I know this is pretty much a totally closed post, but just to play devil's advocate here, and because truly believe in the original idea here that pain is necessary for pleasure, I'm gonna argue this point. The biggest problem with pleasure in the absence of pain is that without any pain, there would only be the most intense of pleasures, for in the absolute absence of black, you have pure white, correct? Therefore in the absolute absence of pain, u have pure pleasure.
However, this leaves us with the problem that not only would there be no change in the intensity of pleasure to actually signify the difference between normal and orgasms (just for example), but absolute pleasure, being the one and only feeling, would become outrageously normal.
Which leads back to life without death. The majority of people (every single person I've ever met) have serious issues with the concept of death. Maybe they're not afraid of it, but we have created entire religions simply because not one of us can imagine being non-existant, and so we created the afterlife. However, the fact that we are is defined by the fact that there are many who aren't. The problem with this idea is not a single one of us can make a conclusion based on our behavior is there was no death, for it is impossible for us (or at least for me) to comprehend a world in which there actually is no end of life. The example given about these philosophers is true, I doubt the would be bored, however the hundreds/thousands/however many years they would have been alive is no where near infinity. Without even a concept of death, life is no longer life, it simply IS. End of story. Our goals may very well be attained, but the fact that they would even be considered goals with no pleasure at attaining them and no pain at leaving them be is a bit of a mystery to me.
However, this leaves us with the problem that not only would there be no change in the intensity of pleasure to actually signify the difference between normal and orgasms (just for example), but absolute pleasure, being the one and only feeling, would become outrageously normal.
Which leads back to life without death. The majority of people (every single person I've ever met) have serious issues with the concept of death. Maybe they're not afraid of it, but we have created entire religions simply because not one of us can imagine being non-existant, and so we created the afterlife. However, the fact that we are is defined by the fact that there are many who aren't. The problem with this idea is not a single one of us can make a conclusion based on our behavior is there was no death, for it is impossible for us (or at least for me) to comprehend a world in which there actually is no end of life. The example given about these philosophers is true, I doubt the would be bored, however the hundreds/thousands/however many years they would have been alive is no where near infinity. Without even a concept of death, life is no longer life, it simply IS. End of story. Our goals may very well be attained, but the fact that they would even be considered goals with no pleasure at attaining them and no pain at leaving them be is a bit of a mystery to me.