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From: mwtyrrel@ccs.carleton.ca (Marc W.D. Tyrrell)
Subject: Re: Evolutionary reason for incapacitating pain?
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Date: Wed, 12 Apr 1995 13:04:10 GMT
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Gary William Flake (flake@scr.siemens.com) wrote:
> Brian Hill <brianhill@bdt.com> wrote:
> > Are there evolutionary reasons for incapacitating pain?
> > 
> > Creatures feel pain as a warning system, which is advantageous.  But why
> > does pain become so intense that the creature is incapacitated?
> > 
> > Wouldn't it be more beneficial to the creature for pain to be intense, but
> > level out before becoming incapacitating?
> >
> > [ ... ]

> I would argue that our nervous system already does this.  A year or so
> ago I wasn't so sure and I had often wondered about this issue myself.
> However, last summer I pulverized my wrist into about seven different
> pieces.  To say the least, I was surprised at my body's reaction.

> [.....]
> Sure, it was painful.  Yes, I could hardly walk.  But in truth it
> wasn't nearly as bad as you would think.

> I realize that this is purely anecdotal, but does anyone else have any
> personal experiences along these lines?

> Gary

I have had several experiences that are the same. To my mind, it is
not the existence of incapacitating pain, but rather the "use" of this
pain to "trip" a system of neurological shock. In all three cases
(badly lacerated chest, three inch hole in leg, and a bone deep slash
in my hand), I have gone into "shock". Let me tell you, I didn't need
any morphine! The natural endorphins were just fine <grin>.

I would suggest that the pain reaction is in a symbiotic relationship
with the system that produces natural endorphins. In short, it really
takes a lot of hurting to get a really great natural high <grin>. As
such, "pain" becomes an aversive stimulus for the natural high.

If we didn't have the endorphin system, the pain system would be a
contra survival mutation, and vice versa. Together, they seem to work
pretty well.

Marc

*** Restructure Reality... you never know what you will find! -) ***
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Carleton University
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Email address: mwtyrrel@ccs.carleton.ca
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