Elisabeth and Descartes' Conversation in Descartes' Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy
Philosophy 1301
Professor Danny Brown
June 15, 2013
Elizabeth and Descartes’s Conversation In his book “Discourse on Method and Mediations on First Philosophy”, Descartes mentioned the composition of the body and mind. When Princess Elizabeth read his book, she had many questions to give to Descartes, especially about the mind-body interaction. She said in her letter wrote to Descartes “how the soul can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions.” (Elizabeth, 11) They wrote letter to each other to ask questions and to answer each other’s questions. As we read along the letter, we can see the questions and answers of both Elizabeth and Descartes are irresistible.
Descartes pointed his theoretical points that “This ‘I’ – that is, the soul, by which I am what I am, is entirely distinct from the body; and would not fail to be what it is even if the body did not exist.” (Descartes) In his explanation, Descartes believed that mind and body are all together. When the mind thinks, it makes the soul reacts as its thought. That is why the theory enters society “I think; therefore, I am.” (Descartes) After reading that theory, Elizabeth responded that “I beseech you tell me how the soul of man (since it is but a thinking substance) can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions.” (Elizabeth, 11) She was questioning about how the mind-body can work together and act voluntarily, according to Descartes’s theoretical point. She also explained how she comes up with this question “You entirely exclude extension from your notion of the soul, and contact seems to me incompatible with an immaterial thing. That is why I ask of you a definition of the soul more particular than in your metaphysics – that is to say, for a definition of the substance separate from its action, thought.” (Elizabeth, 12) Then, on May 21, 1643, Descartes wrote back to her to answer her question that he found three “primitive notions” which can answer her
Professor Danny Brown
June 15, 2013
Elizabeth and Descartes’s Conversation In his book “Discourse on Method and Mediations on First Philosophy”, Descartes mentioned the composition of the body and mind. When Princess Elizabeth read his book, she had many questions to give to Descartes, especially about the mind-body interaction. She said in her letter wrote to Descartes “how the soul can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions.” (Elizabeth, 11) They wrote letter to each other to ask questions and to answer each other’s questions. As we read along the letter, we can see the questions and answers of both Elizabeth and Descartes are irresistible.
Descartes pointed his theoretical points that “This ‘I’ – that is, the soul, by which I am what I am, is entirely distinct from the body; and would not fail to be what it is even if the body did not exist.” (Descartes) In his explanation, Descartes believed that mind and body are all together. When the mind thinks, it makes the soul reacts as its thought. That is why the theory enters society “I think; therefore, I am.” (Descartes) After reading that theory, Elizabeth responded that “I beseech you tell me how the soul of man (since it is but a thinking substance) can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions.” (Elizabeth, 11) She was questioning about how the mind-body can work together and act voluntarily, according to Descartes’s theoretical point. She also explained how she comes up with this question “You entirely exclude extension from your notion of the soul, and contact seems to me incompatible with an immaterial thing. That is why I ask of you a definition of the soul more particular than in your metaphysics – that is to say, for a definition of the substance separate from its action, thought.” (Elizabeth, 12) Then, on May 21, 1643, Descartes wrote back to her to answer her question that he found three “primitive notions” which can answer her
Cited: Atherton, Katherine. “Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia”. Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period. Hackett Publishing, 1994: 9-21. Print.