Eksistensen

Eksistensen is the definite form of eksistens, a noun in Norwegian and Danish that denotes existence or the state of existing. The indefinite form eksistens corresponds to existence in general; eksistensen specifies a particular existence, as in the phrase "the existence of X." The term is widely used in philosophy, theology, and everyday language when discussing whether something is real, present, or provable.

Etymology: Eksistens derives from Latin existere, via French existence and German Existenz. In Scandinavian languages the root eksist- is preserved, and the definite suffix -en marks the definite form in common usage.

In philosophy and scholarly writing, eksistensen appears in discussions of ontology, being, and causation, as well as in debates about the existence of God or other entities. While many thinkers outside the region discuss existence with language-specific equivalents (existence, Existenz), Norwegian and Danish writers frequently use eksistens and eksistensen when presenting arguments about what it means for something to exist.

In everyday language, the term can refer to concrete existence (a person’s existence), institutional existence (the existence of a company), or abstract existence (the existence of laws).

Related concepts include existence, ontology, and existentialism. Eksistensen is a straightforward linguistic manifestation of a universal philosophical topic, and its usage mirrors general debates about what it means for anything to be.