Chapter 1: The Ethical Dilemma of Insect Life

The question arises: Is the act of killing an insect as morally troubling as ending the life of a pet, like a dog?

photo credit Justin Lauria on Unsplash

My late husband had a strong aversion to harming insects. Personally, I have a deep-seated fear of spiders. Whenever one would cross my path, I’d let out a scream, and he would calmly capture and release it outdoors. While I could tolerate other insects less, I often dealt with them myself—by squishing, spraying, or otherwise eliminating them. Although I never felt great about these actions, I justified them by believing that insects belonged outside, not in my home.

Now that I live alone, I find my approach to dealing with insects has intensified. With autumn here, unwelcome guests like spiders and other creepy crawlies are starting to invade my home to escape the dropping temperatures. Each time I dispose of an unfortunate insect, I can’t help but worry that I might be inflicting pain—possibly severe pain—on these uninvited visitors. I often express my love for animals; does that make me a hypocrite? Am I a sadist?

Before we delve into the complex issue of whether insects experience pain—a topic that even leading entomologists struggle to answer—we must clarify what we mean by “feeling” pain. Humans have a first-person perspective on life, characterized by what’s known as “phenomenal consciousness.” This concept describes the unique experience of being aware of oneself; in other words, it’s the subjective experience of sensations. We perceive the world through our senses, allowing us to experience “qualia”—like the vibrant color of red or the sweet taste of candy. There’s no doubt that being human is accompanied by an inner experience.

The question now is whether insects possess phenomenal consciousness. Is there something it’s like to be a cockroach or a dung beetle?

What is undeniable is that insects exhibit nociception, which is their nervous system's ability to detect harmful stimuli and respond accordingly. Anyone who has ever tried to catch or kill an insect can attest to their instinctive reactions to perceived threats. Some argue that nociception suggests a degree of consciousness—perhaps that spider frantically fleeing from your shoe is aware of your intent and feels fear. Unfortunately, nociception alone doesn’t confirm consciousness. For instance, when you touch a hot surface, you reflexively withdraw your hand before fully realizing the pain—this is nociception. Even a “philosophical zombie,” a term coined by philosopher David Chalmers to describe a being that behaves like a human but lacks inner experience, would still have nociception. This ability is simply a function of having a working nervous system.

Do insects possess the neurological structures necessary for a first-person experience? It’s possible. Though their brains differ significantly from ours, they do have neurons, albeit in smaller numbers. Despite significant research efforts, we still lack a clear understanding of where consciousness resides in the human brain, making it difficult to determine its presence in other species. Some even believe that fruit flies might experience a form of consciousness, albeit a much subtler one.

However, Nicholas Humphrey challenges this view. In his recent work, "Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness" (The MIT Press, 2023), he argues compellingly that only mammals and birds exhibit phenomenal consciousness, while fish, insects, and amphibians—including the intelligent octopus—are devoid of it. Essentially, these creatures function as animal versions of philosophical zombies.

I find merit in Humphrey’s argument. It allows me to continue my personal crusade against household insects without feeling guilty. While I can’t help but feel uneasy when I use diatomaceous earth, thinking of the suffering it may cause, if the insect isn’t aware of it—if it merely operates as a sort of automaton—then it isn’t truly suffering.

I don’t trivialize the act of killing insects; it’s significant, and I believe it’s ethical to minimize unnecessary killings. However, our primary focus should be on the beings we know are sentient—our fellow humans and the animals we live with, from pets to livestock, as well as the mammals and birds that inhabit our ecosystems. We should strive to alleviate their suffering to the best of our abilities.

Chapter 2: Investigating Insect Pain

The first video titled "Do Insects Feel Pain?" explores whether insects experience pain and the implications for how we treat them.

The second video, "Do Insects Feel Pain?" delves deeper into the scientific understanding of pain in insects and what it means for our interactions with them.