The Notion of Absurdity and Meaning of Life in Albert Camus Existentialism

Abstract

Camus unreservedly condemned and strictly criticized and rejected suicide and existential leap because suicide is a total surrender to absurdity and a total confession that life is too much on the individual. His interest in existentialism is to explain the meaninglessness of life through his explication of the absurd which is found in human existence; and which continues to torment man until the finality of his existence which is death. The knowledge that life is absurd is already a step towards conquering the meaninglessness of life. For Camus therefore, since absurd has no meaning, man must hold himself apart from it and revolt against it. This is why he suggested philosophical suicide as a solution to reverse the absurdity of life. The question then is, since man's belief in the absurdity of existence, then how and where should he direct his conduct, does suicide solve this problem? The consequences of Camus' submissions are enormous; but be that as it may, this work attempts a study of the absurdity inherent in human existence with a view to answering the following questions: How far did Camus achieve the idea of absurdity of life? How realistic is Camus' attempt to analyze life as meaningless apart from the meaning we give to it? Did Camus actually succeed in his attempt to show that life is absurd? Finally, what are the implications of Camus' absurdity to philosophy and to life in general? This work will adopt expository and analytic methodological approaches. Here we shall with a detailed and deep reflective inquiry expose the place of absurdity in Camus' philosophy in order to fully understand his understanding of life.

Embracing the Absurd to Find Meaning amid the Coronavirus Pandemic in Saleema Nawaz’s Songs for the End of the World (2020)

“…What does the 'absurd' mean? According to Arinze and Onwuatuegwu (2020), "The word has its etymological origin from the Latin word, 'absur-dus-a-um', meaning unreasonable, out of place, foolish, ridiculous, discordant, etc." (p. 530) (1942) (Arinze and Onwuatuegwu, 2020).…”

“…According to Arinze and Onwuatuegwu (2020), "The word has its etymological origin from the Latin word, 'absur-dus-a-um', meaning unreasonable, out of place, foolish, ridiculous, discordant, etc." (p. 530) (1942) (Arinze and Onwuatuegwu, 2020). Camus explains his concept of the absurd: I said that the world is absurd, but I was too hasty.…”

The Notion of Absurdity and Meaning of Life in Albert Camus Existentialism

“…This is owing to the fact that if creation and the world is clear, art would not have existed. Asking the question how art can create their own meaning, Camus answers that "in a world, it is a problem of civilization and it is essential for us to know whether man, without the help either of the eternal or of the rationalistic thought can unaided create his own values" (Camus, 1975). Camus holds life to end with death but for him, until then, everything is up to us.…”

“…His solution to this is a constant revolution against the absurd instead of suicide which comes from the awareness of the absurd. For him, from the moment the absurd is recognized, it becomes a passion, the utmost harrowing of all (Camus, 1975).…”

Existentialism as Portrayed in Stoner

“…Camus defines the absurd as a sudden realization, an awakening of the sensitivity of the mind that finds life to be a chaos impervious to reason, a realization of the denseness and strangeness of the world (1965: 11). When one realizes that life is absurd, one subsequently realizes that life is naturally alienating, incomprehensible, and difficult (Arinze & Onwuatuegwu, 2020;Gloag, 2020). The nature of the awareness may incite discouragement.…”