Abstract
Pain is a complex phenomenon. It is based on complex neuroanatomical and -physiological nociceptive processes.
It is also modified by situational, psychological and social factors and is thus subject to conscious and subconscious individual interpretation. As such, pain is an interesting field of science within theory of cognition and philosophy.
In this article, pain will be examined from a phenomenological and enactivist perspective. Focus of this investigation will be the mutual influence of pain and body schema.
Where appropriate, parallels to neuroscientific approaches will be drawn. This will clarify that neurosciences and philosophy are complementary sciences.
This interdisciplinary description will elucidate the extent of curtailment pain constitutes for the individual autonomously acting within her phenomenological niche, impeding realisation of her free will to the point of existential extinction.