Contemporary paradigms of space ontology and its relation to the epistemology of architecture

Ontology cannot be separated from epistemology and also from methodology; Engaging any of them will be completed through answering the two others، ontology being the first and the base of the further questions. Through the lenses of three conceptions of space (absolute، relative and relational)، ontologies of space will be investigated in this article; It will be argued that without explicit reference to the social context، the absolute and relative conceptions remain within the scope of positive science. In epistemology these two، either consider space as an instrument for social reforms or passive and as the receptor of the meaning from social mechanisms. The third conception، the relative space، however focuses on the simultaneous production of space and the society، as if it is a scene for the society’s play: not every social order is suitable for a play، nor every play is possible on a scene. This conception leads the epistemology of space and architectural theory towards inter- & trans-disciplinary research.