Absurdism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əbˈsɜːdˌɪz.m̩/

Definitions

1. A worldview that focuses on the disconnection between human desire for significance and the universe's lack of purpose
2. A philosophical stance asserting that life is inherently meaningless, urging individuals to construct their own meaning
3. A philosophical doctrine highlighting the tension between human efforts to find meaning and the indifferent nature of the universe

Etymology: Absurdism is a formal coinage built from two parts that are both older than the philosophy itself. "Absurd" comes from Latin "absurdus," meaning out of tune or discordant, and the sense of "ridiculous" grew from that. The suffix "-ism" marks a doctrine or system of thought, so the word names a position rather than a feeling of the absurd. The philosophy it names was developed most famously in the twentieth century, when Albert Camus, in his 1942 essay "The Myth of Sisyphus," argued that the clash between our demand for meaning and a silent, indifferent universe is the central problem of human life. The term is most closely tied to Camus and to the wider existentialist milieu, though Camus himself resisted being labelled a systematic thinker.

Synonyms: nonsense, irrationalism, futility, illogicality, meaninglessness

Antonyms: logic, reason, sense, rationality, meaning