Abstract

Most of us have experienced some, probably many, forms of bodily pain. Unless you were born with congenital insensitivity to pain, you’ve likely experienced at least toothaches, headaches, or backaches. Pain experiences differ in intensity, quality, and duration. A toothache might be sharp and intense but fleeting, while a backache might be dull and aching yet more enduring. Despite these differences, there seems to be a common thread that unites toothaches, backaches, and so on—something that makes them all pains. This raises interesting philosophical questions: is pain physical or mental? What is the role of the pain system? And, is pain always unpleasant? These questions are the focus of this essay.