PHIL102: Contrasting Sartre and Plato on Existence and Essence

This research essay delves into the philosophical concept of 'Existence Precedes Essence,' primarily focusing on Jean-Paul Sartre's perspective and contrasting it with Plato's essentialist and universalist views. The essay explains Sartre's assertion that existence comes before essence, emphasizing individual freedom and responsibility in defining one's own nature. It explores Sartre's differentiation between 'being-in-itself' and 'being-for-itself,' highlighting human agency in creating meaning. In contrast, the essay examines Plato's essentialism, which posits that inherent, unchanging characteristics define beings. It discusses Plato's emphasis on education and universal forms as the basis for understanding reality. The essay concludes by comparing and contrasting these two philosophies, emphasizing the prominence of living and the educational criteria, and the extreme circumstances faced by people, all while highlighting the importance of individual responsibility and societal perspectives. Desklib offers students access to similar essays and resources for their academic needs.

Research Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SARTRE SAYS: “EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE.”...........................................................3
PLATO, WHOSE VIEWS ARE ESSENTIALIST AND UNIVERSALIST..................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
The entire report will bring forth an analysis towards the fact that existence precedes essence. It
is a minimalistic thought that will bring in the philosophical aspects which will also explain the
purpose of existence (Devlin, 2019). The nature along with its formulations are derived to be the
traditional waste that word define life is what is being detected through this report will stop
entire characterization is portrayed on an absolute form with respect to external nature and that
will also help to improve the brief challenges that are part of existence.
SARTRE SAYS: “EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE.”
Existence precedes essence is one of the classical means of bringing about formulation that are
derived by the heart. There are certain speculations that an individual usually process with
respect to the mycological standard where the traditional metaphysics as the kept a head. The
essence of life is brought about by the fundamental as well as the eternal criteria that will help
people to understand things and also learn more about humanity. Universe is full of challenges
and also the fundamental aspects of various philosophies will portray upon different
circumstances and stages of life that will derive essence. Satre usually find differences between
the nature and it attains. It also brings about a fact that there are two kinds of beings. These two
things that are being differentiated by him will portray upon the things that will give a
characterization about being in itself and being for itself. These are the two typical statement that
have been described by him in order to explain the external objects (De Albuquerque, 2019).
There are various exam in properties as well as the purposes that are in regard to derive the
existence of a person. There are hammering facts that will exist as a part of certain reasons of
examining the purpose of creation. This will also define the offence which is being preceded by
existence. The kind of offence is being spotted upon and individuals within himself and the
second statement that is being passed by him as being for itself which means that for a certain
purpose in nature people usually crave about deriving their standards. This is a state of humanity
that is being perfectly debited. There are various factors that will derive humans as defendants.
There are certain traditional metaphysics that are being influenced by the religion and according
to certain philosophers humans are the ones that are deliberately created by an omnipresent
named god and there are certain purposes that are being dealt by them in their mind. There are
certain contexts in regard to the characteristics of nature that are being brought about that will
derive the essence of life and that is preceded by existence. Without an offence there is no life is

what is being portrayed by Satre. The periodic human nature that is being occupied by various
traditional aspects is brought about by the purpose with which an internal mind will usually
accompany. The essence of every existence is being defined by the probable features that will
bring about an additional factor known to be the faith that will usually exist in people (Mishra,
2021). Also there are certain beliefs and challenges that will explain the probability of traditional
metaphysics saying that there is no god. No matter how far the circumstances might lead to yet
the concept of god is said to be a hypothetical one where it cannot be concluded upon
comfortable means. Upon all these he also drew few conclusions that are in regard to the
statement that there is no god. There is an argument that is being portrayed upon various facts of
his believes that will bring about a criteria that there is no god which was the first place of
emphasis. Also there are various clearances that are being emphasized upon bringing this belief
into existence. He usually targets human to be the one of the offence of nature and that their
engagement will determine the society and natural world. There are individual and responsible
actions that are being dealt by nature and these are personified by human beings that will define
themselves. The freedom that is being a responsible action in this and commitment of people are
dependent upon their level of behaviour is as important as deriving the facts of life. Some lone
individualists usually bring in the choices that people are usually responsible about themselves.
For this an act of self-deception is what is being chosen to highlight the leading factors of
responsibility. The essence of human beings is derived by their own actions that usually impact
nature (Ajizah, 2017).
PLATO, WHOSE VIEWS ARE ESSENTIALIST AND UNIVERSALIST
The leading Greek philosopher Plato is said to be one of the discipline of Socrates who brought
about various philosophical aspects into existence. there are various concepts and conceptions
that are being brought about by him in order to derive the essence of existence (Ajizah, 2017).
There are certain metaphysics that are being included by Plato to depict the choices of
essentialist and universalist. The essentialism that is apart of well-being of people usually
portrayed upon the fact that there are certain natural characteristics that are being incorporated in
people and they bring about an innate and change concepts that are essential to be defined. There
are various educational philosophies that will revolve around essentialism to be one of the
probable factors of traditional disciplines and also a fact that there are basic essential subject that
will have to be derived upon. The definition that can be portrayed up on traditional concept can

also revolve around the mythological concepts that can explain essentialism to be one of the
profound mechanism that will deal with the capacity ability needs and interests of people.
Culture plays a major role in determining the essentialism factor in regard to the traditional
aspects and governing laws. There are also few natural laws that remain unchanged and also
encourage a happier and more educated lifestyle of people. This curriculum has brought about
short and traditional disciplines that are regarded to be one of the essential criteria for people to
survive (Omd, 2020). According to the essentialism the consideration is more portrait towards
education criteria and how far people will have to deal with the approaches of prevalent
education facilities. There are certain educational theory that are said to be one of the essential
criteria and their derive the academic standards of people. The school systems as well as the
social promotion that is in regard to considering the data which will derive problems of people
without education or also for consideration in essentialism. Students and education are the major
criteria and they play a major role in the society. People when lacking education will deal with
unnecessary extravagant situations that are or to be sorted out. Getting to a level of satisfactory
where philosophy of education will rule over the entire wellbeing will also depict the standards
of society. Society as well as it believes has got more into bring about an ethical standards that
are a part of essentialist movement. There is also a Greek philosophy that will usually revolve
around the progressive education Association. The nature of human mind as well as its potential
to deal with the circumstances is there in portrait in this. It is also necessary that the societal
problems can only be dealt with the proper understanding and that is essential for people to
incorporate the choices of life. In order to deal with the excellence of education it is also
necessary that the concept that are oriented with society as well as community will have to be
derived. The change conference will have to be fostered at all levels which are essential to be
incorporated upon. Everything depends upon the interest of people and it is not until when
people are interested to what the education facilities that every instance can derive their measure
of dealing with. This will bring about the values and responsibilities that a student usually will
have to deal with and also the struggle that are to be intimidated. Perspectives of the society will
play a major role in categorisation of problems (Puti and Setyabudi, 2020). This is also one of
the universal is decision that will derive the essence of essentialist. In order to develop a person
intellectually and individually is also necessary that their social and political participation is
necessary. This will also derive the universalist criteria that can bring about a framework of

different untold circumstances. There are certain experiences that will fall in regard to the
universal concept of human mind. Human mind is a place where there are certain explanations
that will have to be derived in terms of philosophical and prototypical analogue. The universal is
contact will usually deal with the negative tolerance over a certain aspect with regard to the
education in this criteria. There are certain negative beliefs that are pertaining in the society that
more of education will obviously destroyed the entire community (Miller, 2020). Abandoning all
these facts the governments are moving ahead with an essentialist approach that are bringing
about the philosophy of education.
Comparison and contrast
Both the philosophies together state that the essence of the essentialist features are the
prominence of the living. There are various instances that are being considered which are
prominent enough to conquer the circumstances. The education criteria that is being mentioned
in the report with respect to the Plato point of view is one of the probable measure that will help
to deal with the extravagant essentialist features. The essence of life as said by Satre is of the
formulation that will highlight the cause of life and the extreme circumstances that are eventually
faced by people around.
CONCLUSION
The entire report controls upon highlighting the aspects that are dealing with the philosophies
that are revolving around existence precedes essence and the role of essentialist and universalist.
Through this report one can easily understand the various statements that are being forced by
Satre and Plato. The mythological standard that are being there at by various speculations that an
individual usually deals with his being portrayed upon the fundamental aspects of philosophies.
The typical entropy that is dealing with the standards of people in the society are being explained
as a part of essentialist decisions. The various perception of people that are existing in the society
and those that are dealing with the negotiations of education are being explained in this report.
Also, the domination of essential is over the universalist are being highlighted such that there are
certain well beings that are evolved and which are conceptualized.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Ajizah, 2017. A study of mona quincy's existence: freedom and responsibility in Dee Ernst's
better off without him (Doctoral dissertation, UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya).
De Albuquerque, 2019. Getting to the essence: An important narrowing of a philosophical
movement. TLS. Times Literary Supplement. (6064). pp.25-26.
Devlin, 2019. Knowing Who you Are: Existence Precedes Essence in Moana. Disney and
Philosophy: Truth, Trust, and a Little Bit of Pixie Dust, pp.107-117.
Miller, 2020. Rethinking Existentialism. Existential Analysis. 31(2). pp.381-384.
Mishra, 2021. FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY DEFINE HUMAN ESSENCE IN
SARTRE PHILOSOPHY.
Omd, 2020. NO HUMAN NATURE, NO OBJECTIVE VALUE: A CRITIQUE OF SARTRE'S
EXISTENTIALISM. Oracle of Wisdom Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs
(OWIJOPPA). 4(3).
Puti and Setyabudi, 2020. The Existence of Elizabeth Gilbert to Find Her Identity in Eat, Pray,
Love By Elizabeth Gilbert (2006): an Existentialism Study (Doctoral dissertation,
Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta).
Online
Existence precedes essence: [Online]. Available through: < Existence Precedes Essence – A
Journey Towards Meaning (psu.edu) >
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