Yearbook 2015-2016 _ Web version

MAGNITUDE OF PAIN
Dr. H.M. Sen Gupta
SFXGHIS YEARBOOK 2015-2016
Physics is a quantitative science. This is
because all physical quantities
(extremely small to extremely large) can be measured without
exception and thus a magnitude can be assigned to all the quantities.
An error can also be assigned to the measured value. An error does
not mean any mistake in the measurement. It stands for an
uncertainty in the result and thus makes the numerical value
obtained more meaningful; the smaller the error (the percentage
error, in fact) the more reliable and thus more meaningful will be the
quantity measured.
There are several disciplines in science that are qualitative in nature
and therefore no magnitude i.e. numerical value can be assigned to
them. It has, however, been possible for Physics to contribute to the
relevant parts of these also and thereby develop these science
subjects to make them of great importance. We can quote hydrology,
geophysics, medical physics and biophysics as examples.
Psychology is an important discipline in science. Various matters are
dealt with in Psychology, none of which can have any numerical
value. Pain is one such matter. Mother's death gives pain. Death of
a child, or of a relative or a friend, an accident on the road, failing in
an examination even after hard work, losing a job unwarranted and
so on will give us pain, but certainly not to the same extend. None
of these pains can have a magnitude at all. Thus no numerical figure
can be quoted to state the amount of pain. We can only say a large
amount of pain (or may be, a very large amount of pain), a small
amount of pain (or an extremely small amount of pain) and so on.
In other words, it is only possible to say that one is more painful or
much more painful than another, or less painful or much less painful
and so on. We can never say how much larger or how much smaller.
These clearly mean that it is never possible to give any numerical
value to state the pain and all other terms in Psychology. This is the
very nature, i.e. the important characteristic feature of Psychology.
Psychology is certainly an important discipline in science.
There is a well known story related to the measurement of
magnitude to pain. I do not know how far this is true. The story is
as follows:
Several Psychologists went to Physicists to discuss if it is possible
to do an experiment on the measurement of pain in a laboratory and
thus assign a magnitude to it. An experiment was designed after a
detailed discussion.
As required in the experiment, several persons (both male and
female) of different age group and different body structure (some
lean and thin, some bulky, some short, some tall) were chosen on
whom the experiment was to be carried out. The experiment is
started below.
In a dark room there will be an wooden chair. On it all the chosen
people, as above, will sit one after another holding a pair of
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