On the Supposed Utility of a Folk Theory of Pain

Author: Gustafson D.

Source: Brain and Mind, Volume 1, Number 2, August 2000 , pp. 223-228(6)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

What follows raises objections to some arguments that claim that a ``principle of applicability'' of ordinary pain talk constrains developments in the pain sciences. A more apt picture of lay use of pain language shows its non-theoretic character. Since instrumentalism and eliminativism are philosophical views about the status of theories of pain, neither is a threat to clinical use of standard pain lingo. Perfected pain theory is likely to enhance and improve pain language in clinical settings, should such theory find its way into popular ideas and talk of pain.

Keywords: pain; folk theory; instrumentalism; eliminativism; pain language

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Department of Philosophy, University of Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.

Publication date: 2000-08-01