardly reflect past events. Although this is a broad constructivist view behind the theorizing of a number of aut…
How to Cure Narrativism with Rational Evaluation
Over the past years, narrativism has ceased to be the dominant research program in the philosophy of history and several authors have started to develop new research agendas. In his recent book, Jouni-Matti Kuukkanen presents an original postnarrativist philosophy of history as an attempt to surpass narrativism. Although he adopts what he calls the narrativist insight, he tries to avoid the problems of narrativism by focusing on epistemic questio…
In a Parallel World
This article proposes to identify the conceptual structure guiding Frank Ankersmit’s philosophy of history. We argue that philosophical analysis of history consists in Ankersmit’s approach of three different levels: 1) the level of the past itself which is the subject of ontology, 2) the level of description of the past that is studied by epistemology, and 3) the level of representation of the past which should be analysed primarily by means of a…
On Plurality and Relativism in History
The existence of differing historical interpretations of the same happenings and the consequences of this phenomenon have attracted scholarly attention and deserve to be studied in the future by philosophers of history. Plurality repeatedly surfaces in historical discussions and relativism seems to be one of the obvious conclusions drawn from the existence of competing historical accounts. In my paper, I begin with plurality in history to examine…
How not to construe strong constructivism in philosophy of history
Koligačné pojmy v histórii ako predmet sporu medzi realizmom a konštruktivizmom
In their works, historians do not only deal with individual acts or smallscale events, but also with complex phenomena. Thus, it is common in historical works to discuss late antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Scholastic period, the Renaissance, the French Revolution, and the Cold War. In this context, some theorists and philosophers of history speak of specific concepts or terms used to unify a mass of information into a single whole. These so-call…
Mapping Theory of History after the Linguistic Turn
During the last decades of the 20th century, the theory of history experienced an influence of the linguistic turn, primarily through the narrativist movement. Recently, however, interest in narrativism and the linguistic turn declined, and several new approaches to the theory of history emerged. In the paper, I discuss just two of them and, where relevant, I focus on how they transform or criticize narrativism. Namely, I explore new realism and …
On the Realist-Constructivist Controversy in Contemporary Philosophy of History
Debates between realists and anti-realists or constructivists have reappeared in philosophy of history several times. The most recent controversy between these authors has been contributing to discussions within what is sometimes called analytical philosophy of history. In the paper, I provide an overview of this controversy. I try to make explicit crucial presuppositions of the two positions and, more importantly, I argue that some realist inter…
Na obranu non-reprezentacionalizmu vo filozofii histórie
For several decades, there has been a heated debate between realists and anti-realists in philosophy of history. Realists, on the one hand, insist that historians face pre-structured past reality and their goal is to represent it in their works. Antirealists, on the other hand, challenge various details of realism, they emphasize constructive role of historians in their work and they welcome plurality in history. In his recent text in this journa…
Two Accounts of Historical Knowledge
This review essay examines a recurring distinction in the philosophy of history between the phase of establishing historical facts or knowledge claims and the phase of interpreting them. Focusing on two recent books by Aviezer Tucker and Chiel van den Akker, it analyzes how each author conceptualizes historical knowledge by emphasizing one of these phases. Tucker locates the core of historical practice in evidential reasoning and the production o…
Historical Narratives
Philosophy (14 works) · Epistemology (13 works) · Philosophy, History, and Historiography (13 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Linguistics (6 works) · Politics (6 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Law (5 works) · History (4 works)