Justice or Freedom: Camus's Aporia

In: European journal of political theory: EJPT, Band 4, Heft 2, S. 188-199

Abstract

This article argues that Camus's thinking, as expressed in his works of fiction and non-fiction, is based upon a contradiction between his determination to reconcile politics and ethics and his belief that they irrefutably contradict each other. Throughout his career, Camus's concerns never diverged from his aporetic attempt to reach an 'agreement' between two concepts he regarded as incompatible: justice and freedom. This article demonstrates how this basic aporia led Camus to an original - albeit rather hopeless - view of the human condition. It illustrates how Camus's aporia led him to define the role of thinkers in terms of public criticism and argues that in today's sociopolitical reality Camus's aporia can neither be dismissed, nor overcome.