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Re: [APD] Disposing of Unwanted Fish



S. Hieber wrote:
> It takes a good handful of additonal premises to make that conclusion follow unless you're using "feel pain" in  a special restricted way that means merely, "react to a stimulus," In whihc case the I grant the taugtology but don't see much meaning in it. 

The mechanism by which our physical bodies alert our brains that 
something "wrong" is going on and that we should do something to 
alleviate the current state of affairs is something we call "pain." By 
necessity it is unpleasant (whatever that means) so that we don't seek 
it out, which we would do if it were pleasurable, or ignore it, which we 
would do if it it were neither pleasant or unpleasant. There's no 
biological purpose to a initiating a sensation in response to trauma, 
injury, etc. unless that sensation will serve to motivate the organism 
to alleviate the circumstances causing that sensation.

Having said all that, the fact that fish react to injury or detrimental 
situations (e.g., by attempting to flee or by trying to rub off 
parasites) is proof that they perceive some sensation which causes them 
to attempt to remedy that situation. The perception of that sensation 
cannot be pleasant or neutral lest the fish would seek it out or ignore 
it. Arguing about whether it "actually hurts" them is falling into the 
trap I was talking about, which is to argue about whether they perceive 
pain in the same way that we do. It's irrelevant.

-- 
Jerry Baker
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