ABSTRACT
The French philosopher Rene Descartes is considered to be one of the giants of early modern European philosophy. Completed in 1649, his book The Passions of the Soul was the result of Descartes’ correspondence with Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia. Descartes expounded on the subject of the passions, including happiness. The French philosopher argued that although passions are not innately harmful, one must know them and learn to control them to protect one’s capacity to understand reality. In the following excerpt, Descartes sets out to categorize the passions. It is known by what hath formerly been said, that the utmost, and nearest cause of The Passions of the Soul, is nothing but the agitation, by which the spirits move the little kernel in the middle of the brain.
