Philosophy Functionalism Questions Long
In functionalism, supervenience refers to the relationship between mental states and physical states. It is a key concept that helps to explain how mental states are dependent on physical states, while also allowing for the possibility of mental states being realized in different physical systems.
Supervenience can be understood as a hierarchical relationship, where mental states supervene on physical states. This means that any change in mental states must be accompanied by a corresponding change in physical states. In other words, mental states cannot change without some underlying physical changes occurring.
Functionalism argues that mental states are not reducible to physical states, but rather they are defined by their functional roles or relationships. Mental states are seen as being realized by the functional organization of physical states. This means that mental states are not tied to specific physical properties, but rather to the way in which physical states are organized and interact with each other.
For example, let's consider the mental state of pain. According to functionalism, pain is not simply a specific pattern of neural firing in the brain, but rather it is the functional role that this pattern plays in the overall system. Different physical systems, such as a human brain or a computer simulation, can realize the same functional role and therefore produce the same mental state of pain.
Supervenience in functionalism helps to explain how mental states can be realized in different physical systems. It allows for the possibility of multiple realizability, which means that the same mental state can be realized by different physical states. This is in contrast to reductionist views that argue for a one-to-one correspondence between mental and physical states.
The concept of supervenience also highlights the idea that mental states are dependent on physical states. Any change in mental states must be grounded in some underlying physical changes. This is important because it helps to bridge the gap between the mental and the physical, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of how the mind and the brain are related.
In summary, supervenience in functionalism refers to the hierarchical relationship between mental and physical states. It explains how mental states are dependent on physical states, while also allowing for the possibility of multiple realizability. By emphasizing the functional organization of physical states, supervenience helps to bridge the gap between the mental and the physical, providing a comprehensive account of the mind-brain relationship.