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Single Idea 16037

[from 'Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed)' by John Locke, in 14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / k. Explanations by essence ]

Full Idea

It seems that Locke employs the concept of a real essence when he is addressing issues of scientific explanation, and he appeals to substratum when he is discussing the general concept of what it is to be a thing (as opposed to a property or mode).

Gist of Idea

Locke seems to use real essence for scientific explanation, and substratum for the being of a thing

Source

report of John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694]) by Jan-Erik Jones - Real Essence §4.4

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.18


A Reaction

[This idea is attributed to Nicholas Jolley 1999] Locke was, of course, utterly pessimistic about the possibility of knowing real essences. For Aristotle, real essence does both jobs.