Ancient Greece
Socrates believed that the purpose of the human mind is not to explore what is "in the heavens and under the earth", but to explore the nature of virtue in order to improve the soul and build life on the basis of ethical knowledge.
The ancient Greek philosopher and scientist-encyclopedist Aristotle believed that the goal of all human actions is happiness (eudaimonia), which consists in the realization of the essence of man. For a person whose essence is the soul, happiness consists in thinking and knowing. Spiritual work thus takes precedence over physical work. Scientific activity and art are the so-called dianoetic virtues, which are achieved through the subordination of passions to reason.

Epicurus and his followers proclaimed the goal of human life to be pleasure, understood not as sensual pleasure, but as getting rid of physical pain, mental anxiety, suffering, fear of death. The ideal is life in a "secret place", in a close circle of friends, non-participation in public life, distant contemplation. The gods themselves, according to Epicurus, are blessed beings who do not interfere in the affairs of the earthly world.

Cynics (Antisthenes, Diogenes of Sinop) - representatives of one of the Socratic schools of Greek philosophy - considered virtue (happiness) to be the ultimate goal of human aspirations. According to their teaching, virtue consists in the ability to be content with little and avoid evil. This skill makes a person independent. A person must become independent of the external world, which is impermanent and beyond its control, and strive for inner peace. At the same time, the independence of man, which the Cynics called for, meant extreme individualism, the denial of culture, art, family, state, property, science and social institutions.

According to the teachings of the Stoics, the goal of human aspirations should be morality, which is impossible without true knowledge. The human soul is immortal, and virtue consists in human life in accordance with nature and world reason (logos). The life ideal of the Stoics is equanimity and calmness in relation to external and internal irritating factors.