Understanding Existentialism: Existence Precedes Essence

Existentialism is a philosophical tradition that emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility. A core idea in existentialist thought is the relationship between "existence" and "essence." To understand the primary belief of Existentialism, we need to look at how it defines these terms, especially concerning human beings.

Existence and Essence Explained

• Existence: This refers to the simple fact of being or existing in the world. For humans, it is our presence, our being here and now.
• Essence: This refers to the fundamental nature, purpose, or definition of a thing. For manufactured objects, the essence (the idea or plan) often exists before the object itself comes into existence (e.g., the concept of a knife exists before a specific knife is made).

The Primary Existentialist Belief

The central tenet of Existentialism regarding humans is that "Existence precedes Essence." This means that unlike manufactured things or perhaps other beings, humans are not born with a pre-determined nature, purpose, or definition. We are born, we exist, and then through our choices, actions, and experiences, we define ourselves. Our essence is not given to us; it is created by us.

Consider an example: A paper knife. The person making the paper knife knows its purpose (to cut paper) and its nature (sharp, made of metal/plastic) before they create it. Its essence precedes its existence.

According to Existentialism, a human being is different. There is no universal blueprint or inherent purpose for humanity before an individual is born. Each person is thrown into existence first, and then through their freedom and choices, they define what it means to be them. We are not defined by a pre-existing essence; we define our own essence through our lives.

Analyzing the Options

Let's examine the given options in light of the existentialist view:

• Essence precedes Existence: This represents the traditional philosophical view, which Existentialism rejects when applied to human beings. This view suggests that there is a universal human nature or purpose that exists before any individual is born.
• Action precedes Intuition: This relates to epistemology (how we gain knowledge) or ethics (how we decide what to do), but it is not the primary ontological principle defining human reality in Existentialism.
• Intuition precedes Action: Similar to the previous option, this relates to the process of knowing or deciding, not the fundamental existential condition of human beings.
• Existence precedes Essence: This directly states the core existentialist belief about human beings. We first exist, and then we create our own essence through our freedom and choices.

Therefore, the primary belief of Existentialism among the options is that Existence precedes Essence.

Revision Table: Key Existentialist Concepts

Additional Information on Existentialism

The belief that Existence precedes Essence has profound implications:

• Freedom: If there is no pre-set essence, humans are radically free to define themselves. This freedom comes with significant responsibility.
• Responsibility: Since we define our own essence, we are fully responsible for who we become through our choices. There's no external nature or God to blame.
• Anguish: This radical freedom and responsibility can lead to anguish, the feeling of burden from having to make choices in a world without inherent meaning or guidance.
• Meaning Creation: Meaning is not found, but created by individuals through their projects and commitments.

Key figures associated with Existentialism include Jean-Paul Sartre (who explicitly used the phrase "existence precedes essence"), Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, and Søren Kierkegaard, although their ideas within the tradition vary.