Follow-up question: are all things that we consider misfortunes similar to the “burn yourself” situation, in that there is some sort of “damage” that is part of what makes the misfortune bad, separately from and additionally to the distress/discomfort/pain involved?
Consider a possible invention called a neuronic whip (taken from Asimov’s Foundation series). The neuronic whip, when fired at someone, does no direct damage but triggers all of the “pain” nerves at a given intensity.
Assume that Jim is hit by a neuronic whip, briefly and at low intensity. There is no damage, but there is pain. Because there is pain, Jim would almost certainly consider this a misfortune, and would prefer that it had not happened; yet there is no damage.
So, considering this counterexample, I’d say that no, not every possible misfortune includes damage. Though I imagine that most do.
That is true; but it’s enough to create a single counterexample, so I can simply specify the neuronic whip being used under circumstances where there is no social damage (e.g. the neuronic whip was discharged accidentally, no-one know Jim was there to be hit by it).
If you could switch off pain at will would you consider the tissue damage caused by burning yourself irrelevant?
I would not. This is a fair point.
Follow-up question: are all things that we consider misfortunes similar to the “burn yourself” situation, in that there is some sort of “damage” that is part of what makes the misfortune bad, separately from and additionally to the distress/discomfort/pain involved?
Consider a possible invention called a neuronic whip (taken from Asimov’s Foundation series). The neuronic whip, when fired at someone, does no direct damage but triggers all of the “pain” nerves at a given intensity.
Assume that Jim is hit by a neuronic whip, briefly and at low intensity. There is no damage, but there is pain. Because there is pain, Jim would almost certainly consider this a misfortune, and would prefer that it had not happened; yet there is no damage.
So, considering this counterexample, I’d say that no, not every possible misfortune includes damage. Though I imagine that most do.
No need for sci-fi.
Much of what could be called damage in this context wouldn’t necessarily happen within your body, you can take damage to your reputation for example.
You can certainly be deluded about receiving damage especially in the social game.
That is true; but it’s enough to create a single counterexample, so I can simply specify the neuronic whip being used under circumstances where there is no social damage (e.g. the neuronic whip was discharged accidentally, no-one know Jim was there to be hit by it).
Yes. I didn’t mean to refute your idea in any way and quite liked it. Forgot to upvote it though. I merely wanted to add a real world example.