ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part shows that John Locke believes that all the qualities of bodies flow from their real essences. It explores Locke thought that qualities are explained by real essences, plus certain laws that God has instituted, which explain the connection between various essences and the qualities they are associated with. The part discusses the problem, Locke appears to be committed to three inconsistent views. Those are: bodies fundamentally have only the mechanical qualities: shape, size, motion, and solidity; bodies' qualities are all explained by their real essences, their fundamental features; and not all of the features of bodies are explained by their shape, size, motion, and solidity.
