Unpleasantness, motivational oomph, and painfulness

Corns, J. (2014) Unpleasantness, motivational oomph, and painfulness. Mind and Language, 29(2), pp. 238-254. (doi: 10.1111/mila.12048)

Abstract

Painful pains are, paradigmatically, unpleasant and motivating. The dominant view amongst philosophers and pain scientists is that these two features are essentially related and sufficient for painfulness. In this article, I first offer scientifically informed characterizations of both unpleasantness and motivational <i>oomph</i> and argue against other extant accounts. I then draw on folk-characterized cases and current neurobiological and neurobehavioral evidence to argue that both dominant positions are mistaken. Unpleasantness and motivational <i>oomph</i> doubly dissociate and, even taken together, are insufficient for painfulness.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Corns, Dr Jennifer
• Authors: Corns, J.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: Mind and Language
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0268-1064
• ISSN (Online): 1468-0017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 Wiley
• First Published: First published in Mind and Language 29(2):238-254
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher