Realtà virtuale e dolore fantasma: uno sguardo fenomenologico

In the field of pain a particularly interesting phenomenon, for which no definite reason has yet been defined, is “phantom limb pain”. The symptom is perceptibly localized in a limb that is absent: hence the definition of “phantom” and the extreme difficulty in treating the symptom. The use of Virtual Reality devices makes it possible to significantly alleviate phantom pain by exploiting the immersive nature of three-dimensional scenarios. An interesting precedent is the “Mirror Box”, designed by Ramachandran in the 1990s and based on mirror reflection. These clinical and technical developments on the question of phantom pain constitute a significant area for noting the topicality of Merleau-Ponty’s thinking. His research on the primacy of perception and his elaboration of the concept of “body schema” provide valuable theoretical coordinates capable of illuminating the subsequent solutions obtained thanks to a non-reductionist view of a particularly painful and difficult to treat disorder.