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In class we learned that pain is not a sensory modality and yet I feel as if I am able to sense pain. If I scratch my arm, I feel the pressure of my finger, but also a sense of pain. Oftentimes if a person gets a cut, he doesn’t realize that it hurts until he sees the cut. The pain appears to be initiated by his visual confirmation. However, if I scratch my arm while closing my eyes, I still feel both pressure and pain. There is more to it then the visual reafferent loop. If pain is merely a device of the nervous system, then is it a learned device or do we innately possess the ability to feel pain?

What exactly is pain? Biologically the pain we experience is separate from nociception, which is the measurable and physiological component to events that usually involve pain. However, pain can occur without nociception and visa versa. Nociception involves the transferring of information, such as inflammation or damage, to the brain and spinal chord. (wikipedia: pain and nociception) Pain doesn’t seem to hold any physiological component. Does this mean it is purely psychological?