“For centuries the death penalty, often accompanied by barbarous refinements, has been trying to hold crime in check; yet crime persists. Why? Because the instincts that are warring in man are not, as the law claims, constant forces in a state of equilibrium.”

Albert Camus was a French-Algerian philosopher and novelist of the mid-20th century. He is best known for his existentialist writings, including *The Stranger* and *The Myth of Sisyphus*, which explore absurdity, freedom, and moral responsibility. His essays and novels continue to influence discussions on ethics and human existence.