DESCARTES AND ELISABETH: THE PROBLEM OF VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2447-9012.espinosa.2020.172937Keywords:
Descartes, Elisabeth, Substantial Union, Will, Voluntary Actions, Primitive NotionsAbstract
The “problem of voluntary actions”, traditionally known as
the “problem of substantial union”, is one of the most controversial
issues in the Cartesian doctrine. It is about seeking to understand how
the soul, being just an immaterial substance, whose nature consists only
in thinking, could determine the animal spirits to carry out voluntary actions.
The modus operandi, from which Descartes intended to explain how
the thinking substance would determine the movements of the pineal
gland (and, consequently, that of animal spirits), is what greatly bothered
Elisabeth of Bohemia. In this article, we will present the central aspects
of Descartes’ responses to the problem raised by the princess, especially
when trying to show that he is insoluble, because, according to the philosopher,
it is a poorly formulated question. Thus, in his correspondence
with Elisabeth, the role of the philosopher is limited to identifying and clarifying mistakes, which certainly did not satisfy Elisabeth’s philosophical
genius.
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