2023: The Quest for Purpose Continues

The purpose of life is a question that has plagued philosophers for centuries. Some say it's to seek truth and wisdom, others say it's to achieve a state of pure contemplation, and still others say it's to live a life of virtue and excellence. But what do Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, or Epicurus have to say about it? Let's take a closer look.

Socrates, that wise old Greek philosopher, believed that the purpose of life was to seek truth and wisdom. He famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." And, to be fair, he had a point. After all, what's the point of living if you're not constantly questioning the world around you and trying to understand it better? On the other hand, some might argue that constantly questioning everything can be exhausting and lead to a lot of existential crises. But hey, to each their own. Maybe we should take a look at Epicurus as well.

Epicurus, a Greek philosopher, believed that the purpose of life was to seek pleasure and avoid pain. He argued that pleasure was the highest good and that living a simple, moderate life was the key to achieving happiness. Epicurus believed that by focusing on pleasure and avoiding unnecessary suffering, individuals could live a fulfilling life.

Plato, that clever student of Socrates, took this idea of seeking truth and wisdom one step further. He believed that the ultimate purpose of life was to achieve a state of pure contemplation and understanding. In other words, the key to happiness is sitting around all day thinking about deep philosophical concepts. Sounds like a dream come true for some, but for those of us who prefer a little more action in our lives, this might not be the most appealing idea.

Aristotle, another student of Plato, had a different take on the purpose of life. He believed that the key to happiness was living a life of virtue and striving to reach one's full potential. In other words, if you're not constantly pushing yourself to be the best you can be, you're not living your best life. This might be motivating for some, but for others it might just feel like added pressure.

Descartes, that French philosopher with the famous "I think, therefore I am" quote, believed that the purpose of life was to use reason and knowledge to understand the world and find truth. In other words, if you're not constantly using your brain to analyze and understand everything around you, you're not really living. Sounds like a lot of hard work, but hey, at least you'll be really smart.

Spinoza, a Dutch philosopher, had a more spiritual take on the purpose of life. He believed that the key to happiness was understanding the nature of God and living in accordance with the laws of nature. So, if you want to be happy, you just have to figure out the mysteries of the universe and then follow a bunch of rules. Simple.

So, if we define it in a stoic view, the purpose of life is to live in accordance with reason and virtue. This means focusing on what is within one's control and accepting what is outside of one's control with equanimity.

The ultimate goal is to live a life of wisdom and integrity.

P.S.: Haven't we forgotten the infamous Nietzsche and his life's purpose of creating your own values and meaning? He believed that individuals should embrace their own will to power and strive to become who they truly are. Nietzsche argued that the traditional values and moral systems of society were in crisis and that individuals should create their own values in order to find meaning and purpose in life. But, why did Nietzsche stop trying to find the purpose of life?

Because he realized that the ultimate purpose of life is to create one's own values and meaning, and that any attempt to find a pre-existing purpose was just a case of the "eternal recurrence of the same." So he just decided to kick back, relax, and create his own values instead (pun intended).