从实体观念到本质--洛克《人类理解论》中的实体学说

从人们形成的实体观念来看,洛克认为它们只是一些简单观念的集合,这些简单观念由可感性质形成,通常指向的就是我们日常所见的可见的有形实体.洛克的实体可以归为两大类:物质实体和精神实体.但是,他用的实体的含义更主要是人们设想的"支撑",即本质.这些"类本质"在人们心中往往指向"实在的本质",洛克认为是事物的内在组织,但是这些内在组织是不可认识的.实体观念不可能反映实在本质,只是名义的本质.他在言说本质时,认为本质是一种抽象.这种实体观不同于亚理士多德以及经院中的"实在论",却又与之相关,体现了洛克的经验主义,延续了近代科学之路,也给我们认识世界提供了启示.

From Ideas of Substances to Essence:On the View of Substance in Locke's Essay

As to the ideas of substances, Locke considers that they are only some collections of simple ideas which are formed by sensible qualities, normally referring to visible things. Actually Locke's substances can be grouped into two main kinds: the one of matter and the other of spirit. However, his meaning of substance essentially refers to the supposed essence, which, in men's mind, usually refers to the real essence. Locke believes that the supposed essence is the internal constitution of matter which we cannot know, and that the so-called ideas of substances formed by men is nominal essence. When he talks about essence, he regards it as a kind of abstract. This view of substance is different from Aristotle's and the realism in scholasticism while at the same time connected with them. Locke's view of substance embodies his empiricism, continues the way of modern sciences, and provides us enlightenments of understanding the external world.