Camus

Albert Camus (1913–1960) was a French-Algerian writer, philosopher, and journalist, associated with existentialism but often described as part of the philosophy of the absurd. He is best known for works that examine meaning, morality, and human resilience in a universe without inherent purpose. Camus received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957.

Born in Mondovi, Algeria, to a poor family, Camus studied philosophy at the University of Algiers. He contracted tuberculosis in his youth and began writing for the press. During World War II he joined the French Resistance and contributed to the underground press, including the Resistance newspaper Combat. After the war he continued to write and teach, and he died in a car crash in 1960 near Sens, France.

Philosophy and major works: Absurdism is the central idea, the sense that humans seek meaning in a meaningless universe. The appropriate response is a life of revolt, integrity, and solidarity rather than ideological escape. In The Myth of Sisyphus (1942), Camus argues that one can live with the absurd and imagine Sisyphus happy. The Rebel (1951) analyzes rebellion and its political limits. His fiction, including The Stranger (L'Étranger, 1942), The Plague (La Peste, 1947), and The Fall (La Chute, 1956), explores alienation, collective responsibility, and moral judgment.

Legacy: Camus influenced literature and philosophy, resisted easy labeling as an existentialist, and emphasized human solidarity and dignity. His works have been widely translated and remain subjects of ongoing literary and philosophical debate, including discussions of ethics, colonialism, and political violence.