Simply put, it means that you are born first, you exist as a blank slate with cognitive abilities and instincts, and then you and society mold you into your essence. This is the counter position to the idea of souls. The idea that you exist before and after your time on Earth.
The “Existence Before Essence” position of this debate says that you are born first, you exist as a blank slate with cognitive abilities and instincts, and then you and society mold you into you, into your essence.
The Essence Before Existence position argues that before you are born, your essence—your fundamental nature or purpose—already exists. Whether as a soul, an intrinsic purpose, or a predetermined essence, you are not simply a blank slate upon arrival. Your existence, then, is an unfolding of what was already there, rather than a construction from nothing.
Metaphysics, the branch of philosophy exploring being and reality, investigates what exists and how they exist. You are born a human, you can’t change that, but the essence of you, your identity either evolves as you age or you were born with your identity.