Albert CamusAlbert Camus

The AbsurdThe Absurd

• Nonsense of LifeNonsense of Life

A.A. Fundamental question of philosophy Fundamental question of philosophy – – Is life worth living?Is life worth living?

1. Living is not easy.1. Living is not easy.

2. Man is a creature of habit.2. Man is a creature of habit.

3. Committing suicide happens when 3. Committing suicide happens when man decides that. . .man decides that. . .

a. Daily habits are ridiculous.a. Daily habits are ridiculous.

b. There is no profound reason to b. There is no profound reason to live.live.

c. Daily agitation is insane.c. Daily agitation is insane.

d. Suffering is useless. d. Suffering is useless.

B.B. The Feeling of Absurdity The Feeling of Absurdity

1. Comes from the nausea of mechanical 1. Comes from the nausea of mechanical daily existencedaily existence

a. Same routine, day after daya. Same routine, day after day

b. Lassitude leads to the question, Why? b. Lassitude leads to the question, Why?

c. In a world without sparkle, man is a “stranger”.c. In a world without sparkle, man is a “stranger”.

2. Is a result of the divorce between man and his 2. Is a result of the divorce between man and his lifelife..

3. Is revealed by the certainty of death.3. Is revealed by the certainty of death.

4. Comes from believing that each day is 4. Comes from believing that each day is subjectsubject

to tomorrow. Therefore, time is an to tomorrow. Therefore, time is an enemy.enemy.

5. Comes when intelligence recognizes that 5. Comes when intelligence recognizes that it it cannot understand the world.cannot understand the world.

The world is irrational. The world is irrational.

C. Definition of the absurdC. Definition of the absurd

1. The absurd is neither in the world , 1. The absurd is neither in the world , nor in man, but in their common nor in man, but in their common presence. It is born of their apparent presence. It is born of their apparent contradiction.contradiction.

• The Absurd ManThe Absurd Man

A.A. Camus refuses to condone acts of Camus refuses to condone acts of avoidance like suicide which avoidance like suicide which suppress man’s conscience and suppress man’s conscience and doctrines. doctrines.

B.B. Camus decides to live only with that Camus decides to live only with that which is known.which is known.

C.C. Camas assigns three consequences to the Camas assigns three consequences to the absurd.absurd.1. Revolt1. Revolt

a. A perpetual confrontation a. A perpetual confrontation between man between man and his own obscurity. and his own obscurity.

b. It is not an aspiration, but rather, b. It is not an aspiration, but rather, it is the it is the absence of hope. absence of hope.

c. It gives man a sense of nobility.c. It gives man a sense of nobility.

d. It is the certainty of a crushing d. It is the certainty of a crushing fate.fate.

2. Freedom2. Freedom

a. The absurd man sets aside a. The absurd man sets aside the the problem of personal problem of personal liberty within, liberty within, because it because it relates to the belief in relates to the belief in God. God.

b. The absurd allows man to see b. The absurd allows man to see things things from a new perspective. from a new perspective.

((Man knows that his condition is without Man knows that his condition is without hope)hope)

3. Passion3. Passiona. Living in an absurd universe a. Living in an absurd universe

consists consists of multiplying intelligible of multiplying intelligible experiences experiences with passion. with passion.

b. Camus insists on the quantity b. Camus insists on the quantity rather rather than the quality. than the quality.

c. Man must be ready to pay for c. Man must be ready to pay for his his actions. actions.

d. Man is his one and only end.d. Man is his one and only end.

• The StrangerThe Stranger

According to Germaine BrAccording to Germaine Bréée Camus e Camus was unable to accept traditional was unable to accept traditional religious interpretations of man’s religious interpretations of man’s universal condemnation. Life itself is universal condemnation. Life itself is the cause of this tragic problem.the cause of this tragic problem.

Meursault tells the story himself in Meursault tells the story himself in the first person but objectively with a the first person but objectively with a kind of flat, impersonal precision as if kind of flat, impersonal precision as if he is a “stranger” to the events.he is a “stranger” to the events.

• What do you think of Meursault?What do you think of Meursault?

- Unresponsive.- Unresponsive.

- Puzzling.- Puzzling.

- Some what repellent.- Some what repellent.

As we advance in the story, he As we advance in the story, he appears to be sincere and honest. He appears to be sincere and honest. He says what he understands and feels. says what he understands and feels. He does not wish to hurt others. It is He does not wish to hurt others. It is only by his lack of sensitivity to the only by his lack of sensitivity to the social conventions that Camus social conventions that Camus makes us realize Meursault’s inability makes us realize Meursault’s inability to feel shame and his indifference to to feel shame and his indifference to social conformity.social conformity.

• Is Meursault a rebel?Is Meursault a rebel?

He is not a man who looks at himself He is not a man who looks at himself as different from other men.as different from other men.

Although, he does not know what Although, he does not know what interests him, he knows what does interests him, he knows what does not interest him.not interest him.

• Is Meursault proud, arrogant, or Is Meursault proud, arrogant, or dejected?dejected?

He enjoys the simple pleasure of He enjoys the simple pleasure of everyday life.everyday life.

Underneath his apparent indifference, Underneath his apparent indifference, he slowly changes until he is filled he slowly changes until he is filled with passion and bitterness.with passion and bitterness.

• What is the unique value of life?What is the unique value of life?

Meursault’s life must be lived with a Meursault’s life must be lived with a passionate enjoyment to the fullest.passionate enjoyment to the fullest.