MMW 14 Chapter Reading: MMW 14 Chapter : Emilie du Chatelet -- Discourse on Happiness

• School: UCSD
• Department: Making of the Modern World
• Course: MMW 14
• Professor: Edmond Chang

Document Summary

She loves him to pieces and misses him like crazy every second he is away. She begs him to come back before she gives birth because her pregnancy is very difficult and she is afraid. She is in a lot of pain and can barely walk. The pain makes her unable to work. She asks him to keep, mark, and publish a manuscript of hers because she wants it to be completed before she dies. People usually only see how to be happy when they are too old to do anything about it. People should focus on enjoying themselves rather than preparing for disaster. In order to be happy, you have to be virtuous, in good health, and susceptible to illusion. Without illusion, you can never be happy. Allow illusions to thicken in your life and try to keep from using reason to get rid of them. Don"t try to curb your passions, they are the key to happiness.