Many lives are expended almost entirely devoted to the pursuit of increasing material wealth, or the pursuit of enjoying as many material experiences as possible, either simply because the individual has no greater life purpose, or because it is hoped that through these temporary means he may attain lasting contentment, freedom from difficulty, and ultimately – happiness. But however much man may strive to attain peace of heart and happiness through the accumulation of material possessions, or material experiences, he will find that this lasting contentment he seeks will continually elude him, and that at best, even with extraordinary wealth and material opportunity he will not be able to attain the ease and peace of mind of a house cat, or a cow that grazes on the hillside, carefree, and contented.
Death is the permanent termination of all biological functions which sustain an organism, and as such, is the end of its life. Extinction is the term describing the dying out of a group or taxon, usually a species. Fossilsare the preserved remains or traces of orgaremains.