Descartes and Elizabeth

Descartes and Elizabeth
Though Descartes adequately explains the functions of his practical philosophy in the control of the passions using reason, Elizabeth of Palantine more successfully shows the impractical use of reasons in relation to the passions in civil and family life. Descartes’ basis is reason. It can be used to control the passions and lead to truth. The passions need to be controlled because if they are, true happiness is found and pain can be avoided. Elizabeth argues with this in explaining that only a person with an infinite knowledge of these passions and reason can succeed in this mastery of the passions and it isn’t useful in the everyday life of everyday people.
Descartes argues that one should base their ideas of truth and what exists on reason and not experience. He claims that reason is the foundation for everything we should believe is real. When we base our beliefs on cause and effect we basically base them on experience because cau...