Definition of psychological suffering, physical suffering, psychological pleasure and physical pleasure

Versión en Español

Software is sometimes defined as “everything that can be transmitted over a telephone line” (as opposed to hardware, which is everything that doesn’t).

In a similar way, we could define psychological suffering as “that suffering that can be generated by sending a WhatsApp”, that is, transmitting information. The physical suffering would be “that suffering which can not be generated through a WhatsApp”. For example, the suffering caused by breaking a leg.

Exactly the same type of definition would apply to pleasure. The psychological pleasure would be “that pleasure that can be generated by sending a WhatsApp”, that is, transmitting information. And physical pleasure would be “that pleasure which can not be generated through a WhatsApp”. For example, the pleasure caused by an orgasm.

These classifications can be useful to take into account the origin or cause of the suffering, and therefore its solution, but I do not think that there is an essential difference between physical and mental pain.

Posted by Manu Herrán

Founder at Sentience Research. Associate at the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS).

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