RHEMA UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA

153/155 ABA OWERRI ROAD, ABA, ABIA STATE

NAME:
OCHI-EJIMOFOR LISA CHISOM

COLLEGE:
COLLEGE OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT:
MICROBIOLOGY

COURSE:
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY, LOGIC, AND HUMAN
EXISTENCE

COURSE CODE:
GST 113

LECTURER:
DR WOGU POWER

DATE:
29TH JANUARY, 2022.

ASSIGNMENT 4

Provide, with vivid Examples (At least 2 examples) arguments to support

the school of thought which now holds that "Essence precede existence".

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Definitions of existence.
2. Meaning of the word “precede”.
3. Meaning of essence.
4. Preamble of “essence precedes existence”.
5. Illustration of “essence precedes existence”.
6. Summary.
DEFINITIONS OF EXISTENCE

There are many definitions of existence which include:

- The fact or state of living

- The ability of an entity to interact with reality.

- The ontological property of being.

MEANING OF THE WORD “PRECEDE”

The word precede simply means “to come before”

MEANING OF ESSENCE

Essence means:
1.ideas,

2. values,

3. thoughts,

4. purpose,

5. characteristics,

6. property of people and things.

ESSENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE

PREAMBLE:

- People might argue that so far as one is given birth to, the person
exists. But everyone and everything including animals are born.

Therefore if existence is judged based on birth, the person is the same as

every other person, animals and objects.

However what differentiate and you from every other thing is your essence,
your identity, your importance.

Essence makes who and what you are or a thing is.

 - Essence differs between individuals and things. A person or a things
essence or characteristic is different from another.

For example, a doctor and a lawyer, table and chair, red and blue, contrast
from each other because of their properties and characteristics.

- Many life issues revolve around the questions:

a. Is existence a property of individuals,

b. Are there individual that lacks existence.

ILLUSTRATIONS

- We have different kinds of colours but what makes a colour exist is

its essence.

For example when a person sees a colour say “red”, the person is able to
identify it as such because of its characteristic “red”.

Red is the colours essence which makes it exist, and different from other
colours.

Therefore, without its essence “red” the colour will not be recognized or
identified which is its existence.

- A quote says “Human existence is not based on its physical being

but on the psychological and social being which represents characteristics,
property and essence.

That means that a person or thing does not exist until its worth and impact is
known.

Therefore a bad person or government does not exist because they are not
making any impact or adding any value to individuals lives.

- Plato says that the surrounding world is a world of essence.

This entails that essence is already present in the world and it precedes
existence.

That is why God created the things of the world (trees, animals, water, and so
on) which are the essence first before creating man, existence knowing that
man cannot exist and survive without these essences.

- St Thomas claimed that essence is the indispensable basis for

reality which is existence.
Using an example demonstrated by Camus, for a paper cutter to exist, the
essence must be known, because the idea and purpose of a paper cutter must
exist prior to a craftsman creating the paper cutter.

Therefore no person will create a thing without having any idea of what it
will be used for, because essence is the basis for its creation and it precedes
existence.

In line to this basis, this is why proverbs 16:4 says that “The Lord has Made
everything for its purpose”.

That is, the reason behind God creating man is his purpose which is essence.
Therefore you exist when you actualize your essence.

- Sartre explained that if existence precedes essence, man himself

will create his essence and thus be responsible for his actions.

That means that there is no necessity for the existence of God and man will
be free to do anything he wants which will lead to chaos.

- If existence precedes essence, we would have excused our actions by

pretending that we are simply our bodies and are controlled by the forces
that determine them we would have said things like:

A: I cannot talk to people, I just do not have that kind of personality.

B: I cannot pass this course I just do not have the brain for calculus.

Therefore for you to exist you must have control over your actions and
bodies and it is your character, essence that helps you achieve this.

- Essence propels you to exist. For example, a student stays awake to

read his book because he wants to exist by becoming useful in life.

SUMMARY

- Meinongianism entails that there are people or things which do not exist.

This occurs when its essence is not known which can lead to death.

For example, a table does not exist until its essence is known and utilized if
not, it will lie in waste and eventually decay.

Also, if a person does not have any goal and essence for his life, he eventually
gets frustrated and lead to suicidal death.

That is why Aristotle says that “he sees nothing more existence and essence”,
Avicenna, “essence is an element of necessity” and

Aquinas, “your essence is what makes you who you are”.