Suffering Calculator

This calculator estimates the relative suffering of different species experiencing various types of suffering.

The formula used is:

Total Suffering Score = ∑ (Duration × Intensity × Qualia Access) × Population Size

Each suffering type contributes a component calculated by:

Duration (D): How long the suffering lasts (arbitrary units, e.g., hours)
Intensity (I): Severity of suffering, 0–10 scale (1 = mild, 5 = moderate, 10 = unbearable)
Qualia Access (Q): Fraction (0–1) of conscious experience capacity for that suffering type (human = 1.0)
Population Size: Number of individuals affected

Select species: Population size:

Suffering Type	Duration (D) [read more] Duration measures how long the suffering lasts. For example, in hours or normalized units. Longer durations increase total suffering linearly.	Intensity (I) [read more] Intensity is severity on a 0 to 10 scale. 1 = mild discomfort, 5 = moderate pain or fear, 10 = unbearable agony or terror.	Qualia Access (Q) [read more] Qualia Access is how much of this suffering the species can consciously experience, from 0 (none) to 1 (human-level).	Intensity Range (Min, Max) [read more] Optional uncertainty range for Intensity to represent scientific uncertainty or variability. These are used to calculate minimum and maximum total suffering.	Qualia Access Range (Min, Max) [read more] Optional uncertainty range for Qualia Access, representing uncertainty in conscious experience capacity.	Component Score (Expected)
						24.00
						18.00
						27.00

Total Suffering Score: 69.00

Disclaimer: This model is a conceptual tool based on current scientific understanding of animal consciousness and suffering. The values for qualia access, intensity, and duration are estimates with inherent uncertainty. Results should be used cautiously and in context with scientific and ethical expertise.

Ethical & Scientific Notes

Duration is linear and can be adjusted to reflect real-world timescales.
Intensity scale corresponds roughly to human subjective experiences (0 = none, 10 = unbearable).
Qualia Access accounts for differences in conscious experience capacity across species.
Uncertainty ranges allow you to model scientific uncertainty and variability.
Population scaling multiplies individual suffering by number affected, vital for aggregate impact assessment.
This tool supports moral tradeoff and prioritization analyses, but cannot capture all nuances of suffering.