Life is not a problem to be solved ...

Summary

In 'The Seventh Seal,' a knight's existential quest in a plague-ridden land leads to a symbolic chess match with Death, reflecting on life's meaning and the search for God. The script explores Albert Camus' 'Absurd,' suggesting life's inherent meaninglessness and the tension between human desire for order and the universe's indifference. It contrasts religious illusions with embracing life's absurdity, advocating for finding personal meaning through humor, beauty, and joy, despite despair. Drawing on Kierkegaard and Wittgenstein, it concludes that life's end reveals no grand revelations, urging us to make the most of our journey without certainty of destination or purpose.

Takeaways

• 🎬 'The Seventh Seal' is a film by Ingmar Bergman that explores existential themes through the story of a knight playing chess with Death for more time to live.
• 🃏 The film reflects on the concept of 'the Absurd' as described by Albert Camus, which is the tension between humans' search for meaning and the world's indifference to our desires.
• 🛐 One response to the Absurd is to turn to religion, accepting an overarching plan that may not be fully understood, but the film shows the dangers of this illusion, such as self-mutilation and witch-hunts.
• 🤔 The protagonist's squire is skeptical of religious authority, seeing it as a means to exploit societal fears for power and control.
• 🌟 Camus suggests that embracing the Absurd and living life without despair, even in the face of emptiness, is the path to becoming an 'absurd hero'.
• 🎭 The script suggests looking at life through humor, art, and cherishing moments of beauty as ways to cope with life's terrors and the Absurd.
• 🤷‍♂️ Sören Kierkegaard offers a different perspective, advocating for a 'leap of faith' in the existence of God or a personal meaning, despite the inherent uncertainty.
• 🧐 Kierkegaard and Wittgenstein imply that reason alone cannot provide definitive answers about life's purpose, suggesting a more experiential approach to understanding.
• 🏁 The film concludes without resolving the existential questions, emphasizing the ongoing journey of seeking meaning without guarantees.
• 📚 The script encourages making the most of our journey, acknowledging that we tread blindly without full knowledge of our destination or purpose.
• 👋 The video ends with a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more content and follow on Letterboxd for shorter reviews.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the film 'The Seventh Seal'?

The central theme of 'The Seventh Seal' is the protagonist's quest for the meaning of life and his confrontation with death, set against the backdrop of a plague-ridden medieval landscape.

Who is the director of 'The Seventh Seal'?

Ingmar Bergman is the writer and director of 'The Seventh Seal'.

What philosophical concept does the film 'The Seventh Seal' explore?

The film explores the concept of 'the Absurd,' a term coined by philosopher Albert Camus, which refers to the tension between the human search for meaning and the world's indifference to our desires.

How does the film depict the response to the plague in the society of 'The Seventh Seal'?

The film depicts societal responses to the plague as irrational and superstitious, with people resorting to self-mutilation, blaming others, and resorting to violence and execution in a misguided attempt to appease an angry God.

What is the protagonist's approach to dealing with the Absurd as presented in the film?

The protagonist, a disillusioned knight, initially seeks to understand the Absurd through a chess game with Death but ultimately faces despair, unlike his squire who accepts the Absurd and seeks to live life to the fullest.

What does Albert Camus suggest as a way to overcome the Absurd?

Camus suggests that one way to overcome the Absurd is by accepting life's helplessness and emptiness without despair, becoming what he calls 'the absurd hero,' who crafts their own meaning in life.

How does the squire in 'The Seventh Seal' respond to the horrors and the Absurd?

The squire opts to accept the absurdity of life, choosing not to fall into the arms of the priests and instead deciding to live life freely, making the best of the journey.

What is the alternative viewpoint to Camus's philosophy presented in the script?

The alternative viewpoint is presented by Sören Kierkegaard, who suggests that reason will never provide an answer to the question of God or the meaning of life, and instead advocates for a leap of faith.

What does Kierkegaard mean by 'the leap of faith'?

The 'leap of faith' refers to a decision to believe in God or a meaning to life, despite the inherent uncertainty and possibility of error, and to live in accordance with that belief or non-belief.

What does Ludwig Wittgenstein, influenced by Kierkegaard, suggest about the end of life?

Wittgenstein suggests that at the end of life, there is no grand revelation or lesson to be learned, but rather a simple end, implying that the focus should be on the journey itself.

What is the final message conveyed by the script about life's journey?

The final message is that while we cannot know where we are going or why, we should make the best of our journey, embracing life's moments of beauty and humor, and doing our best to enjoy life amidst the Absurd.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 The Absurd and the Search for Meaning

The first paragraph delves into the philosophical themes of Ingmar Bergman's film 'The Seventh Seal', where a knight plays chess with Death for more time on Earth, symbolizing humanity's struggle with mortality and the search for life's meaning. It introduces Albert Camus's concept of 'the Absurd', the conflict between our desire for meaning and the world's indifference. The paragraph explores how religion can offer an illusion of meaning, leading to horrific acts of self-mutilation and persecution, as seen in the film. It also discusses the squire's skepticism towards the clergy's exploitation of fear for power, and how he chooses to accept life's absurdity rather than succumbing to religious illusions.

05:05

🤔 Embracing the Absurd: Camus and Kierkegaard

The second paragraph continues the philosophical discourse by contrasting Camus's notion of embracing life's absurdity with despair, with Kierkegaard's idea of making a 'leap of faith'. It suggests that we can either find solace in humor, beauty, and enjoyment of life's moments or take a leap of faith to believe in a higher power or meaning. The paragraph also touches on Ludwig Wittgenstein's influence by Kierkegaard, emphasizing that life ends without grand revelations. It concludes with the film's message that no mysteries are solved, aligning with Kierkegaard's view that we journey blindly, making the best of our path without knowing the destination or purpose.

Keywords

💡The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal is a 1957 film by Ingmar Bergman, which serves as a central narrative for the video. It tells the story of a knight who plays chess with Death, symbolizing the struggle with mortality and the quest for meaning in life. The film is used to explore existential themes and philosophical concepts such as the Absurd and faith.

💡Ingmar Bergman

Ingmar Bergman is a renowned Swedish director and writer known for his profound and often existential films. In the context of the video, Bergman's work 'The Seventh Seal' is used to illustrate the human condition and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.

💡Absurd

The term 'Absurd' is derived from the philosophy of Albert Camus, who described it as the conflict between the human need for meaning and the universe's indifference. In the video, the Absurd is exemplified by the knight's encounter with Death and the various reactions of people to the plague, highlighting the tension between seeking purpose and accepting life's inherent lack of it.

💡Albert Camus

Albert Camus was a French philosopher, author, and journalist known for his concept of the Absurd. In the video, Camus's ideas are used to discuss the human struggle with life's meaninglessness and the various ways people attempt to cope with this existential crisis, such as through religion or embracing the Absurd.

💡Religion

In the video, religion is presented as one of the ways people try to overcome the Absurd by attributing meaning to life through a belief in a higher power or divine plan. However, it also highlights the potential dangers of religious belief, such as when people commit acts of self-mutilation or violence in the name of their faith.

💡Squire

The squire in 'The Seventh Seal' represents a character who is skeptical of religious authority and chooses to accept the Absurdity of life. His perspective is used in the video to contrast with those who seek solace in religion, illustrating an alternative approach to living with the Absurd.

💡Despair

Despair is a recurring theme in the video, reflecting the emotional response to the Absurd and the realization of life's potential meaninglessness. It is discussed in relation to the horrors of life and the difficulty of finding joy or purpose without succumbing to hopelessness.

💡Absurd Hero

The 'Absurd Hero' is a concept from Camus's philosophy, referring to a person who accepts life's lack of inherent meaning without falling into despair. In the video, this idea is exemplified by the squire's approach to life, choosing to live freely and find personal meaning amidst the Absurd.

💡Humor

Humor is suggested in the video as a way to cope with the Absurd, allowing individuals to find lightness and enjoyment in life despite its inherent challenges. It is presented as a tool for maintaining a positive outlook in the face of life's absurdity.

💡Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher who is mentioned in the video for his concept of 'leap of faith,' which challenges the reliance on reason to find meaning in life. Instead, he proposes a personal decision to believe in God or to live according to one's own values, independent of rational proof.

💡Ludwig Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein was an Austrian-British philosopher who was influenced by Kierkegaard's ideas. In the video, Wittgenstein's perspective is used to emphasize the limitations of language and reason in describing or understanding the ultimate meaning of life, suggesting that some things may be beyond our capacity to comprehend.

Highlights

The Seventh Seal, directed by Ingmar Bergman, explores the existential quest for the meaning of life and the existence of God.

The protagonist, a medieval knight, plays chess with Death as a metaphor for struggling against mortality.

The concept of 'the Absurd' by Albert Camus is introduced, highlighting the tension between human desire for meaning and the indifference of the world.

Religion is presented as one way to overcome the Absurd, by accepting a belief in a higher plan despite its incomprehensibility.

Camus criticizes the evils that arise from religious illusions, such as self-mutilation and dehumanizing practices.

The squire's skepticism towards the clergy's exploitation of societal fears for power is emphasized.

Camus advocates embracing life's absurdity without despair, becoming an 'absurd hero' by creating personal meaning.

Humor is suggested as a means to cope with life's horrors and the Absurd.

The importance of appreciating beauty and cherishing life's moments as a form of resistance against despair is discussed.

Søren Kierkegaard's philosophy is introduced, proposing a leap of faith as a way to find meaning or live without it.

Ludwig Wittgenstein's influence by Kierkegaard is noted, emphasizing the limits of reason in finding life's meaning.

The film concludes without solving the mystery of life, suggesting that there is no ultimate answer.

Kierkegaard's quote about blindly treading life's path and making the best of the journey is highlighted.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more existential content and follow on Letterboxd for shorter reviews.

Transcripts

One of the greatest films of all time,

The Seventh Seal, written and directed by Ingmar  Bergman in 1957,

tells the story of a medieval knight travelling through a plague-ridden land.

He encounters Death and resisting its call offers to play chess in exchange for more time – until

he doesn’t lose, at least, he can continue on living.

Finally standing face to face with his  own mortality, he takes this opportunity to make

one final attempt to find an answer to life’s  greatest question. What is the meaning of it  

all? And is there a God?  

But, of course, the answer that he  is looking for has never been found.  

The horror that our protagonist  

is describing is what the philosopher Albert  Camus termed “the Absurd”. As Camus put it,  

(quote)

In other words, we seek to lead a meaningful life,

follow a reasonable path, and yet the world just  doesn’t turn our way – our plans get constantly  

struck down by a life that does not care about our  desires. This tension is the Absurd – one way to  

overcome it, is accepting religion, the belief  that nonetheless all is part of an overarching  

meaningful plan, even if we can’t fully  understand it. To Camus, this means accepting  

an illusion – and in the film we see the evil  that this illusion leads to, like people willing  

to mutilate their own bodies in repentance,  thinking that the plague is a sign of God’s wrath,  

and a town dehumanising, torturing and finally  executing a young girl, believing that the Black  

Death stemmed from the devil inside of her.  

Like our protagonist, a disillusioned knight who  has fought in the crusades, his cynical squire is  

suspicious of how the priests use society’s fears  to fuel their own power and influence over it:  

Rather than fall into the arms of the priests,  

the squire opts to accept the absurdity of life.  As a young girl burns on the stake for sins that  

she couldn’t have possibly committed, he asks:  

According to Camus, this is the answer – accepting  our helplessness and the emptiness of life,  

but with no despair. Whoever manages to achieve  this, he calls “the absurd hero”. Such a person  

would stop the never-ending conquest of a  supposed capital-letter Meaning and simply  

enjoy their life amidst the absurdity. What they  would do, is freely decide how to lead life and  

consequently craft their own little meaning.  But given the horrors of life and the supposed  

meaningless of it, how could we not succumb to  despair? One answer is to look on life through  

the lens of humour.  

Or perhaps, we can look at life like an artist and  cherish the moments of beauty so that they will  

encourage us in moments of terror.  

And all the while, do our best to have fun. But what if Camus is wrong and our despair is  

mistaken? What if, nonetheless, there is a God  or a meaning to be found? According to Sören  

Kierkegaard, this question is a trap – reason will  never take us to an answer, there’s always doubt  

and the possibility of error. Rather, he advises  a leap of faith, a decision that there’s a God  

and we should live in accordance with his plan, or  decide there’s no God and live in accordance with  

our own. On the end of the day, he says: (quote)  

Or as Ludwig Wittgenstein, deeply influenced  by Kierkegaard’s philosophy would put it:  

So, when the final hour does strike,  there is nothing to be learned,  

no great revelation but a simple end to life.  Once more, our protagonist turns to despair,  

but not his squire.  

And so it ends, with no mystery being  solved, for there never was one.  

To end on another quote by Kierkegaard:  

We can only tread blindly. We don’t  know where we’re going and why. But  

while we’re on the way there, we better  make the best out of our journey.  

Thanks for watching. If you liked this  video consider subscribing for similar  

content in the future, and that does help me  a lot in making future videos – if you have  

Letterboxd also feel free to follow my shorter  reviews over there. Wish you all a nice day.