对空间概念的认识至今仍处于不断的争论中,人文地理学不同流派对空间的理解多种多样。空间究竟是什么?人文地理学该怎么理解和认识空间,以及怎样对空间进行研究?对上述问题的回答必然涉及对空间概念的讨论和对空间本体论和认识论的再认识。为此,本文从人文地理学中的空间的哲学透视、空间的流派解读、空间的主、客观研究以及空间的辩证法等几方面解读空间理论,认为存在的三元辩证法是空间本体论,空间性的三元辩证法是空间认识论,而社会空间辩证法是空间生产论。

The concept of space is one of the most fundamental of geographical concepts. Nevertheless, geography has not as yet formulated an explicit and unambiguous definition of geographical space. Different schools of human geography have various explanations of the concept of space. Sometimes space is considered to be neutral, meaningless, and empty; sometimes be a meaningful container. There are concrete space and abstract space. The philosophy of space makes a profound impact on the development and applications of space in human geography, and space is a traditional research in human geography. What is space? How to recognize and interpret space? How to do research about space? Answers of these questions involve the discussion of the concept of space, the rethink the ontology and epistemology of space. This paper aims to explore the dimensions of human geography to interpret space from "philosophical perspective", "genre interpretation", "subjective and objective research", and "spatial dialectic". There are a good dialectical balance between spatiality, historic and sociality. The third space is made of the first space and the second space, but it is not simple composition of the first space and the second space. It is continuous composition and accumulation of the first space and the second space. Spatiality is the carrier of all kinds of social relations and social structures. Social life, which is the outcomes of spatiality, can shape space. The philosophy of space consists of two groups which are "absolute space vs. relative space" and "material space vs. spiritual space". Objective research of space focuses on spatial analysis and spatial structure as well as spatial organization and spatial order. However, subjective research of space focuses on the perception of environment and the subjective perspective. The authors summarize those two perspectives both objective and subjective research of space should be combined.