Existentialism and Locus: Existence Precedes Essence

BY NICOLE LAU

Series: Locus × Philosophy - The Metaphysics of Worth (Part 2 of 8)

"Existence precedes essence."

This is the foundational claim of existentialism. And it is profoundly relevant to locus theory.

What does it mean? You exist first. Then you create who you are. There is no predetermined essence, no fixed nature, no external definition of what you should be.

This is radical freedom. And it is terrifying.

This article explores Sartre's radical freedom, Camus's absurdism, and existential anxiety as external locus—the desperate search for essence from outside when you must create it from within.

Sartre: Radical Freedom and Self-Creation

Existence Precedes Essence

Jean-Paul Sartre's central claim: "Existence precedes essence."

For objects (like a paper knife), essence precedes existence. The maker has a concept (essence) before creating the object (existence). The paper knife's purpose is predetermined.

But for humans, existence precedes essence. You are thrown into existence without predetermined purpose or nature. You exist first. Then you create your essence through your choices and actions.

There is no human nature. There is no fixed self. There is only what you make of yourself.

Radical Freedom

If existence precedes essence, you are radically free:

• You are not defined by your past
• You are not determined by your circumstances
• You are not bound by social roles or expectations
• You are not limited by any predetermined nature

You are free to create yourself.

This is not just freedom to choose actions. This is ontological freedom—freedom at the level of being itself.

The Burden of Freedom

But radical freedom is a burden:

"Man is condemned to be free." - Sartre

Why condemned? Because:

• You cannot escape responsibility for who you become
• You cannot blame circumstances, nature, or others
• You must create meaning in a meaningless universe
• Every choice defines you—and you cannot avoid choosing

This creates existential anxiety—the dread of radical freedom and responsibility.

Bad Faith: Fleeing from Freedom

Sartre's concept of bad faith (mauvaise foi) is crucial:

Bad faith is self-deception—denying your freedom by pretending you are determined, fixed, or defined by external factors.

Examples of Bad Faith

• "I am just a waiter" - Identifying completely with a social role, denying freedom to be otherwise
• "I cannot help it, it is my nature" - Claiming a fixed nature to avoid responsibility
• "Society made me this way" - Blaming circumstances to deny freedom
• "I have no choice" - Denying that you always have choice (even if limited)

Bad faith is fleeing from freedom. It is easier to believe you are determined than to face radical freedom.

Existentialism and Internal Locus

Sartre's existentialism aligns with internal locus:

• You create your worth - Worth is not given externally. You define yourself through authentic choices.
• You are responsible - You cannot blame external factors. You are responsible for who you become.
• Authenticity - Living in good faith (authentically) means owning your freedom and creating yourself consciously.

But there is a tension: Sartre says you create worth. Locus theory says worth is inherent.

We will return to this.

Camus: Absurdism and Inherent Worth

The Absurd

Albert Camus, another existentialist, focuses on the absurd:

The absurd is the confrontation between:

• Human need for meaning, purpose, and clarity
• The universe's silence, indifference, and meaninglessness

We crave meaning. The universe offers none. This is the absurd.

The Myth of Sisyphus

Camus's famous essay The Myth of Sisyphus explores this:

Sisyphus is condemned to roll a boulder up a mountain, only for it to roll back down, forever. This is absurd—endless, meaningless labor.

But Camus concludes: "One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Why? Because Sisyphus can find meaning and worth in the act itself, not in external outcomes or cosmic purpose.

He is free. He is present. He is alive. That is enough.

Revolt, Freedom, and Passion

Camus's response to the absurd:

• Revolt - Refuse to accept the absurd passively. Live fully despite it.
• Freedom - Embrace freedom without needing external justification.
• Passion - Live with intensity and presence.

This is inherent worth in existentialist form:

You do not need cosmic meaning to have worth. You do not need external validation. You are valuable simply because you exist and choose to live fully.

Camus and Internal Locus

Camus aligns even more closely with internal locus than Sartre:

• Worth is not dependent on external meaning - The universe is silent. You are still valuable.
• Worth is in being and living - Sisyphus is happy not because he achieves, but because he is.
• Freedom from external validation - You do not need the universe to validate you. You validate yourself by living.

This is existential internal locus.

Existential Anxiety as External Locus

What Is Existential Anxiety?

Existential anxiety (or angst) is the dread that arises from confronting:

• Radical freedom
• Lack of predetermined essence
• Responsibility for creating yourself
• Meaninglessness of the universe
• Inevitability of death

This is not neurotic anxiety (fear of specific threats). This is ontological anxiety—anxiety about existence itself.

Existential Anxiety as External Locus Seeking

Here is the locus insight:

Existential anxiety often manifests as desperate seeking of essence from outside.

You are free to create yourself. But this is terrifying. So you seek:

• Fixed identity from roles - "I am a doctor, a parent, a professional" (bad faith)
• Worth from achievement - "I will be worthy when I achieve X"
• Meaning from external sources - Religion, ideology, social approval
• Validation from others - "Tell me who I am. Tell me I am worthy."

This is external locus as flight from existential freedom.

You are trying to escape the burden of creating yourself by having others or external standards define you.

The Pattern

1. You confront radical freedom ("I must create myself")
2. This creates existential anxiety ("This is terrifying")
3. You flee into external locus ("I will let external factors define me")
4. This provides temporary relief but is bad faith
5. The anxiety returns ("I am still not authentically myself")
6. You seek more external validation
7. The cycle continues

The Alternative: Authentic Internal Locus

The existentialist (and locus) alternative:

1. Confront radical freedom ("I must create myself")
2. Accept existential anxiety ("This is part of being human")
3. Build internal locus ("I am valuable as I create myself authentically")
4. Live in good faith ("I own my freedom and responsibility")
5. Find meaning in being and living ("I do not need external validation")

This is existential courage—facing freedom without fleeing into external locus.

Reconciling Sartre and Locus Theory

The Tension

Sartre: You create your essence (including worth) through choices.

Locus theory: Worth is inherent—you are valuable simply because you exist.

Are these contradictory?

The Resolution

No. They are complementary:

Inherent worth: You are valuable simply because you exist. This is ontological—worth is intrinsic to being.

Created essence: Who you are (your character, values, identity) is created through choices. This is existential—you define yourself.

The integration: You have inherent worth (you do not need to earn it). And you create who you are (you are free to define yourself).

Worth is the foundation. Essence is what you build on that foundation.

You do not create worth. You recognize inherent worth and create authentic self from that stable foundation.

Practice: Existential Internal Locus

Reflection Questions

1. Do I flee from freedom into external definitions of who I should be?
2. Am I living in bad faith—denying my freedom and responsibility?
3. Do I seek essence from outside instead of creating it from within?
4. Can I face existential anxiety without fleeing into external locus?
5. Can I embrace radical freedom while knowing my worth is inherent?

Existential Practices

1. Confront Your Freedom

"I am free to create myself. I am not determined by past, circumstances, or roles. This is terrifying and liberating."

2. Identify Bad Faith

"Where am I denying my freedom? Where am I pretending to be fixed or determined?"

3. Accept Existential Anxiety

"Anxiety about freedom is part of being human. I do not need to flee from it."

4. Build on Inherent Worth

"I am valuable simply because I exist. From this foundation, I create who I am."

5. Live Authentically

"I can create myself consciously, in good faith, owning my freedom and responsibility."

What Comes Next

We have explored existentialism and locus. The next article examines Phenomenology and Locus—Heidegger's Being-in-the-world, authentic vs inauthentic existence, and Dasein's inherent worth.

This is where we explore the phenomenological foundations of internal locus.