Final answer:
The word 'substantia' gives the best context clue for 'substance,' indicating the fundamental essence or reality that supports a thing's properties in both philosophical and chemical contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word that provides the best context clue for the meaning of substance in the passage is substantia, from the Latin origin of the word, which describes the fundamental reality or essence of a thing. The passages describe substance in different ways across philosophy and chemistry, but consistently highlight its role as the underlying reality that supports features or properties.
For example, in the context of philosophy, it's discussed in relation to identity and persistence, as well as the nature of the self. In chemistry, substance is defined more concretely as a sample of matter with consistent physical and chemical properties. Both fields of study aim to understand what substance fundamentally is, whether that's in terms of physical compounds or metaphysical essence.