  As indicated earlier, scientia serves as the backdrop against which Locke develops the conception of the knowledge that is possible in natural philosophy for human beings. Having retained the ideal of scientia, as exemplified by geometry, yet having also absorbed the import of Boyle’s experimental method, Locke is driven to his characteristic pessimism about the kind and extent of knowledge possible for us in natural philosophy. “The meanest, and most obvious Things that come in our way, have dark sides, that the quickest Sight cannot penetrate into” (E IV.iii.22, p. 553). Due to the weakness of our faculties, Locke suspects, “natural Philosophy is not capable of being made a Science.” (E IV.xii.10, p. 645). This section considers Locke’s general notion of scientia, what would be required for scientia in natural philosophy, and the obstacles that prevent human beings from attaining scientia in natural philosophy.