An Exploration of Albert Camus’ philosophy and the Search for Meaning in the Myth of Sisyphus

This paper proposes to explore Albert Camus’s philosophy of absurdism in one of the great works of literature, Myth of Sisyphus. Life for Albert Camus is absurd without any meaning. To reconstruct meaning, esteem, and value in human life, this essay will examine three potential solutions for Camus’ philosophy of absurdism. The first possible solution is suicide; the second is to take a leap of faith in God, and the third is acceptance or revolt. For all practical purposes, Camus declines the first two alternatives as not the appropriate solutions. The first option he calls literal suicide, ending one’s own life does not resolve the predicament, and the second option he calls philosophical suicide, a comforting lie inaccessible to rational human thought. The third option, which he calls acceptance, implies a rebellion and revolt against the unavoidable absurdity and meaninglessness that have described human existence. Based on this assertion, we will examine how acceptance can be a suitable solution moreover how it contributes to redefining meaning according to Camus’ philosophy. The absurd should be embraced through the rational mind, and this embracement and awareness will lead to what we call “revolt.” For Camus, this is the most highly authentic explanation of the absurdity of human life. By closely examining the character, Sisyphus, we will conclude that what Sisyphus did was an act of revolt and what Camus believed to be the solution is the primary base principle of the absurdism philosophy.

کلیدواژه ها:

Myth of Sisyphus ، Absurdism ، Meaning ، Albert Camus ، Philosophy