Summary Functionalism EXAM BUNDLE AQA PHILOSOPHY

FUNCTIONALISM -PHYSICALISM
“All mental states can be characterised in
terms of functional roles which can be
multiply realised.”

, Notes:




Functionalism = all mental states can be reduced to functional roles which can be multiply
realised
- What it is like to be a mental state is just to be a state with certain causal
relations to stimuli, behaviour and other mental states
Mental states cannot be understood in behaviour:
- Mental states often cause other mental states
- What behaviour a mental state will cause, depends on other mental states
 So, definition of one mental state will have to mention other mental
states
Function = disposition to behave in certain ways and have certain other mental states

Instead of explaining what mental states are we need to look at what mental states do and
function

Is functionalism a form of physicalism:
- It does not matter what minds is, it could be material/immaterial
- Functionalists are physicalists has the idea that functional roles supervene on
physical properties

Functional defines mental states as functional states
- E.g functional role of pain is an unpleasant sensation that causes the organisms
to get away from the thing that’s causing harm
 Function is what mental states such as pain
- Function of pain isn’t simply to cause behavioural dispositions, part of the
function of pain is to cause other mental states such as belief that you are in pain

Summary:

 Functionalists understand relations between inputs, mental states and outputs in a
causal sequence of events
 There are different types of functional states
o E.g functional role of an eye is having the role of sight
 Functionalism argues that we can define something in terms of its causal function
role applied to mental states and its properties