Explain Sartre's concept of existence precedes essence.
For objects, like a paper knife, their essence – their purpose and design – is conceived before they are made. But for humans, we first exist, we are thrown into the world, and only then do we define ourselves. There is no pre-ordained human nature. We are what we make ourselves to be through our free choices. This is the fundamental principle of existentialism: we are condemned to be free.
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