Sartre's metaphysical position is simply stated in three easy words; Existence precedes Essence. What does this mean? It means that we have no predetermined nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us. We are radically free to act independently of determination by outside influences. We create our own human nature through these free choices. We also create our values through these choices. With the existentialist view we understand that we are thrown into existence first without a predetermined nature and only later do we construct our nature or essence through our actions. This Opposes the traditional view of Essence precedes Existence, according to which we are seen as having a given nature that determines what we are and what our ultimate purpose or value is. We are understood by analogy to artifacts which are made with a pre-existing idea or concept of what they will be and what they will be good for.
With there being no......
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