Locke on Substance
Locke’s Doctrine of Substance
Calvin Roberts
Mower
February 29th, 2013
Abstract: First, I explore John Locke’s conception of substance. After, I argue that Locke’s theory of substance is necessary for his theory of identity, and therefore philosophically vital for Locke’s ethical and political theories. I consider objections to Locke, but ultimately defend Locke’s theory of substance and its primacy in Locke’s overall philosophy through a different interpretive approach.
Locke’s Substrata: John Locke’s doctrine of substratum—a metaphysical theory that posits that an imperceptible substance underlies all objects—unites properties into one discrete object (I use ‘properties’ synonymously with ‘qualities’). Consider daily experience: we individuate an array of sensory data into discrete objects, mentally recording which properties seem to cluster. For instance, we perceive blackness, softness, and smallness all moving together in one shape and we assume these qualities make up the single object of a dog. However, we do not simply believe this cluster of properties is the object itself, but rather we believe the properties of the dog inhere in something—it stands to reason that we as humans do not simply believe that the qualities of objects could float off in space, rather we believe that the qualities of an object stick together. John Locke himself asserts, “substance in general contains properties” that must belong to something ((Locke Essay, II.viii.42). As Locke further states, qualities “cannot subsist…without something to support them" (Locke Essay, II.viii.41). We might look at substance a different way: certainly Locke maintains qualities belong to objects, but what are objects over and above their properties? Consider stripping an object of its properties: all that seems to be left is a bare ‘something,’ which on pains of regress, has no properties of its own, except the property of being the holder or
Calvin Roberts
Mower
February 29th, 2013
Abstract: First, I explore John Locke’s conception of substance. After, I argue that Locke’s theory of substance is necessary for his theory of identity, and therefore philosophically vital for Locke’s ethical and political theories. I consider objections to Locke, but ultimately defend Locke’s theory of substance and its primacy in Locke’s overall philosophy through a different interpretive approach.
Locke’s Substrata: John Locke’s doctrine of substratum—a metaphysical theory that posits that an imperceptible substance underlies all objects—unites properties into one discrete object (I use ‘properties’ synonymously with ‘qualities’). Consider daily experience: we individuate an array of sensory data into discrete objects, mentally recording which properties seem to cluster. For instance, we perceive blackness, softness, and smallness all moving together in one shape and we assume these qualities make up the single object of a dog. However, we do not simply believe this cluster of properties is the object itself, but rather we believe the properties of the dog inhere in something—it stands to reason that we as humans do not simply believe that the qualities of objects could float off in space, rather we believe that the qualities of an object stick together. John Locke himself asserts, “substance in general contains properties” that must belong to something ((Locke Essay, II.viii.42). As Locke further states, qualities “cannot subsist…without something to support them" (Locke Essay, II.viii.41). We might look at substance a different way: certainly Locke maintains qualities belong to objects, but what are objects over and above their properties? Consider stripping an object of its properties: all that seems to be left is a bare ‘something,’ which on pains of regress, has no properties of its own, except the property of being the holder or
References: 1. Priest, Stephen. 2004. The British Empiricists. Oxford University Press. 99-154. 2. Priest, Ron. 1999. Responding to Locke. Owl Purdue Publishers. 34-62. 3. John Locke. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Harper Edition. 4. Nimbalkar, Namita. 2011. John Lock on Personal Identity. National Library of Medicine. 268-275 5. Locke J. Of Identity and Diversity. In: Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1694. p. 51. 6. Butler J. 1975. ’Of Personal Identity’ in the Analogy of Religion. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1736. p. 100.