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French philosopher, author, dramatist and world federalist.

Received the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44.

His work includes - The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Fall and The Rebel.

Born in Algeria during the French Colonization.

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His belief was that the absurd—life being void of meaning, or man's inability to know that meaning if it were to exist—was something that man should embrace. He thought that nothing exists that could ever be a source of meaning, and hence there is something deeply absurd about the human quest to find meaning. His work was characterized by a pronounced social pessimism and was devoted to the topic of suicide, murder, unrest, and terror.

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Born in Algeria in 1913, Camus was the son of a French father and an Algerian mother. He was raised in a poor, working-class neighborhood in Algiers. Camus was seriously ill with tuberculosis in childhood and the constant thought of the proximity of death influenced Camus’ life and pushed him toward philosophy. He was an adherent of existentialism and carved out his own position in this philosophical movement.

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Franz Kafka was born into a wealthy middle-class Jewish family. He lacked this connection with his mother, who didn’t support his “unprofitable” literary dreams. His father disapproved of him even more harshly and was an intensively overbearing presence in Kafka’s life.

The human condition, for Kafka, is well beyond tragic or depressed. It is “absurd.” He believed that the whole human race was the product of one of “God’s bad days.” and viewed existence as a burden and a menace to the harmony of reality.

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There is no “meaning” to make sense of our lives. Paradoxically that meaninglessness allows us to read into Kafka’s novels such as “The Metamorphosis,” which can be depicted as whatever meanings we please. It is a novella with an existential protagonist. Gregor is a young man who questions whether he has free will and free choice in his life and begins to suffer so much that he becomes physically debilitated. But any such “meanings” crumple because there is no larger or underlying meaning in the Kafka universe to underpin them. Yet absurdist literature still had a mission—to assert that literature is, like everything else, pointless.

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Both wrote about the relationship of the individual to society. But they had very different visions. Camus saw the individual as having the power to change and influence society, he speaks of a hero who has accepted his fate in an absurd relationship with the world. He has no further illusions, but can only profit from the power of (inner) revolt. On the other hand, Kafka honed in on the limitations of the individual to change anything and the power of the state and social organization. Kafkaesque’s view of the world is so much darker than Camus’s philosophy of the absurd with its twisted perception of happiness.

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In an indifferent universe, the universe operates without regard and care for human concerns or desires. It functions according to natural laws and principles, much like a complex machine following its own set of rules. This means that the universe doesn't care about human success or failure, happiness or sadness—it's impartial to our existence. While this concept can be both liberating and daunting, it ultimately implies that individuals are free to create their own meaning and purpose in life within the framework of this indifferent universe.

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The human condition encapsulates the fundamental aspects of human existence, such as the awareness of mortality, the capacity for consciousness and self-reflection, the experience of struggle and suffering, the pursuit of desires and aspirations, the influence of social and cultural factors, and the quest for meaning and significance in life. It reflects the complexity and richness of human experiences.

In the context of "The Stranger," a novel by Albert Camus, the human condition is explored through the protagonist, Meursault, who embodies a sense of detachment and existential alienation. Meursault's indifference to societal norms and his seeming apathy towards conventional emotions and relationships highlight themes of existentialism and absurdism.

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Albert Camus, strongly disagreed with nihilism, the idea that life lacks any real meaning. In his important and influential book "The Myth of Sisyphus," Camus argued against this view. He said that even though the universe might seem uncaring, people still have the power to make their lives meaningful through what they do and experience. Camus suggested actively rebelling against life's absurdity by living with passion and honesty despite its uncertainties.

Camus stressed the importance of fully embracing life and being true to oneself in the face of the universe's apparent indifference. He encouraged people to reject feelings of hopelessness and instead affirm the worth of their own existence. By recognizing life's inherent absurdity and asserting their own choices, individuals can rise above the feeling of emptiness and find meaning in simply living. Camus's ideas highlight the significant role human actions play in giving life purpose, even when the world around us seems indifferent.

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"The Stranger" by Albert Camus can be seen as connected to the works of Friedrich Nietzsche in their exploration of themes and concepts such as absurdity and nihilism, individualism, the eternal recurrence, especially in their exploration of existential themes and the human condition.

"I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world." - Albert Camus, "The Stranger"

This quote reflects the protagonist Meursault's attitude of acceptance and surrender to the indifferent nature of existence. It can be seen as resonating with Nietzsche's concept of amor fati, or the love of fate, which involves embracing life's experiences, both pleasant and painful, as essential components of one's existence.

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Albert Camus' "The Stranger" can be connected to the works of Jean-Paul Sartre, particularly through their shared philosophical framework and concept of existentialism. While Camus and Sartre had differences in their philosophical approaches, they both explored similar themes related to individual freedom, the absurdity of existence, and the confrontation with the human condition.

"I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world." - Albert Camus, "The Stranger"

This quote reflects the protagonist Meursault's attitude of acceptance and surrender to the indifference of the world around him. It resonates with Sartre's notion of existentialism, particularly his concept of the absurd and the idea of confronting the inherent meaninglessness of existence. In Sartrean existentialism, individuals are confronted with the absurdity of life, where they must confront the lack of inherent meaning or purpose in the universe.

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“And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that Religion & Govt. will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.”

---James Madison

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Or should I say laïcité...?

A nation that is secular is one in which religion and politics are kept apart. Above all, it refers to avoiding the theocratic trappings in all of their forms. Furthermore, all individuals of all religions are treated equally before the law, church and state are kept apart, individuals can follow religion or no religion in peace, and religious tests and confessions are not necessary to vote or hold public office.

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This secular background allowed Camus to explore existential themes freely, focusing on the human condition, the absurdity of life, and the search for meaning without divine reference. His writings often delve into the idea of the absurd, a key existential concept where life’s inherent lack of meaning conflicts with humans' natural tendency to find purpose. Furthermore, in a secular society, literature and art can challenge religious and societal norms more openly. Camus's critiques of the existential human state and his skepticism towards traditional narratives and purpose of life. And in a background of a a secular nation, questioning of religious and metaphysical ideas was more acceptable.