Locke's obscure notion of substance
From the historical point of view it is common to observe a tendency towards the reduction of the period of modernity, specifically the one that comprises the 17th century to a dichotomy between Rationalism and Empiricism. However, such a division risks impoverishing the great discussions of the period and their important contributions to scientific-philosophical research. John Locke, recognized as one of the greatest exponents of the British current, in keeping with the scientific program of the period, intended to examine the nature, foundations and limits of knowledge in order to obtain useful and practical results for human life. However, Locke's work and the importance of his contributions to epistemology are often misunderstood. This research aims to analyze the notion of substance from one of the main works of the British philosopher - the Essay on Human Understanding. In the Essay the dangers of dogmatism and superstition to the true knowledge of the phenomena of nature are evident. There is a distinct obscurity in the idea of substance, which, while admitting skeptical elements in its empiricist theory of ideas, demonstrates that it cannot be completely ruled out. Examining this tension and some of its epistemic developments is our central goal.