Philosophy of Suffering Metaphysics, Value, and Normativity

Suffering is a central component of our lives. We suffer pain. We fall ill. We fail and are failed. Our loved ones die. It is a commonplace to think that suffering is, always and everywhere, bad. But might suffering also be good? If so, in what ways might suffering have positive, as well as negative, value? This important volume examines these questions and is the first comprehensive examination of suffering from a philosophical perspective. An outstanding roster of international contributors explore the nature of suffering, pain, and valence, as well as the value of suffering and the relationships between suffering, morality, and rationality. Philosophy of Suffering: Metaphysics, Value, and Normativity is essential reading for students and researchers in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, cognitive and behavioral psychology as well as those in health and medicine researching conceptual issues regarding suffering and pain.

Introduction: David Bain, Michael Brady andJennifer Corns Part 1: The nature of suffering 1. The world according to suffering Antti Kauppinen 2. The disruption model of suffering Tom McClelland 3. Pain, suffering, and consciousness Sam Coleman 4. Suffering pains Olivier Massin Part 2: Pain and valence 5. Valence, bodily (dis)pleasures, and emotions Fabrice Teroni 6. Pain and Mere Tastes: Toward an Attitudinal-Representational Theory of Valenced Perceptual Experiences Hilla Jacobson 7. Pain: an attitude with two heads Hagit Benbaji Part 3: The value of suffering 8. Suffering as transformative experience Havi Careland Ian James Kidd 9. After Motivational Hedonism: Feeling Bad Can Be Good /Feeling Good Can Be Bad Colin Leach 10. From suffering to satisfaction: why we need pain to feel pleasure Brock Bastian 11. My horses and hogs and even everybody seemed changed: appreciating beauty in depression recovery Tasia Scrutton Part 4: The normativity of suffering 12. Hedonic rationality Jennifer Corns 13. Suffering and rationality Jonathan Cohenand Matthew Fulkerson 14. Pain and moral agency Marilyn McCord Adams 15. Suffering as a virtue Michael Brady. Index

David Bain is Reader in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, UK.Michael Brady is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, UK.Jennifer Corns is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, UK.