Albert Camus
Albert Camus
Albert Camus; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, and journalist. His views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism. He wrote in his essay The Rebel that his whole life was devoted to opposing the philosophy of nihilism while still delving deeply into individual freedom. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth7 November 1913
CountryFrance
rejection unity artistic-creation
Artistic creation is a demand for unity and a rejection of the world.
spring mean unity
I can negate everything of that part of me that lives on vague nostalgias, except this desire for unity, this longing to solve, this need for clarity and cohesion. I can refute everything in this world surrounding me that offends or enraptures me, except this chaos, this sovereign chance and this divine equivalence which springs from anarchy. I don't know whether this world has meaning that transcends it. But I know that I do not know that meaning and that it is impossible for me just now to know it. What can a meaning outside my condition mean to me? I can understand only in human terms.
unity principles needs
It is not the world that is absurd, nor human thought: the absurd arises when the human need to understand meets the unreasonableness of the world, when 'my appetite for the absolute and for unity' meets 'the impossibility of reducing this world to a rational and reasonable principle.'
unity demand rebellion
In every rebellion is to be found the metaphysical demand for unity, the impossibility of capturing it, and the construction of a substitute universe.
evil life-and-death unity
Metaphysical rebellion is a claim, motivated by the concept of a complete unity, against the suffering of life and death and a protest against the human condition both for its incompleteness, thanks to death, and its wastefulness, thanks to evil.
unity kind rebellion
Every rebellion implies some kind of unity.
consent forgiven french-philosopher happiness share successes
You are forgiven for your happiness and your successes only if you generously consent to share them.
again against despite ending fight personal record relentless saints terror unable
It could only be a record of what had had to be done, and what assuredly would have to be done again in the never ending fight against terror and its relentless onslaughts, despite personal afflictions, by all who, while unable to be saints but refus
actual existence human potential speaks terms today whoever
Whoever today speaks of human existence in terms of power, efficiency, and ''historical tasks'' is an actual or potential assassin.
against approve defend firing obliged shall whatever
Listen, Tar, ... This is the real problem: whatever happens, I shall always defend you against the firing squad. But you will be obliged to approve my being shot. Think about that.
awaken face faces fact glow happiness man mere night seen torn vocation
When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face of a belovedperson, you know that a man can have no vocation but to awaken thatlight on the faces surrounding him; and you are torn by the thought ofthe unhappiness and night you cast, by the mere fact of living, in thehearts you encounter.
failure fight head share took tragedy turn
Well, the tragedy is over. The failure is complete. I turn my head and go away. I took my share in this fight for the impossible.
action assert continue knew ourselves psychology self-knowledge shape thinking
To know oneself, one should assert oneself. Psychology is action, not thinking about oneself. We continue to shape our personality all our life. If we knew ourselves perfectly, we should die.
answer asked charm charming clear french-philosopher
You know what charm is: a way of getting the answer 'yes' without having asked any clear question.