Mental Painkillers and Reasons for Pain

Abstract

What does bodily pain have in common with mental pain? According to "evaluativism," both are representations of something bad. This paper puts forward three claims. First, that evaluativism vis-à-vis bodily pain is false for it renders it irrational to take painkillers. Second, that evaluativism vis-à-vis mental pain is true. Third, that this difference between bodily and mental pain stems from the fact that only the latter is normative, that is, based on reasons. The normative difference between bodily and mental pain implies that mental pains are not bad, while bodily pains are not representations. Pain is unique among perceptual experiences. It is not merely something which cannot be experienced without being exist, but something which cannot exist without being Mental painkillers and reasons for pain 2

Pain and suffering

“…If pain means any kind of physical damage, then this physical damage causes some unpleasant and nasty feelings in our minds. However, for mental pain, one has to have an understanding or experience of the pain or suffering that is going to come up for someone (Benbaji, 2018). For example if a human and a goat is being knotted to slaughter, the goat will have no fear as it doesn't understand what is going to happen next and thus up to the point of getting slaughtered has no pain or suffering.…”

The authority of pleasure

“…But this disjunction is not forced on us. Though I cannot challenge this disjunction here (for that, see Gorodeisky ms(b)), I'd note that an increasing number of philosophers hold that emotions are both (re)presentational and responsive to reasons (e.g., Epley (2019) and Benbaji (2018)). I believe that PA, like the emotions, is both disclosive of value and responsive to reasons for feeling it and to merit.…”