Camus claims the absurd is primarily ““the confrontation of this irrational and the wild longing for clarity whose call echoes in the human heart”. The longing human heart confronts an unreasonable and silent world making life absurd. Absurdity comes from feelings which arise when we try to rationalise an irrational world. We might try to accept that no rational answer is possible, however we are not satisfied with this, yearning for it anyway because the human condition desires rational explanation and clarity. Absurdity therefore exists as a relation between humans and the world, expressed by Camus when he says, “the absurd depends as much on man as on the world”. However, while absurdity is a feeling, there is no reality without thought.
Camus’ statement “beginning to think is beginning to be undermined” suggests that sometimes we might better understand the world through experiences of the heart rather than the mind. I agree there is a state of confusion when we look for meaning outside ourself because experiences of the heart and the rational mind are often not reconcilable with the outside world. Our thinking and feeling states are often in a tug of war and because they seldom work simultaneously our moments of lucidity are few. However our thoughts ultimately determine our reality and an attitude incorporating thinking, feeling and acting with our intrinsic values, helps reconcile our place in the world.
Consciousness appears to be a double-edged sword for Camus, who asserts that the only certainties are that he exists, the world exists, and one day he will die, but beyond that “the rest is construction”. While consciousness is the only avenue through which we can become aware of and experience any meaning in life, for Camus it also means acknowledging that we will remain strangers to ourselves because our heart is indefinable. This suggests a sense of alienation from the world which humans feel, and awareness of the conflict between the world, the mind and the body, make us question whether life is worthwhile.
Since the world is devoid of meaning for Camus, and death the only outcome, this frustrates all hopes for the future. Our consciousness of death, together with an awareness that no values exist, gives rise to illusions surrounding our hopes and freedom. While Camus views life in the face of death as meaningless I do not agree that death makes life meaningless. Although life is full of contradictions and death inevitable, meaning can be found regardless of whether or not there is something after death, both at the individual level and for the remainder of humanity.
Although my ability to rationalise life after death is lacking, I do not conclude that life after death is therefore non-existent. Being unable to rationalise something does not mean it does not exist. I may simply not have the tools required for rationalisation. For example, a child unable to read does not make knowledge or books meaningless, it simply means the child has not yet acquired the skills to attribute meaning.
As an existentialist Camus’ focus is on individual experience, however one drawback of this approach is that it neglects to take account of the meaning gained from individual contributions to society. For example, an individual may have devoted their life to research into disease. They may make a relatively small discovery, built upon by someone else after their death, benefiting humankind. This gives meaning to that individual’s life, which lives on long after death. While it may be argued that this has no bearing on whether or not the individual found meaning in their own life, I take it as granted that if someone voluntarily devotes their life to a certain cause it is because they find meaning and value in it. One of Camus’ greatest contradictions is that by defining life as absurd and meaningless, this provides some meaning.
Camus questions whether it is possible to live “without appeal”, which I take to mean without appealing to external values which help make the meaningless, meaningful. Appealing to God is probably the most common avenue of external appeal, although not the only one, but Camus takes the non-existence of god as granted, and therefore religion cannot justify the absurdity of life. Camus’ proposition that we must live by what we know to be true is problematic however when it cannot be a known truth that God does not exist. The problem with external values is that they provide a means of clinging to comforting illusions, and while this may sometimes be the case, it needs to be asked whether this is ultimately a bad thing if it allows subjective meaning to be found.
In conclusion, life is meaningless for Camus in the sense that it has no absolute meaning because the universe is silent and indifferent. Humans have a need for meaning and demand rational clarity and unity, from an irrational world incapable of responding to this human craving. He sees the world as absurd because of this constant collision and separation between human consciousness and the world. While I agree there is a state of confusion we encounter in attempting to incorporate the world, the mind and the body in our search for meaning, and that there is no objective meaning which the world can provide, I do not agree this renders the world meaningless. Although Camus claims values do not exist, my own view is that individual’s do have intrinsic values, which when incorporated with their actions in the world, make life meaningful. So while life has no objective meaning, it is still subjectively meaningful.
Word count: 1,298
Bibliography
Camus, A. (1955). ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, In Klemke E.D., (ed), The Meaning of Life, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press:New York.
Klemke, E.D., (2000). ‘Living Without Appeal: An Affirmative Philosophy of Life’, The Meaning of Life, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press:New York.
Miller, ED. L. (1993). ‘Questions That Matter’, McGraw Hill.
Oakley, T. (2002). ‘Values and the Meaning of Life’, Unit Study Guide, Monash Philosophy.
Internet Sites:
FOLDOP (2003). ‘Free On Line Dictionary of Philosophy’,
Accessed on 13 January 2004
Ievers, L.F. (2001). ‘The Logic of Camus’ Cogito’, Bucknell University,
Accessed on 14 January 2004
Lawry, E.G. (no date). ‘Knowledge as Lucidity: “Summer in Algiers”’, Oklahoma University Website,
Access on 15 January 2004
Roth J.K. (1999). Article from ‘Great Thinkers of the Western World’, Harper Collins, Fullerton College website,
Accessed on 13 January 2004
Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘Living Without Appeal: An Affirmative Philosophy of Life’, in ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.195
FOLDOP (2003), Free On Line Dictionary of Philosophy
FOLDOP (2003), Free On Line Dictionary of Philosophy
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.95
Lawry, E.G. (no date), ‘Knowledge as Lucidity: “Summer in Algiers”’, p.1
Camus, A. ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, in Miller Ed. L. (1993), ‘Questions that Matter’, p.321
Camus, A. ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, in Miller Ed. L. (1993), ‘Questions that Matter’, p.321
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.98
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.98; Ievers, L.F. (2001), ‘The Logic of Camus’ Cogito’, p.1
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.95
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.98
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.98
Camus, A. ‘The Absurdity of Human Existence’, in Klemke, E.D. (2000), ‘The Meaning of Life’, p.99
Roth, J.K. (1999), Article from ‘Great Thinkers of the Western World’, p.2
Ievers, L.F. (2001), ‘The Logic of Camus’ Cogito’, p.1
Roth, J.K. (1999) Article from ‘Great Thinkers of the Western World’, p.2