NOTHING

In this paper the problem of non-being in the light of poststructuralist critics of the figure of presence is investigated. The major assumption of consideration of this problem becomes recognition of strong correlation between being and thinking, and also between thinking and representation in frames of the western metaphysics.

In the article the specificity of methodological function of nothing as category in philosophy and science is revealed. Special attention is paid to methodological function of this category in existentialism, religious philosophy and theology.