Research & Publications

I. Pain

The phenomenon of pain is commonly understood in terms of a corresponding phenomenal quality: there is a certain subjective feeling of what it is typically like for us to experience pains in contrast to non-pains. This is merely the starting point, however. Most researchers ultimately aim to explain and predict the circumstances under which pains occur. To do so, they search for a certain type of property that is common to all pains and at the same time specific to pains, besides the previously described subjective feeling. The guiding question for me is whether a property of this kind exists; and if not, which consequences we need to draw from such insight. This issue constituted the basis of my PhD thesis and resulting follow-up projects of the last years.

Pain Quality & Memory

We are commonly able to identify pains as pains in a straightforward manner: pains typically feel a certain way to us. The corresponding subjective feeling has been addressed in the philosophical literature under different labels – phenomenal quality, qualitative character, or quale. In a recent subproject, I provide an overview concerning different possibilities of how to analyze said phenomenal quality and critically discuss the most promising interpretations of the ‘orthodox view’ assuming the existence of a pain quality. In another subproject, I outline how we could model the phenomenal facets of pain in terms of a multidimensional quality space, similar to  color spaces. Moreover, in a commentary on the work of Barbara Montero, I address the question of which conditions need to be met in order for us to plausibly assume the lack of a qualitative memory for pain.

Bodily Sensations & Intentionality

In consideration of empirical findings, I argue that there exists no property common to all pains and pains only. This is due to the substantial variation across pains and the systematic similarity between pain and other phenomena, such as emotions and other bodily sensations. In particular, I argue against strong intentionalist theories presuming the existence of a certain type of intentional content necessary and sufficient for pain. I address indicative as well as imperative versions of strong intentionalism and focus on arguments based on causal covariance and biological function. My considerations focus on pain but also include other bodily sensations, such as hunger and itch.

Neurophilosophy of Pain

Pain continues to be one of the most controversial subjects in neurophilosophy. One focus of current debates is the apparent absence of an ideal brain-based biomarker that could function as a coherent and distinct indicator for pain. One prominent reaction to this in the philosophical literature is scientific pain eliminativism. Instead, I argue for a non-eliminative alternative that builds on family resemblances and provides a useful heuristic in the tradeoff between the idiosyncrasy of the neural processes corresponding to different pain cases and the demand for generalizability in pain research.

This stream of research is to be further extended in collaborative work in the German-Taiwanese project ‘COMPAIN – The Complexity of Pain and Its Normative Implications’ funded by ERA-NET NEURON (starting 2024).

II. Chronic Pain & Suffering

In my recent research, I address the more general phenomenon of human suffering, shifting my focus to chronic pain and other chronic conditions as well as affective phenomena, such as loneliness, depression, and suicidal ideation. This research field is of particular relevance in its application to clinical contexts. I am therefore increasingly concerned with the interface between philosophy, clinical medicine, and healthcare, whereby the influences of situated approaches come into play concerning concepts of affordances, narrative niches, and dynamic systems. I study the complexities of the phenomenal experience of living with chronic pain and the interplay of bio-psycho-social factors in its development. Furthermore, I examine how environmental conditions contribute to this and how they can be actively addressed in therapeutic contexts.

Affordance-Based Approaches to Chronic Pain

In cooperation with Peter Stilwell, I have developed an affordance-based approach to pain. In our first paper, we conceptualize differences between acute and chronic pain, as well as the process of chronification, in terms of changes in the field of affordances. This is, in terms of the possibilities for action perceived by subjects in pain. In a second paper, we collaborate with Michael Ray, aiming to further unpack the complex concepts of an affordances-based model of chronic pain by means of an illustrative video game analogy. In a third paper, under the lead of Daniela Vaz, we explore in detail the potential of such affordance-based approaches for clinical practice and healthcare. Finally, in a letter to the editor, we respond to the claim that this approach overlooks the ‘physical’ aspects of pain treatment, offering a defense of its broader perspective.

Further development of this general material, aimed at making it more illustrative and accessible to a broader public, is currently underway in the knowledge transfer project ‚From Pain Theory to Practice: A Community-Initiated Knowledge Translation Project’ (funded by the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation).

Bio-Psycho-Social Models: Enactivism and Dynamic Systems

Peter Stilwell and I argue that due to its limited theoretical foundation, the biopsychosocial model is too often implemented in a reductionist, fragmented, and linear manner. It remains too vague concerning the relation of the involved biological, psychological, and social processes. We differentiate five facets of such integration problem: (i) ontological, (ii) conceptual, (iii) explanatory, (iv) methodological, and (v) therapeutic. Based on enactive approaches, we outline possible solutions to these challenges. In another project with Ben Cormack and Jo Gibson, we indicate that many applications of the biopsychosocial model in recent clinical practice deviate from the original ideas of George Engel. We show that these deviations have led to suboptimal patient care and indicate more promising alternatives relying on humanistic and enactive principles. In an ongoing collaborative project, I am investigating how the development of various types of chronic pain can be better understood through the lens of dynamic systems theory, while also exploring the therapeutic implications of this approach.

Pain-Related Suffering and Illness Narratives

In a currently developing research project, I explore the conceptual distinction between pain and suffering, particularly investigating why some individuals living with chronic pain suffer from the condition while others do not. My focus is on the role of illness narratives in this process – specifically, how the meaning we ascribe to our pain and the related stories that are prevalent in socio-clinical contexts influence both the experience and persistence of pain.

Suffering and Suicidal Agency

As a member of the Research Network ‘The Role of Ambivalence in the Agency of Suicidal Individuals’ (funded by the German Research Foundation), I am currently involved in two related projects. The first project focuses on the value of ambivalence in both everyday life and the context of suicide. The second project examines the role of the environment – both material and social – in suicidal decision-making, integrating empirical findings with concepts from situated cognition, such as affordance perception.

III. Scaffolding & Niche Construction

I work on core concepts of situated cognition, such as scaffolding and niche construction, and their relevance to cognitive and affective phenomena. A key focus is on how humans actively shape their material, social, and technological environments, influencing their mental life and well-being, both positively and negatively. In collaboration with Achim Stephan, I developed a taxonomy of affective scaffolding, clarifying distinctions that are often conflated and identifying overlooked areas of application. Furthermore, I explore the darker side of niche construction, examining how organisms may alter their environments in ways that are harmful to them. I distinguish the concept of negative niche construction as a valuable tool for understanding aspects of modern medicine and the complex interplay of evolutionary, socio-cultural, personal, and situational factors in health issues, with chronic pain serving as an illustrative case study. Finally, I am currently collaborating with my colleague Guido Löhr to develop a deeper understanding of how disruptive technologies can negatively impact our niches, with a particular focus on the inequalities in resources available to protect niches from disruption or (re)construct them in the aftermath. Find more information on our project called Technological Niche Disruption.