Abstract

Two uses of the word “substance” are relevant in connection with John Locke, although he makes no effort to distinguish them. One use is such that a man, a cherry and lead all necessarily count as kinds of substances. That is, “A man is a substance” and “A cherry is a substance” are necessarily true simply in virtue of how “substance” is used. Given that “a man” is used in an ordinary way, the claim that a man is a substance is no more contentious than the claim that a man is human or that a red substance is a substance.