Please find below the invitation to the COMPAIN lectures once again, for session #2.
The Taiwanese-German research project COMPAIN (The Complexity of Pain and Its Normative Implications) is investigating how ethical reflections on pain can adequately address its complexity. This topic has been emphasised in discussions from various fields, including medicine, neuroscience, and the philosophy of mind.
The COMPAIN research group invites scholars and the wider public to join a conversation on the complexity of pain and its ethical dimensions. To foster this exchange, we are launching the COMPAIN Lecture Series for the winter semester of 2025, featuring talks dedicated to pain-related themes from philosophical, medical, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
To participate in the lecture series, use the following Zoom link: https://uni-ms.zoom-x.de/j/2720643197?omn=62804254235 (see full zoom invitation below).
The second talk of the COMPAIN lecture series will feature Hadeel Naeem on 27 November 2025 (12:00-13:30 CET and 19:00-20:30 CST
Title: Pain, epistemic injustice, and AI
Abstract: Pain is a complex, multidimensional phenomenon. Pain research documents cases where our disregard of diverse pain experiences leads to epistemic injustices against those who suffer from pain. Automated pain detection technologies use limited behavioural and physiological indicators and are trained on insufficiently diverse datasets. These technologies can potentially exacerbate existing epistemic harms against pain sufferers, particularly marginalised groups. I argue that we must carefully consider the diverse presentations of pain and their neurological, biological, psychological, and social dimensions when implementing AI-based pain assessment tools. To prevent deepening epistemic injustices in pain care, we must develop AI systems by collecting diverse datasets, implementing explainable algorithms, maintaining transparency in data and algorithms, and incorporating flexibility for ongoing improvements. Preserving pain’s complexity when developing these technologies helps prevent further marginalising those who experience pain, particularly vulnerable populations.
Upcoming talks in the COMPAIN lecture series:
Philip Gerrans on 12 December 2025 (08:30-10:20 CET and 15:30-17:20 CST)
Title: Pain, suffering, and the self
Dieter Birnbacher on 15 January 2025 (12:00-13:30 CET and 19:00-20:30 CST)
Title: Pain, suffering, and the will
Kevin Reuter 29 January 2026 (12:00-13:30 CET and 19:00-20:30 CST)
Title: The complexity of the concept of pain
Noelia Bueno-Gómez 12 February 2026 (12:00-13:30 CET and 19:00-20:30 CST)
Title: The pathologization of suffering and pain
Everyone’s welcome to attend. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dominik Koesling (dominik.koesling@uni-muenster.de)