Substantie

Substantie is the Dutch word for substance and is used in science, philosophy, and law to denote both the material content of things and the essential content of a topic. In everyday Dutch, substantie often means the material substance of something, or the real matter at hand.

In philosophy, substance refers to what exists independently or to the enduring bearer of properties. Classical accounts, influenced by Aristotle's ousia, posit substances as the fundamental entities that persist through change. Modern debates contrast substance theories with bundle theories, which view objects as bundles of properties without a separate substratum.

In chemistry, a chemical substance is a form of matter with a definite composition and properties. Substances include elements and compounds, such as hydrogen or water. They differ from mixtures, which contain two or more substances in varying proportions. Substances can undergo physical changes (state changes) or chemical changes (reactions that form new substances). Purity and composition are central concepts.

In law and public discourse, substantie refers to the content or merits of a case, as opposed to procedural aspects. In English, substantive law denotes the body of law dealing with rights and obligations rather than procedures.

Etymology: substantie comes from Latin substantia, via French and Dutch, from sub- "under" and esse "to be".