37 Facts About Supervenience

What is Supervenience?

Supervenience is a philosophical concept often discussed in metaphysics and the philosophy of mind. It describes a relationship between two sets of properties, where one set (the supervenient properties) depends on another set (the subvenient properties). If there is any change in the supervenient properties, there must be a change in the subvenient properties.

1. Supervenience means dependency. The idea is that the supervenient properties cannot change unless the subvenient properties change.

2. Used in philosophy of mind. It helps explain how mental states depend on physical states.

3. Not a causal relationship. Supervenience is about correlation, not causation.

4. Different types. There are various forms, including strong, weak, and global supervenience.

Types of Supervenience

Understanding the different types of supervenience can help clarify its applications and implications.

5. Weak supervenience. If two objects are identical in all subvenient properties, they must be identical in all supervenient properties within a single possible world.

6. Strong supervenience. If two objects are identical in all subvenient properties in any possible world, they must be identical in all supervenient properties.

7. Global supervenience. The supervenient properties of the entire world depend on the subvenient properties of the entire world.

8. Local supervenience. Focuses on smaller regions or individual objects rather than the entire world.

Applications in Philosophy of Mind

Supervenience plays a crucial role in discussions about the mind-body problem and consciousness.

9. Mind-body problem. It helps explain how mental states can depend on physical brain states.

10. Functionalism. This theory uses supervenience to argue that mental states are defined by their functional roles.

11. Non-reductive physicalism. Claims that mental properties supervene on physical properties but are not reducible to them.

12. Emergent properties. Some argue that mental properties emerge from physical properties through supervenience.

Supervenience in Ethics

Ethics also uses supervenience to discuss how moral properties depend on non-moral properties.

13. Moral realism. Suggests that moral properties supervene on natural properties.

14. Moral particularism. Argues that moral properties do not always supervene on the same set of non-moral properties.

15. Moral supervenience. The idea that if two situations are identical in all non-moral respects, they must be identical in all moral respects.

Challenges and Criticisms

Supervenience is not without its critics and challenges.

16. Epiphenomenalism. Critics argue that supervenience leads to epiphenomenalism, where mental states have no causal power.

17. Multiple realizability. The idea that the same mental state can be realized by different physical states challenges supervenience.

18. Reductionism. Some argue that supervenience does not adequately address the reduction of mental properties to physical properties.

19. Indeterminacy. Critics claim that supervenience can lead to indeterminate or vague relationships between properties.

Historical Background

Supervenience has a rich history in philosophical thought.

20. G.E. Moore. Early 20th-century philosopher who discussed supervenience in ethics.

21. Donald Davidson. Introduced the concept to the philosophy of mind in the 1970s.

22. Jaegwon Kim. Expanded and refined the concept, particularly in discussions of mental causation.

Supervenience in Other Fields

Beyond philosophy, supervenience finds applications in various other disciplines.

23. Computer science. Used to describe how software states depend on hardware states.

24. Biology. Explains how biological properties depend on chemical properties.

25. Sociology. Discusses how social properties depend on individual actions and interactions.

Real-World Examples

Concrete examples can help illustrate the abstract concept of supervenience.

26. Traffic patterns. Depend on individual car movements.

27. Economic trends. Depend on individual financial decisions.

28. Weather patterns. Depend on individual atmospheric conditions.

Supervenience and Reductionism

The relationship between supervenience and reductionism is complex and often debated.

29. Non-reductive supervenience. Argues that supervenient properties cannot be fully reduced to subvenient properties.

30. Reductive supervenience. Claims that supervenient properties can be reduced to subvenient properties.

Supervenience and Emergence

Emergence is another concept closely related to supervenience.

31. Emergent properties. Properties that arise from the interactions of simpler elements.

32. Weak emergence. Emergent properties that can be predicted from subvenient properties.

33. Strong emergence. Emergent properties that cannot be predicted from subvenient properties.

Supervenience and Modality

Modality, or the study of possibility and necessity, intersects with supervenience in interesting ways.

34. Possible worlds. Supervenience often discussed in terms of possible worlds.

35. Necessity. Supervenience relationships are often considered necessary.

36. Contingency. Some argue that supervenience relationships can be contingent.

Future Directions

The study of supervenience continues to evolve, with new theories and applications emerging.

37. Interdisciplinary research. Increasingly used in interdisciplinary research, from artificial intelligence to environmental science.

Final Thoughts on Supervenience

Supervenience might sound complex, but it's all about how one set of properties depends on another. Think of it like a shadow that changes shape based on the object casting it. This concept plays a big role in philosophy, especially when discussing the mind-body connection, ethics, and even aesthetics. Understanding supervenience helps us grasp how different layers of reality interact without getting lost in the details. It's a bridge between the physical and the abstract, showing that changes in one area can ripple through another. So next time you ponder how your thoughts relate to brain activity or how moral values tie to actions, remember supervenience. It’s a handy tool for making sense of the intricate web of relationships in our world. Keep exploring, questioning, and connecting the dots—supervenience is just one piece of the puzzle.