Existentialism,
Albert Camus,
and
The Stranger
Albert Camus (1913 - 1960),
a French philosopher of the absurd,
novelist, and dramatist
Albert Camus
• Born in Algeria in 1913
• Settled in Paris and studied philosophy and
literature
• One of the principal persons of the existentialist
movement
• Writings often considered controversial
• Writings affected by the time period, especially
the horrors of WWII
Camus, cont.
• Work is characterized by simple plots,
effectiveness of dialogue and dramatic
effects, extreme of racism, political
corruption, the exploitation of women,
and, above all, the hypocrisy of American
life.
A Poem by Stephen Crane
A man said to the universe:
“Sir I exist!”
“However, replied the universe,
“the fact has not created in me a sense of
obligation.”
EXISTENTIALISM
“A body of ethical thought centering about the uniqueness and
isolation of individual experience in a universe indifferent or
hostile to man, regarding human existence as unexplainable, and
emphasizing man’s freedom of choice and responsibility for
the consequences of his acts.”
**Take a minute with a partner and break down this definition.
Write your own version of the definition.
What is Existentialism?
•The word first appeared in 1941
•Branch of philosophy based on the situation of the
individual in an absurd or meaningless universe
where humans have free will
•Existentialists argue that people are responsible
for and the sole judge of their actions as they affect
others.
•Individuals must not allow their choices to be
constrained by ANYTHING -- not even reason or
morality. One has the ultimate freedom to choose,
which leads to the notion of nonbeing, or nothingness
BACKGROUND
Sartre, in his lecture: “Existentialism and Human Emotions,
formed the slogan Existence precedes Essence.”
He illustrated this slogan with four points:
1)
We have no predetermined nature or essence that
controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable
for us.
2)
We are radically free to act independently of
determination by outside influences.
3)
We create our own human nature through these free
choices.
4)
We also create our values through these choices.
The Basic Existentialist Standpoint:
• Existence precedes essence.
• Essence: the basic, real, and invariable nature
of a thing or its significant individual feature or
features
• Man exists without a predetermined purpose
• Man is a conscious subject rather than a thing to
be predicted or manipulated.
• Man exists as a conscious being, and not in
accordance with any definition, generalization,
or system.
More Existentialist Themes
• Identities are constructed by the
individual consciousness only.
• Values are subjective- no preset right
or wrong.
• We are all condemned to be free.
Death: According to Existentialists
• Simply put: Life is short, then you die.
Death is the final nothingness.
• According to Sartre, death is an
absurd birth…it is nothing but the
wiping out of my existence as a
conscious being.
• Death shows the absurdity of the
human existence.
Moral Individualism
• There are no universal, objective standards for right and
wrong.
• No objective, rational basis exists for moral decisions.
• The individual must decide which situations are to count as
moral situations.
• The individual is responsible for all of the consequences of
one’s actions.
Choice and Commitment
• Humanity’s primary distinction is the
freedom to choose; the choices an
individual makes create his or her nature.
• Choice is inescapable; even the refusal to
choose is a choice.
• Freedom of choice involves commitment;
one must accept the risk and responsibility
of following that commitment.
Absurdity
• The doctrine that human beings live in essential
isolation in a meaningless and irrational world.
• Absurdists do not believe suicide is the answer. You
should choose to make the most of what you have
while you’re living.
• I am my own existence, but…this existence is absurd.
• The human situation is ambiguous, rather than
rational or something that can be understood or
explained.
• Existentialists usually believe in the absurd.