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The existential quantifier ∃ is often used in logic to express existence.. Existence is the state of having being or reality in contrast to nonexistence and nonbeing.Existence is often contrasted with essence: the essence of an entity is its essential features or qualities, which can be understood even if one does not know whether the entity exists.
Being, or existence, is the main topic of ontology. It is one of the most general and fundamental concepts, encompassing all of reality and every entity within it. [b] In its broadest sense, being only contrasts with non-being or nothingness. [14] It is controversial whether a more substantial analysis of the concept or meaning of being is ...
In German, Dasein is the vernacular term for "existence". It is derived from da-sein, which literally means "being-there" or "there-being". [3] In a philosophical context, it was first used by Leibniz and Wolff in the 17th century, as well as by Kant and Hegel in the 18th and 19th; however, Heidegger's later association of the word with human existence was uncommon and not of special ...
The first English use of the expression "meaning of life" appears in Thomas Carlyle's Sartor Resartus (1833–1834), book II chapter IX, "The Everlasting Yea". [1]Our Life is compassed round with Necessity; yet is the meaning of Life itself no other than Freedom, than Voluntary Force: thus have we a warfare; in the beginning, especially, a hard-fought battle.
An immanent Being is the object of the philosophies of Plotinus, Hegel and Heidegger. [7] The most perfect Being (or Esse ipsum subsistens, Being that subsists by itself and not in virtue of other-from-itself), is as strong and powerful, intelligent and free, noble and precious, profound and intimate to creatures, as nobody else can exist.
Metaphysicians often regard existence or being as one of the most basic and general concepts. [26] To exist means to be part of reality, distinguishing real entities from imaginary ones. [27] According to a traditionally influential view, existence is a property of properties: if an entity exists then its properties are instantiated. [28]
The proposition that existence precedes essence (French: l'existence précède l'essence) is a central claim of existentialism, which reverses the traditional philosophical view that the essence (the nature) of a thing is more fundamental and immutable than its existence (the mere fact of its being). [1]
Rowe believes that this is analogous to the ontological argument's conception of God in the formulation of the greatest conceivable being: the greatest conceivable being is an omnipotent, omnipowerful, supremely perfect, existing being. Nothing in that definition explicitly demonstrates existence, it is simply added on as a necessary ...