Three Tips for Better Thinking from Albert Camus

Albert Camus defines a few seemingly simple terms that redefine the way anyone should look at the world.

Thinking is about learning what the world looks like from the ground up, not from fitting the world into a story you’ve already told yourself.

Sometimes all it takes is a clear definition to see something completely differently. Throughout The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus ruminates on hard issues. They include the philosophy behind choosing not to commit suicide and how to live in a world without inherent meaning.

So, there are a few spots where Camus clarifies first principles that aren’t thought about enough. He describes what thinking is — or should be. He identifies the line that mystics cross where he believes they go too far into their mysticism and adopt a different meaning of freedom. Camus also argues why art is necessary for anyone interested in living a full life.

These are dense topics, but they’re easier to understand when Camus pries them open.