preexistentie

Preexistence refers to the state of existing prior to a given point in time, most commonly before birth or before an event or condition. The term is used in philosophy, theology, and everyday language to describe whether something has continuity of existence from earlier times into the present. It is often contrasted with postexistence, the idea of coming into existence later or at a later moment.

The word combines a prefix meaning “before” with the concept of existence. In Dutch it is rendered as preexistentie, and in English as preexistence. The term is used across different fields to discuss whether a thing or being is thought to have existed before its current form, location, or life.

In theology, preexistence is a doctrine that a soul or entity exists before birth. Some religious traditions have taught that souls preexisted earthly life and later inhabited bodies, while others reject this view or interpret it in a non-listorical way. In Christian theology, the preexistence of Christ, or the Logos, refers to the belief that the divine second person of the Trinity existed prior to the Incarnation.

In philosophy, preexistence appears in Platonic and Neoplatonist thought, which posits the existence of souls or forms before embodiment. Related ideas appear in discussions of reincarnation, karma, and the persistence of identity over time.

In contemporary usage outside religious contexts, preexistence is typically used as a factual statement about what existed beforehand, or as a hypothetical in a discussion about origins. In science, discussions about origins rely on empirical evidence rather than ontological preexistence.