I agree on some level but I have two objections.
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Pain is not the same as suffering. Pain is a single message that tells the brain something is wrong. Suffering is a prolonged form of pain, for which there is often no immediate remedy. I agree that when one suffers, it reminds us that there is a problem. But if the goal is to use negative signalling to teach a system, then giving the information to remedy the situation is just as important. There’s no need to torture.
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Narcissists and sociopaths feel pain too. It doesn’t keep them from being socially destructive. I think a better solution is to come up with a universal rational system of morality. Here’s the way I think about it: