ABSTRACT
Pain could be described as a necessary evil. Evil describes it because it is the source of so much human suffering, to the extent that the word pain is often used synonymously with suffering. Necessary also describes pain because it serves such an important function in our lives—without it, we would surely maim and kill ourselves before long (which actually happens in some unfortunate individuals who lack pain). Although necessary, it’s only useful up to a point. When pain outlives its usefulness, it hinders us. Accordingly, plants that have the ability to alleviate pain are very important to us.
