Do fish feel pain?

[yellowperil]

As I understand it, the neocortex is evolutionarily (word?) the 'newest' part of the brain (hence neo - cortex). Which means it developed last. Fish have been around a lot longer than humans and have their brains have not evolved, so it seems plausible they are missing a neocortex. That doesn't mean they can't perceive pain. Their pain perception may be integrated in a different area of whatever they have for a brain. It may not be as sophisticated as ours, and they may not 'feel' pain in the same way, but they need some kind of warning signal.

 

[notfred]

I dont see how any animal could survive without the ability to feel pain. I mean, have you ever seen an animal that didn't react to being attacked? take a needle and poke a live fish with it, if it doesn't flinch, squirm, or some other way react, then I guess it probably doesn't feel pain. I can guarantee you that it will try to get away from you if you poke it, though.

 

[xtopgunx]

I could understand that, but when I had my fish, they would run into the side of the tank, REALLY hard, and then just go off and do whatever they were doing before, not in any shock, seemed to me, and pain that I could see that they were in, and they would do it a few times here and then. So if they were able to feel pain, wouldn't they be able to know not to run into a glass fishtank? Or did they loose too many brain cells from the first hit of the tank?

 

[jamie2833]

but Kurt Cobain said 'it's ok to eat fish because they don't have any feelings'
so i guess that answers it all!

 

[Azraele]

<<but they need some kind of warning signal>>

I agree. Pain is a great warning signel, and can teach a valuable lesson. For example, don't put your hand on the hot stove or it will get burned. Fish are bound to have a similar mechanism.

 

[SuperTool]

No.
But sometimes I wonder why live fish jumps on the skillet when you cook it
Oh well.

 

[Aenygma]

yes.

 

[Raspewtin]

<< Rose said his research has led him to conclude that fish do not feel pain because they lack a neocortex, a part of the brain that gives humans the ability to feel pain. >>




dam what weak research. i have done plenty of neurological and psychobiological research in the area of pain (although i admit it was not the primary focus of my research, but it was an important facet). I can't believe at this rediculous way of saying hey they don't have pain b/c i removed the analagous area. jeez if you remove wernike's area early in development they will develop a functional similar node elsewhere in the brain. fish pain probably does not originate from the same place as human pain .even the more closely related dolphin is completely different in where many functions are located the human brain. Some of these guys are doing research and coming to conclusions like they are in the medieval ages. whether they experience suffering is another question. no self-respecting scientist would try to venture a scientific guess on that with how little we know about the brain today.

yes, fish definitely do feel pain.

 

[Infidelity]

Some of these guys are doing research and coming to conclusions like they are in the medieval ages. whether they experience suffering is another question. no self-respecting scientist would try to venture a scientific guess on that with how little we know about the brain today.

I agree then why do you say that fish feel pain? What evidence do you have to support that claim.

 

[Raspewtin]

well during my research i used to go fishing and had a discussion with a friend who thought fish didn't have pain. i seriously doubted what he said so took a fish to the lab, and did some research (if you want the details PM me; i don't want to be hassled by anti-animal research types) there was a definite response to even very mildly painful (and non-harmful) stimuli such as mild electric shock. i unfortunately never got to localize it b/c it would take too much time , too many fish, and I didn't feel like trying to get a grant for it