What did Sartre mean by the statement: "existence precedes essence."

Question

Because there is no God, one is first born and then must create their own meaning/essence.
Although the personal God of Christianity exists, one must still create their own meaning/essence; this is not something God provides.
God plans a person's existence and purpose before they are ever born; thus, an individual's meaning/essence exists prior to the person being born.
None of the above.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: Because there is no God, one is first born and then must create their own meaning/essence.

According to Jean-Paul Sartre, a French existentialist philosopher, "existence precedes essence" means that individuals are first thrown into existence without any predetermined purpose or nature. Unlike in religious or essentialist views where a person's essence or purpose is predetermined by God or an external force, Sartre believed that human beings are free to create their own essence through their choices and actions. Therefore, one must exist first and then define their own purpose or essence through their actions and decisions.