There has never been a creature on this Earth that is more complex, innovative, and intelligent than mankind. While mankind is the creator of the wheel, wielder of fire, and master of language; one question has plagued its existence since the beginning of time, "What is my true purpose in life? Why am I really here?" This question has sparked the thinking of numerous philosophers and academics around the globe, dating back thousands of years, and yet for many the question remains unanswered.
             There are two theories to man's purpose in life that I will be discussing in this paper. The first is that of the Greek philosopher Aristotle and his theory of happiness, and the second is that of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy of stoicism. While the two seem to have very different ideas of mankind's purpose and the ways to live a truly fulfilled life, there is one essential element that they both share, death, and that when reached man will have truly fulfilled his destiny. Aristotle, student of the Greek philosopher Plato and author of Nicomachean Ethics, characterizes life as a pursuit of eudaimonia, a Greek term which is loosely translated as "happiness." While happiness is the best English word to translate Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia, the term also carries connotations of success, fulfillment and flourishing. Aristotle writes that "happiness for each creature is found in the best possible performance of the function for which he is particularly adapted," (Aristotle 86) he believed that each person was born to perform a specific trade and that true happiness was found through action and success within that trade.
             Aristotle also discusses the importance of virtue in our daily lives. He believed that lasting happiness could not be achieved without virtue, which according to Aristotle is "...either intellectual, the excellence of the reasoning powers, that is, providence and wisdom; or moral, the control of emo...