Dr. Amal Bouharb

The truth between existence and essence in Aristotelian thought

Dr. Amal Bouharb

*Source Of the: London's Sawt Al-Arab newspaper

Philosophy reflects the cumulative challenges that humanity has faced since ancient times, and perhaps the question of truth is one of the most complex and controversial issues. Man has always sought to understand what lies beyond existence, and what is the essence that constitutes the essence of truth. In this context, the philosophical heritage of Aristotle occupies a prominent place, as his ideas have influenced the course of Western thought from the fourth century BC to the present day. However, the effects of this search for truth extend beyond Aristotle to include other philosophers such as Nietzsche, Sartre, Spinoza, and Ibn Rushd, who added new dimensions to this complex issue related to the relationship between existence and essence. In his philosophy, Aristotle presents a contrasting conception between existence (which relates to being) and essence (which refers to the essence of being). Aristotle believes that all things have a real existence, but this existence cannot be fully understood without inmersing themselves in their nature and essential characteristics. The existence of a thing

'is different from its essence, as something can exist without expressing its real essence. But how can a person realize the true essence of existence? The Dutch philosopher Spinoza expressed existence with the concept of "essence", saying: "Everything that exists has an essence, and what has a true existence is what expresses this essence." We find a convergence with Aristotle's ideas, where understanding the essence becomes necessary to realize existence, so that truth is knowledge in itself. In Aristotle's view, truth is linked to knowing things as they are, which is known as the law of identity: "A thing is what it is." Facts are not just empty judgments of their content, but rather manifestations of reality that extend deep into the nature of things. Sartre uses this concept in his depiction of existentialism, as he highlights the importance of self-awareness, saying: "Existence precedes essence," meaning that man, as a conscious being, is the one who determines his truth through his actions and choices. If self- awareness in this context is the key to understanding truth, how is this awareness affected by different social and cultural contexts? Looking at essence from Aristotle's perspective means searching into the factors that make things up, while investigating existence is a way to discover how These essences are manifested in the world, as essence is linked to the characteristics of the thing, while existence expresses our life experience. Therefore, a deep understanding of truth requires harmony between the two concepts. This harmony between existence and essence is evident in the idea of "accidents" or "secondary factors," which tell us more about how things interact in reality and why they change. Nietzsche adds an individual dimension to existential understanding, as he considers that "truth is not something that can be found, but rather a creation." Therefore, man must transcend historial and social constraints to realize himself. If truth is an individual experience, it must be realized that knowledge has intertwined dimensions in light of this personal experience. Aristotle's vision was greatly influenced by later philosophical thought, especially the reflections of Ibn Rushd, who played a pivotal role in conveying Aristotle's philosophy to the Islamic world and then to Europe. Ibn Rushd reinterpreted Aristotle in a way that reflects the complexities of Arab thought, as he tried to combine reason and transmission, which added an additional existential dimension to the discussion about essence and existence. Ibn Rushd says: "A healthy understanding that relies on reason helps to differentiate between phenomena." And the facts "In an existential context, this search for truth can be seen as part of the human journey towards self-understanding. The more the individual seeks to interpret the existence around him, the more he is confronted with existential questions related to the meaning of life.

Dr. Amal Bouharb