[ExI] Do LLMs feel pain?

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [ExI] Do LLMs feel pain?

 

 

 

On Fri, Sep 25, 2026 at 5:12 PM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

 

 <https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.16247> >>> https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.16247 

 

>> …

 

> Well OK, I am surprised.  John I fully expected you would come galloping to the defense of that paper.

 

>…I may be a jerk but I am not totally lacking in empathy. If I see or even just hear about ANY conscious entity being tortured I tend to become unhappy. If I had been God before I had brought the laws of physics into existence I would've made sure they would've made intense pain be a physical impossibility. I applied for the position but unfortunately I didn't get the job, that sadistic asshole Yahweh did. 

 

John K Clark

 

 

 

 

John, I nominate you as the person here most difficult to predict (while nominating myself for the easiest to predict.)  I will refrain from starting any betting memes on you.

 

Speaking of betting… 

 

Harrises are going for 7 cents for the nom.  Those sound a bit pricey considering former AI-czar’s commentary yesterday, the AI-flowers explanation at about the 24 minute mark:

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/former-ai-czar-kamala-harris-endeavors-to-explain-algorithm-using-flowers/ar-AA2cYsFK

 

That might drive down the price.  Those would be compelling at about 4. Maybe 5, but not 7.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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