Absurdism
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Absurdism is the philosophical theory that the universe is irrational and meaningless. It states that trying to find meaning leads people into conflict with a seemingly meaningless world. This conflic
Sisyphus, the symbol of the absurdity of existence, painting by Franz Stuck (1920)
Thomas Nagel examined the nature of the absurd, considering arguments and responses to it.
Franz Kafka's book The Trial (German: Der Prozess) examines the absurdity of life through the lens of an impenetrable judicial system.
Kierkegaard designed the relationship framework based (in part) on how a person reacts to despair. Absurdist philosophy fits into the 'despair of defiance' rubric.
The Myth of Sisyphus
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The Myth of Sisyphus is a 1942 philosophical work by Albert Camus. Influenced by philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Friedrich Nietzsche, Camus introduces his philosophy o
Absurdism
…life in general is absurd: the absurd is not just limited to a few specific cases. Nonetheless, some cases are more paradigmatic examples than others. The Myth of Sisyphus is often treated as a key example of the absurd. In it, Zeus punishes King Sisyphus by compelling him to roll a massive boulder up a hill. Whenever the…
Cover of the first edition
Sisyphus by Titian, 1549