What is the functionalist view on qualia?

Philosophy Functionalism Questions



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What is the functionalist view on qualia?

The functionalist view on qualia is that mental states, including qualia, are not solely determined by their internal properties, but rather by their functional role or relationship to other mental states and external stimuli. According to functionalism, qualia are not essential to mental states and can be replaced by different physical or functional processes as long as they perform the same role. In other words, functionalists argue that the experience of qualia is not necessary for mental states, and that mental states can be understood purely in terms of their functional properties.