Okay, I realize that the relevance of neuroscience to the philosophy of well-being can hardly be made explicit in sufficient detail at the level of an introduction. That is unfortunate, if only for our mutual understanding because, with enough attention to details, the stubbing toe example that I used would not be understood as you do: if it is not unpleasant to stub your toe how can it be bad, pro tanto or otherwise?
I think we may well be speaking past each other someone. In my example, I took it the toe stubbing was unpleasant, and I don’t see any problem in saying the toe stubbing is unpleasant but I am simultaneously experiencing other things such that I feel pleasure overall.
The usual case people discuss here is “how can BDSM be pleasant if it involves pain?” and the answer is to distinguish between bodily pain in certain areas vs a cognitive feeling of pleasure overall resulting from feeling bodily pain.
We may sympathize in the face of such difficulties. Terminology is a big problem when speaking about suffering in the absence of a systematic discipline dealing with suffering itself. That’s another reason why the philosophy of well-being is fraught with traps and why I suggest the alleviation of suffering as the most effective first goal.
Okay, I realize that the relevance of neuroscience to the philosophy of well-being can hardly be made explicit in sufficient detail at the level of an introduction. That is unfortunate, if only for our mutual understanding because, with enough attention to details, the stubbing toe example that I used would not be understood as you do: if it is not unpleasant to stub your toe how can it be bad, pro tanto or otherwise?
I think we may well be speaking past each other someone. In my example, I took it the toe stubbing was unpleasant, and I don’t see any problem in saying the toe stubbing is unpleasant but I am simultaneously experiencing other things such that I feel pleasure overall.
The usual case people discuss here is “how can BDSM be pleasant if it involves pain?” and the answer is to distinguish between bodily pain in certain areas vs a cognitive feeling of pleasure overall resulting from feeling bodily pain.
We may sympathize in the face of such difficulties. Terminology is a big problem when speaking about suffering in the absence of a systematic discipline dealing with suffering itself. That’s another reason why the philosophy of well-being is fraught with traps and why I suggest the alleviation of suffering as the most effective first goal.