Does an animal require sentience to feel physical pain?

Question

My brother thinks that if one is not sentient they cannot feel physical pain.

In: Biology

Answer 1

In a biological sense, yes.

In a philosophical sense, no. Philosophers refer to sentience as being self aware and there are many creatures that are not self aware that can still feel pain. Yet because they are not self aware they do not understand it. Chickens are a good example. They feel pain but are not self aware so they don’t understand it. All they do know is “pain=bad” so when they encounter pain they run from it.