The Philosophy of Suicide

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the reality of suicide. The author relates that the two philosophers Albert Camus and Arthur Schopenhauer explain the philosophy of suicide through the concepts of human absurdity, the naturalness of pain and suffering and an inability to give meaning to life. The paper points out that both Camus and Schopenhauer argue that the act of suicide is a natural response to an inability to cope with a society that simply does not make sense. However, Camus' emphasis on the absurdity found in human life and how this absurdity prevents an individual from finding meaning in life makes his theory more complete than the more foundational theory of Schopenhauer.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Act
The Philosophy
Philosophy Era
The Philosophy of Camus and Schopenchauer: Existentialism
Thesis Statement
The Philosophers of Suicide
Argument One: The Absurd
Camus
Schopenchauer
Argument Two: The Pain of Human Existence
Camus
Schopenhauer
Argument Three: Lack of Meaning in Life
Camus
Schopenchauer
Personal Reflection
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Camus further argues that pain and suffering are a natural part of the human existence. In his The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus outlines the fact of pain and suffering. In the story the Greek mythological character of Sisyphus is condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a rock up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. Although Sisyphus suffers a life of constant pain and suffering caused by his task, Camus states, "The struggle itself is enough to fill a man's heart" thus "One must imagine Sisyphus happy.""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Camus, Albert. (1991): The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. New York: Knopf Publishing Group.
• Flynn, Thomas. (2006): Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Guignon, Charles B. (2001): Existentialism: Basic Writings. New York: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
• Schopenhauer, Arthur. (1966): The World as Will and Representation. Dover Publications.

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