The Master of the Absurd Turns 100

[Philosophy Now]

Ray Cavanaugh gives us a brief introduction to the life of Albert Camus.

http://philosophynow.org/issues/98/The_ ... _Turns_100

[RickLewis]

Just repeating a question I asked on our Google+ and Facebook pages, because it got a good response there:

Ray Cavanaugh writes in our current issue that Albert Camus was killed on Jan 4th 1960 when the Facel-Vega HK500 car in which he was a passenger left the road and collided with a tree.

In your view, which was most responsible for the sudden death of Camus at the age of only 46? Was it (a) the driver, who went too fast and ignored the warnings of a mechanic a few days earlier that the tires needed changing. Was it (b) the manufacturers of the Facel-Vega HK500, a fast, flashy car whose doors had a tendency to pop open at speed. Was it (c) the people who decided to plant trees alongside all the French highways. Was it (d) a KGB assassin or was it (e) blind luck in a universe which is indifferent to our fate?

[Impenitent]

After seeing the horrors of warfare in 1945, Pierre le Squirrel (or some nameless bushy tailed rodent if you prefer) planted trees of hope along the French roadsides...

ergo, one could blame nut dropping French squirrels - but that might be absurd...

then again, if he had not aspired to be greater than Sancho Panza

it boggles the mind...

-Imp

[Banno]

In your view, which was most responsible for the sudden death of Camus at the age of only 46? Was it (a) the driver, who went too fast and ignored the warnings of a mechanic a few days earlier that the tires needed changing. Was it (b) the manufacturers of the Facel-Vega HK500, a fast, flashy car whose doors had a tendency to pop open at speed. Was it (c) the people who decided to plant trees alongside all the French highways. Was it (d) a KGB assassin or was it (e) blind luck in a universe which is indifferent to our fate?

All of the above; they are not mutually exclusive.

Causes, like meanings, are not found but ascribed.

[Dunce]

BBC radio is having a bit of a Camus fest this coming weekend.

Sat 2nd Nov 9.06, repeated 20.06, BBC World Service World Book Club discusses The Outsider
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kdgsp

Sat 2nd Nov 21.45, BBC Radio 3 The Wire - Leila Aboulea's drama The Insider is inspired by Camus' the Outsider
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03g22qw

Sun 3rd Nov 21.45, BBC Radio 3, The Sunday Feature celebrates Camus' life and work
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03g2r5j

Sun 3rd Nov 22.00, BBC Radio 3, Drama on 3 - an adaptation of The Outsider
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03g2r5n