Elisabeth of the Palatinate (; 26 December 1618 – 11 February 1680), also known as Elisabeth of Bohemia (), Princess Elisabeth of the Palatinate, or Princess-Abbess of Herford Abbey, was the eldest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine (who was briefly King of Bohemia), and Elizabeth Stuart. Elisabeth of the Palatinate was a philosopher best known for her correspondence with René Descartes. She was critical of Descartes' dualistic metaphysics and her work anticipated the metaphysical concerns of later philosophers.

Life

thumb|left|upright|alt=Elisabeth of Bohemia-Palatinate at age 12 from "A Sister of Prince Rupert" by E. Godfrey. According from the text the original painting this photo is based on was painted by Kaspar Barlens and is located in the Herford Museum.|Elisabeth at age 12.

Elisabeth Simmern van Pallandt was born on December 26, 1618, in Heidelberg. She was the third of thirteen children and eldest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, and Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James VI of Scotland and I of England and sister of Charles I. Elisabeth stayed with her grandmother Louise Juliana of Nassau in Heidelberg before moving to the Netherlands at the age of nine.

Edward Reynolds dedicated his Treatise on the passions and the faculties of the soule of man (1640) to Elisabeth.

In 1646, Elisabeth's brother Philip killed a man in a duel. Although the previous abbess (Elisabeth's cousin) had also been a Calvinist, this difference in faith created some initial distrust. While Elisabeth was abbess, the convent became a refuge from religious persecution for people and she welcomed more marginal religious sects, including the Labadists.

By 1639, Elisabeth was corresponding with Anna Maria van Schurman, a learned woman, called the Dutch Minerva. In an early letter van Schurman offered Elisabeth guidance on what subjects to study, arguing for the usefulness of history.

Elisabeth also corresponded with a number of prominent Quakers, including Robert Barclay and William Penn.); also reported to have been born on 15 September 1629

  1. Charlotte of the Palatinate (19 December 1628 – 14 January 1631)
  2. Sophia, Electress of Hanover (14 October 1630 – 8 June 1714); married Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover, had issue, including King George I of Great Britain. Many other royal families are Sophia's descendants. Sophia came close to ascending to the British throne, but died two months before Queen Anne.
  3. Gustavus Adolphus of the Palatinate (14 January 1632 – 1641)

Contributions to philosophy: Descartes and other prominent figures

Elisabeth met Descartes on one of his visits to The Hague. Descartes visited The Hague to meet some of the leading intellectual figures in the Netherlands who might support his philosophy. The Hague was often a gathering place to meet other influential, powerful people. As Descartes talked of his ideas, Elisabeth intently listened and became very interested in Descartes' thoughts of the mind and body. After his visit, it was told to him that Elisabeth had been very interested in his work. Descartes was flattered and told others that he would like to get to know the princess better. Descartes made another visit to The Hague, and was intent on having a conversation with Elisabeth, although this conversation for some reason did not happen.

thumb|upright|alt=Elisabeth of Bohemia-Palatinatefrom A Sister of Prince Rupert by E. Godfrey. According from the text the original painting this photo is based on was painted by Gerard Honthorst and hangs in the National Gallery.|Portrait of Elisabeth from the National Gallery.

Elisabeth, upon hearing of Descartes' failed attempt to converse with her, wrote to Descartes a letter. In this letter, dated May 16, 1643, Elisabeth writes, "tell me please how the soul of a human being (it being only a thinking substance) can determine the bodily spirits and so bring about voluntary actions". Elisabeth is questioning Descartes' idea of dualism and how the soul and the body could interact. Elisabeth questioned how something immaterial (Descartes' idea of the mind) could move something material (the body). She proposes three ways something can be "moved": through self-propulsion, external propulsion, or movement determined by the properties of something pushing it. The first and second options require physical contact, while the third option requires extension. If the mind is not part of the physical world, then it cannot make physical contact with anything, meaning the mind cannot interact with the body. By Descartes' own view, physical interaction is only possible through extension, but as Descartes thinks the mind lacks this property, it makes interaction impossible, ruling out the third option as well. In another letter from Elisabeth to Descartes dated July 1, 1643, Elisabeth agrees with Descartes that our senses are evidence that the soul does move the body and the body moves the soul, but that this interaction does not teach us anything about how this happens. This specific correspondence between Elisabeth and Descartes is often ignored by many historians, as they see it as insignificant, but a few regard it as influential in that Descartes and Elisabeth seem to be talking of the "passions of the soul", as Descartes referred to them. Some historians have remarked that Elisabeth could have been a philosopher in her own right if it had not been for a lack of a systematic presentation of her philosophical position.

Contributions to the feminist history of philosophy

Elisabeth of Bohemia has been a key subject in the feminist history of philosophy. She has garnered attention as a prominent female thinker and for her practical role in the development of 17th century female scholars. Feminist scholars study her correspondences and life to understand the limitations placed on 17th century female thinkers. Some scholars cite Elisabeth as an example of how philosophical conceptions of women as philosophers excluded them from the philosophical canon. For feminist scholars, her correspondence with Descartes presents an example of the value of including women in the canon. Some argue that Elisabeth's correspondence with Descartes helps feminist scholars re-conceptualize how women are to be included in the philosophical canon. Feminist scholars are concerned with how Elisabeth's gender informed her philosophy. Many believe that Elisabeth was keenly aware of the limitations of her sex. One scholar states that Elisabeth's health and femininity informed her interest about the immaterial soul's influence on the material body. Elisabeth's influence also extends to the development of other 17th century female thinkers. She utilized her exile court in The Hague to create a network of female scholars. Her network was a space where women could engage in philosophical inquiry through correspondence. Including Elisabeth, the network consisted of Anna Maria van Schurman, Marie de Gournay, and Lady Ranelagh.

References

  • The Complete Correspondence of Elisabeth of Bohemia and René Descartes
  • Abridged Descartes-Elisabeth correspondence in an easier-to-read version
  • Baroness Marie Blaze de Bury, Memoirs of the Princess Palatine, princess of Bohemia 1853 in English
  • Godfrey, Elizabeth. A Sister of Prince Rupert, Elizabeth Princess Palatine and Abbess of Herford. London, New York: J. Lane.
  • Online-Biography of Elisabeth of Boehmia, Princess Palatine (in German)
  • The Stuarts at the Royal Family website
  • Feminist History of Philosophy
  • Elisabeth of Bohemia: bibliographical and biographical references. - Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists

|-