"Bill" wrote in message
om...

"BenignVanilla" m wrote :

Is there even a creature on the planet with a central nervous system
that
doesn't feel pain? Is that possible? Sounds ludicrous to me.

The theory (IIRC) is that pain is a conscious response to nerve
stimulation. People clearly feel pain because we say so. Many other
animals
don't act as if they feel pain. They show aversion to damage, they show
incapacitation, but they don't act like the animals that feel pain act. As
long as they still function, and as long as the danger of additional
damage
is past, they seem to behave normally.

So some people conclude that their brains are not wired to have a
conscious response to nerve stimulation (which makes sense, because what
would they do with it?). All they seem to have are non-conscious,
instinctual responses.

What is an example of such a beast? IMHO, pain is a necessary part of our
subconscious, like breathing. Without pain, I could sit on a sharp spike and
bleed to death before I even knew what happened. With pain, I jump away and
cry like a baby instead of unknowingly impale myself. I would think all
higher level creatures, with nervous systems, would act the same. Now how we
deal with pain is different. Brand a horse, and he'll fuss but be OK...brand
me...and I'll kick yer ass and then whine about the pain for at least 3
days. *laugh* That doesn't mean the horse felt no pain.

BV.