Pregledni rad
Ecclesiastes and Albert Camus. The Question of Meaning
Kristina Kranjčević
; Donji Miholjac, Hrvatska
Sažetak
This article discusses the eternal question of meaning, as seen by two thinkers: Ecclesiastes and Albert Camus. The first part of the article describes the Book of Ecclesiastes and the biblical question of meaning. The Book of Ecclesiastes is in some ways a question about the meaning of life, and the whole Bible is the answer. In the second part is a description of the life and work of the writer and philosopher Albert Camus. The third part describes the similarities and differences in the thought of Ecclesiastes and Camus. Both, each in his own time, reflect on the meaning of life. Ecclesiastes, a wise man of his age, considers life to be empty. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. The most frequently quoted sentence in his book describes a feeling that overcame him regarding the reality of his time. Everything is the same, the sun shines on the good and the evil. There is nothing new under the sun. Everything repeats itself and nothing new happens. Scandalous and controversial, it is contrary to Jewish tradition, which cannot explain the reason for suffering in the world and the lack of just rewards – the wicked have a good life and the good suffer. Camus became a hero to the entire postwar generation because he spoke about the absurdity of life. He recognizes the weakness of humanity, which relies on itself, without recognizing defeat. Neither of them provides answers to the question of the meaning of life but remain open to transcendence. They feel that this life is something more.
Ključne riječi
Ecclesiastes; Albert Camus; meaning-meaninglessness of life; the vanity of Koheleth
Hrčak ID:
112574
URI
Datum izdavanja:
8.9.2011.
Posjeta: 2.511 *