Essence and Existence

Essence refers to the fundamental nature or characteristics that define something, while existence pertains to the state of being or having presence in reality. In philosophy, essence answers the question, "What is it?" identifying the qualities that make something what it is, whereas existence addresses, "Does it really exist?" differentiating between things that may have essence but are not present in the physical world. Together, they explore the relationship between the identity of objects or ideas and their actual presence or occurrence in reality, shaping our understanding of both concepts and the world around us.