Philosophy Mind Body Problem Questions
Supervenience physicalism is a concept within physicalism that states that all mental states and properties are dependent on and determined by physical states and properties. According to this view, mental phenomena, such as thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, are not separate entities or substances, but rather emerge from and are grounded in the physical processes of the brain.
Supervenience physicalism argues that mental states are supervenient upon physical states, meaning that any change in mental states must be accompanied by a corresponding change in physical states. This implies that mental events cannot occur without corresponding physical events, and that mental properties are ultimately reducible to physical properties.
However, supervenience physicalism does not claim that mental states can be reduced to or explained solely in terms of physical states. It acknowledges that mental phenomena have their own distinct properties and characteristics that cannot be fully captured by physical descriptions alone. Nonetheless, it maintains that mental states are ultimately dependent on and determined by the underlying physical processes of the brain.
In summary, supervenience physicalism posits that mental states and properties are dependent on and determined by physical states and properties, while recognizing the unique nature of mental phenomena.