EN
At the turn of the 20th century, a phenomenon of the 'science of science' appeared in the Polish science. The social and historical contexts of the essential problem of defining basic notions such as 'science', 'scientist', and 'university' are shown. Conceptual chaos in social sciences accompanied the period of change in scientific paradigm, including changes in designates of notions. Difficulties with self-determination of the identity of science were deepened by idealisation of fundamental categories, characteristic for academic milieu.