Explain the concept of supervenience in functionalism.

Explain the concept of supervenience in functionalism.

In functionalism, supervenience refers to the idea that mental states are dependent on and determined by the underlying physical states of the brain. According to this concept, any change in the mental state must be accompanied by a corresponding change in the physical state of the brain. In other words, mental properties are said to supervene on physical properties. This means that any difference in mental states must be grounded in a difference in the physical states of the brain. Supervenience in functionalism emphasizes the causal relationship between the physical and mental aspects of an individual's experience and behavior.