Could we survive without pain?: Philosophy Forums

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Could we survive without pain?

Mijin
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1 of 1 people found this post helpful Posted 11/02/09 - 04:52 PM:	#21
The OP is a little vague. There are several questions you could be getting at. Is nociception necessary for humans, as we are, to survive to an advanced age without care? Pretty much, yes. However, that doesn't mean that if you alleviated human pain to a huge degree, you'd put the human race in danger. After all, we in the 21st century developed world probably experience pain far less often and less severely (since we have drugs that relieve pain) than our ancestors. This doesn't mean we can't live rich, fulfilling and pretty safe lives. There is a tendancy for people to ascribe some "meaning" to the unpleasant aspects of existence. But I work (partly) in a hospital, and IMO there is no upside, no silver lining, to the suffering that many people must bear.

hanuma
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Posted 11/03/09 - 03:29 AM:	#22
Mijin wrote: There is a tendancy for people to ascribe some "meaning" to the unpleasant aspects of existence. But I work (partly) in a hospital, and IMO there is no upside, no silver lining, to the suffering that many people must bear. I completely agree, the only meaning you can ascribe it is its inevitability and, for me, a good reason for never forcing life onto anything/anyone else.

Weisen
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Posted 11/06/09 - 12:47 PM:	#23
Wosret wrote: Presumably life did for three billion years or more, before the evolution of the first nervous system. Although there is clearly a massive evolutionary advantage to have a warning system for what damages the organism. Ergo, life would survive, just not nearly as well. Are you saying organisms feel no pain? What makes you say this?

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