Suffering
Suffering is a basic experience and referred to as a collective term everything which a man burdened physically and mentally. Among other things, the non-fulfillment of needs, hopes and expectations, the loss of related individuals, the separation of social groups, external constraints and limitations of, old age, sickness, death and pain are experienced as suffering. Pain is always subjective. What is actually perceived as suffering depends on the individual, that is from their own experiences and attitudes.
Word history
In classifications of emotions (passion lists) is achos in pseudo - Andronicus, the Greek equivalent for suffering, in Latin luctus at Tusculanus.
Experience of suffering and pain management in the religions
The religions are concerned with the questions: " Why the suffering exist? ", " What purpose does the suffering? " And " How can suffering be overcome? ".
The Abrahamic religions take the pain usually on as God's punishment for the violation of his will and his commandments.
The sufferings of Christ, so the passion and crucifixion of Jesus, are key for salvation in Christianity an essential prerequisite.
In Islam, Allah tests the believers through suffering. The Sunnis suffering has no significance for salvation. The Shiite passion plays, however, the faithful can atone for their sins by suffering ertragenes
The conflict between the existence of suffering and the belief in an omnipotent and benevolent God lead to the problem of theodicy. The book of Job deals with this issue.
In Buddhism, the suffering in the Four Noble Truths plays a central role as dukkha. Life in the cycle of existence is suffering. The concept of Karma explains suffering as a result of past actions. Complete extinction of greed can lead to the overcoming of suffering ( nirvana ).
Animal ethics
In his 1975 published book Animal Liberation, Australian philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer, who is with Tom Regan as the founder of modern animal ethics postulated that other species possess the ability to feel pain, with the exception of the so-called " lower animals " such as crustaceans or insect in which it is not secured. 1780 already saw Bentham in the capacity for suffering of animals, the decisive criterion in terms of a moral consideration that should be extended to animals of what is now known as Pathocentrism.
The criterion of ability to suffer, therefore, also constitutes an important approach in the philosophy of animal rights.
The German Animal Welfare Act prohibits in principle in § 1, " [ ... ] an animal without reasonable cause pain, suffering, injury [ to ]. "
§ 5 of the Austrian Federal Law on the Protection of Animals states in part: " It is prohibited to unjustly inflict an animal pain, suffering or injury, or to put it in severe anxiety. "