Existence precedes essence
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In philosophy, "existence precedes essence", at the most basic level of understanding, is based on the idea of existence without essence. For humanity, it means that humanity may exist, but humanity's existence does not mean anything at least at the beginning. This concept can be applied at the individual level as well. The value and meaning of this existence—or essence—is created only later. As a result, the idea is an important concept in atheism. It directly and strongly rejects the traditional religious beliefs that a human has an essence (the soul) and that human existence has inherent meaning.
The concept was first formulated by Jean-Paul Sartre and is a key foundational concept of existentialism. Simone de Beauvoir uses this concept in her feminist existentialism to develop the idea that "one is not born a woman, but becomes one".
