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Questions tagged [camus]

Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a French author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. He is associated with existentialism and absurdism.

The following are some sources for more information on Camus:

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Is atheism a requirement for a consistent existentialist philosophy?

Søren Kierkegaard is generally considered to be the "father of existentialism". This always bothered me, since to me Sartre and Camus are the defining figures of the movement, and it seems that there is no room for God in an existential…
Alan Turing
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Why and how is Camus "against nihilism"?

I see in several sources that Camus is "against nihilism"(though there are also a few that state he utilizes elements of nihilism), however, (Sorry for referring to Wikipedia. Didn't have enough time to dive into more original research) The…
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Was the European Left confined in a false dichotomy between capitalism and communism?

In the 2004 book "Camus and Sartre: The Story of a Friendship and the Quarrel That Ended It" (link to a brief review/synopsis), the author portrays two of the leading members of the literary class' political left as divided over the following…
mfg
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What is "the Nietzschean criterion" in Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus"?

Quote: It seems there are but two philosophical solutions [regarding killing oneself], either yes or no. This would be too easy. But allowance must be made for those who, without concluding, continue questioning. Here I am only slightly indulging…
djechlin
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Why does Camus consider an absurd life better than suicide?

Source: pp 200-201, A Little History of Philosophy (2011 ed; not 2012 Reprint ed.) by Nigel Warburton PhD in Philosophy. A novice, I am still easing into philosophy with introductions and do not feel prepared yet to read Camus; but please tell me if…
user8572
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Is Sisyphus actually happy or is he content?

I am having trouble understanding what Camus meant when he says "One must imagine Sisyphus is happy" in the essay The Myth of Sisyphus. What does Camus mean by happiness, and how can Sisyphus be happy when faced with a meaningless existence? When…
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What does Albert Camus mean by two methods of thought, "of La Palisse and Don Quixote"?

In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus says that there are two methods of thought to conclude that the meaning of life is the most urgent of questions: those of La Palisse and Don Quixote: Whether the earth or the sun revolves around the other is a matter…
virtuous
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What are some book suggestions for further reading about Camus and the absurd, after reading the Stranger and Myth of Sisyphus?

I read The Stranger a long time ago, but I'm sure I missed a lot. More recently I've read a bit of Kierkegaard and now I'm making my way through The Myth of Sisyphus (and am more inclined to agree with Camus than Kierkegaard). I'm hoping to find a…
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Is existentialism the "practical" nihilism?

Nihilism states that no matter what you do, it's meaningless. But how do you decide then, what to do? A few years back I read "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Camus, in which he tackles the question, if suicide is the logical outcome of nihilism (which he…
user1309
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What did Camus mean when he wrote "All thoughts are anthropomorphic"?

I am currently reading the Myth of Sisyphus and I came across the following: All thoughts are anthropomorphic My Interpretation Prior to reading this, I had no idea what "anthropomorphic" meant. However, I looked up the definition and it seems…
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Explanations of concepts underlying Camus' "The Rebel"?

[Note: First question on this site - I've used other StackExchange sites but this is a first for me. Be gentle.] I recently began reading Albert Camus' "The Rebel" because it was referenced extensively in another book I'd recently read ("Terror…
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Why should we care about anyone?

If we take the World as absurd - without any meaning or end result, and believe in no such thing as God or afterlife (taking Camus' stance in Myth of Sisyphus), why should anyone, fundamentally, care about anything or anyone? Of course, in…
Ajax
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Did Camus ever really write "Should I kill myself or have a cup of coffee"?

I think it's so wonderfully and beautifully put, but can't find the source, and am curious as to whether or not it's a genuine quotation.
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What to know before reading The Myth of Sisyphus?

Does one need a solid knowledge on anything in particular before tackling this essay? He mentions quite a lot of writers and philosophers (Nietzsche, Lequier, Jaspers, Chestov, Kierkegaard and, in particular Kafka and Dostoyevsky) and dedicates…
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Is Camus 'Outsider' an argument for, or a critique of existentialism?

I've read Camus 'Outsider' twice. And have seen it acted out in the theatre. I do not think I understand it, though I can admire Camus prose style. Its often taken as canonical in existentialist literature. How do I connect the the philosophy to…
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