Elisabeth of Bohemia was an intellectual figure during the same period as Descartes. The two would consistently write to each other concerning philosophical issues between the years 1643 and 1649. Elisabeth of Bohemia was more Aristotelian, meaning that actions between the body and mind are “accepted as true and in harmony with one another, provided they are interpreted properly” (Correspondence, 22). As a political activist, she believes that the study of philosophy is too abstract to be considered political. Unlike Descartes, Elisabeth believes that the Cartesian mind carries various physical elements. She thinks that the mind causing a physical body to interact is unrealistic. It is a two-way street. The mind can affect the body, just as the body can affect the mind. To her, something that is immaterial cannot make something material move. Descartes’ idea is that the mind holds no physical aspects, Elisabeth of Bohemia falls in between. She believes that there are some material components to the mind. She does not understand how a nonphysical thing can cause the movement or interaction of a physical thing. In a letter, she …show more content…
In her argument, she does believe the soul and the body are separate. However, if the mind was nonphysical, when people got sick, their minds would be able to function normally, however through experience tells otherwise. She thinks that the only valid form of evidence is physical, but Descartes reasons without science. He is a rationalist, meaning that the way people know things is through pure logic and mathematics, rationality. This is unlike empiricists, whose basis for what is true is from engagement and seeing the world around us, experiencing things. Thirdly, eliminativism is the belief that there is no mind or soul, rather just the physical brain. Patricia Churchland is a supporter of