Category: Algonomy
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Does every experience have some negative valence?
Roger Thisdell holds that every experience has some negative valence and that there are no experiences with a positive hedonic level. There is a point where you deconstruct perception to basic experiences by not feeding certain mental processes with your attention, they fade out. If I’m not paying attention to thought, the experience and comprehension…
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L’approche systématique de la souffrance: Un entretien avec Robert Daoust
English | French L’algonomie est le nom d’une discipline pour l’étude systématique de la souffrance, proposée par Robert Daoust. L’Alliance Algosphère, lancée par Robert et d’autres en 2011, est un réseau mondial ouvert et transparent d’individus et d’organisations, dédié à l’allègement de la souffrance. Sentience Research: Vous êtes l’un des fondateurs d’Algosphère. Comment l’organisation…
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The systematic approach to suffering: an Interview with Robert Daoust
English | French Algonomy is the name of a discipline for the systematic study of suffering, proposed by Robert Daoust. The Algosphere Alliance, launched by Robert and others in 2011, is an open and transparent global network of individuals and organizations, dedicated to alleviating suffering. Sentience Research: You are one of the founders of…
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The systematic approach to suffering by Robert Daoust
“The study of pleasure and pain belongs to the province of the political philosopher; for he is the architect of the end, with a view to which we call one thing bad and another good without qualification. ” – Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics The systematic approach to suffering will present a collection of lists, a series…
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Conceptualizing suffering and pain
Pain can be described in neurological terms but cognitive awareness, interpretation, behavioral dispositions, as well as cultural and educational factors have a decisive influence on pain perception. Suffering is proposed to be defined as an unpleasant or even anguishing experience, severely affecting a person at a psychophysical and existential level. Pain and suffering are considered…
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A compass that is perpetually “stuck on South”
“If someone offered you a pill that would make you permanently happy, you would be well advised to run fast and run far. Emotion is a compass that tells us what to do, and a compass that is perpetually stuck on north is worthless.” —Professor Daniel Gilbert. Department of Psychology, Harvard University “Many millions of…
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Ideology of Reproduction versus Non-Suffering and conservatism vs progressivism
“While every sensitive being fundamentally wishes to avoid suffering and experience happiness, curiously, human societies have almost never made non-suffering and happiness their founding values. Why? The ideology of reproduction has existed for 100,000 years, while the belief that the spirit survives the death of the body appears. We must reproduce so that a progeny…
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What does “more suffering than happiness” means?
In Magnus Vinding‘s [1] words [2]: I think there is a problem with underspecified [in expressions] like “more suffering than happiness” […] For example, talking about “whether suffering or enjoyment is more common” (in this piece [3]) sounds rather descriptive, whereas saying that, or whether, “suffering predominates” (ibid.) will often have evaluative and/or moral connotations.…
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The science of consciousness and the science of suffering
Most of us are primarily interested in the problem of suffering, and secondarily in the question of consciousness. Because suffering is a phenomenal phenomenon we need to know what is consciousness. This seems to be important in how we approach the question of consciousness here. Currently, the science of consciousness and the science of suffering…