Litvinov S. Mega methaphor of "space" in the system of sociologic knowledge.

This dissertation explores evolution, content and cognitive potential of space metaphor and "space" concepts in social theory and sociology. Тhe dissertation observes different approaches to overcome epistemological uncertainty in use of "space" concepts in sociological theory in order to make them evident and operational. It is concluded, that metaphor as instrumental concept is peculiar to discipline at the time of transformation of its subject. For sociology this process has permanent character. The crisis of theories determines crisis of "normal" concepts and evokes changing of metaphoric. So in social theory's history we could detach periods of rise and fall of mega metaphors: "machine", "organism", "system", "market", "theatre" and, at last, "space". Each of them has its specific interpretation in different theories and theoretic models. Till to the 80-th of XX century had been appeared three main interpretation of "space" metaphor in sociology. The first was metaphor of "social space" in P.Sorokin's conception. The second was phenomenological interpretation (from A.Shuets to J.Habermas). P.Burdie developed the third interpretation - "constructive structuralism". "Space" analogy expresses an important aspect of fundamental problem of intersubjectivety.