[MD] Does Existence precede Essence?

[MarshaV]

At 05:16 PM 6/23/2006, you wrote:

Marsha:
> > This essay twists like a knife.  I am interested to hear the
> > comments.  But first I would like to know if I am understanding
> > 'existence precedes essence' correctly.  If I stated that 'experience
> > precedes thought' or that 'an event precedes definition' would I be
> > correctly paraphrasing?

Ham:
>Yes.  Sartre is saying that the existence of things is primary to their
>essence.  To the existentialists, essence is the "being" that becomes
>(evolves) from existence (the material world).

Ham,

But then my paraphrasing is incorrect.  In my mind, neither 
experience or an event are material.

Marsha