Plato and Aristotle developed influential yet distinct theories regarding the relationship between the body and the soul, and these theories shaped classical philosophical understanding of the human being. Later, existentialist philosophers introduced a radically different perspective by rejecting the idea that human beings possess a fixed essence prior to existence. The existentialist principle that "existence precedes essence" transformed traditional philosophical views of human nature, freedom, and identity. Plato viewed the human being as essentially a soul temporarily imprisoned within a material body. According to him, the soul is immortal, eternal, and belongs to the world of Forms, where true knowledge exists. The body, by contrast, is material, perishable, and often becomes a source of distraction, desire, and illusion. Sense perception gained through the body is unreliable, while genuine knowledge is achieved through rational contemplation by the soul. Plato believed that the soul existed before birth and survives after death. The purpose of human life is to purify the soul from bodily influences through reason, virtue, and philosophical inquiry, thereby preparing it for its return to the realm of eternal realities. Aristotle rejected Plato's sharp dualism between the body and the soul. He argued that the body and