Space­time coordinates of society: accessible and inaccessible time

The article is devoted to the analysis of prospects for a sociological study of the space­time coordinates of society. The philosophical interpretation of the categories “time” and “space” are considered in the framework of German ide- alism. The transition of I. Kant’s transcendental ideas to sociology is represented. The origin of the concepts of social space and social time is considered in the framework of the research program of E. Durkheim. Attention is focused on the study of social time in the works of P. Sorokin, R. Merton, P. Shtompka, E. Zerubavel. The dichotomy of astronomical and social time is considered as a point of problematization in sociological research. This dichotomy seems to be insufficiently correct, because the astronomical concept of time does not reflect “objective time”, but acts as a generally accepted scale, according to which people correlate their actions. In order to avoid terminological inaccuracy, it is proposed to distinguish the following categories: “time” as a meta­phenomenon that permeates all spheres of reality; “time scale” as a universal measuring con- struct; “temporary regularity” as the rhythm of events. The productivity of using the category “temporality” in the analysis of social phenomena is justified in the article.

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