Philosophy Identity Theory Questions
Strong supervenience and weak supervenience are two different concepts in the philosophy of mind, specifically in relation to the identity theory.
Strong supervenience refers to a relationship between two sets of properties, where any difference in mental properties necessarily entails a difference in physical properties. In other words, if two entities have different mental properties, they must also have different physical properties. Strong supervenience asserts a strict dependence of mental properties on physical properties, implying that mental states are completely determined by physical states.
On the other hand, weak supervenience is a more lenient concept. It states that any difference in mental properties is accompanied by a difference in physical properties, but the reverse is not necessarily true. In other words, while mental properties depend on physical properties, there can be cases where two entities have the same physical properties but different mental properties. Weak supervenience allows for the possibility of mental properties being determined by factors other than physical properties.
In summary, the main difference between strong and weak supervenience lies in the strictness of the relationship between mental and physical properties. Strong supervenience asserts a necessary and complete dependence, while weak supervenience allows for the possibility of mental properties being influenced by factors beyond physical properties.