Is the folk concept of pain polyeidic?. (3rd February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Borg, Emma; Harrison, Richard; Stazicker, James; Salomons, Tim
• Is Part Of: Mind & language. Volume 35:Number 1(2020:Feb.)
• Page Start: 29
• Page End: 47
• Publication Date: 2019-02-03
• Subjects: Bodily view of pain -- Cartesian mental state -- chronic pain -- Mental State view of pain -- paradox of pain -- polyeidic concept; Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; Thought and thinking -- Periodicals; Language and languages -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 153.42
• DOI: 10.1111/mila.12227
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-1064

Abstract

Abstract : Philosophers often assume that folk hold pain to be a mental state. However, folk also assign pains bodily locations: unlike most other mental states, pains are held to exist in arms, feet, etc. This has led some to talk of the "paradox of pain, " whereby the folk notion of pain is inherently conflicted. Recently, several authors have rejected the paradox view, arguing for a univocal, Bodily view of the folk notion of pain. This paper presents six objections to the Bodily view. We then outline a direction for future research—the "Polyeidic approach"—whereby the folk notion of pain is held to be complex.