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Sensing pain is not a prerequisite for consciousness. We do not even know if having any senses is - though complete lack thereof will cause problems with detecting consciousness. Due to lack of response.

The intriguing part here is to consider if a person in a sensory deprivation apparatus is actually conscious.

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Also consider a person who is day-dreaming and one who is lucid dreaming. As with sensory deprivation, both may be having complex, self-aware cognition and remember it later to talk about it.

Of course not, but pain is a prime and salient feature of conscious experience.

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