The Subject In Harmony Of Existence And Essence

The priority of existence, i.e. "existence precedes essence", is the primary intention of the contemporary existential philosophy. However, Jacques Maritain criticized the hidden fact that the contemporary existentialism actually ignored essence, for which the priority of existence is negated as well. He regarded the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas as the authentic existentialism due to the virtual combination of existence and essence in Thomism, which results in the absolute priority of existence. Moreover, Maritain further pointed that the most serious fault of existentialists is they only treat the subject as existent, so that they are confined in the subject itself leading to their disconnection with others’. Therefore, in Maritain’s authentic existentialism, despite the subject still have to encounter with the Kierkegaardian desperation, it can transformed into other’s subject by means of combining existence and essence. Namely, the interconnection between self and others is established. Certainly, for the reason of the disability of the subject to break away from itself and thoroughly enter others’, the combination of existence and essence provide this interconnection a possibility rather than a inevitability.Because of the enlightenment from contemporary existentialism, Maritain puts forward the concept of "la subjectivite comme subjectivite" which is the base of discussion on subject. Also it is the knot between philosophy and religion for the reason that it is the chance for us of turning to the God. Maritain points out that the reason why most of the existentialism have never enter the field of theology is their ambiguity of subject. As a result, Maritain brings forth the new ideas on the Thomasim -Existentialism theology and bridges the worlds of philosophy and religion through the discussion of love, freedom and hope.