2. The Exam
II- 20% of your final grade The test will have a form of a short paper (700-800
words) linked to Camus’ philosophy. Using the following questions, students
should analyze and selectively apply Camus’ major arguments on human existence,
suicide, and absurdity:
1.What are your general views
on suicide and capital punishment, and why? Do you agree or disagree with the
argument against suicide proposed by Albert Camus? What do you recognize as a
major strength and weakness in this argument by Camus?
2.What kind
of safeguards are necessary in any consideration of allowing someone to die by
suicide and by the death penalty, according to you? Justify your take. Remember
to reconstruct the major ideas, terms, logical arguments, and quotes provided
by Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. Also, make your paper a
“text-oriented” work that consists of a short analysis of arguments, quotes,
and bibliographical sources. Critical thinking and intellectual independence
are required. Follow MLA citation rules.
According to Camus, a human
being cannot find a reason for existence, and life is meaningless. Human beings
should embrace life's absurdity. Camus suggests that the only valid solution to
thrive in life is to acknowledge its absurdity and continue finding a viable
meaning and value for life to be resilient and not to despair or commit
suicide. Camus's arguments are also against the criminal justice system's
capital punishment. However, I agree with Camus's arguments about the absurdity
of life and against capital punishment and suicide.