Epiphenomenal vs Supervenient - What's the difference?
epiphenomenal | supervenient |
Being of secondary consequence to a causal chain of processes, but playing no causal role in the process of interest.Huettel, Function Magnetic Imaging , 2004.
(philosophy, psychology) Of or pertaining to a mental process which occurs only as an incidental effect of electrical or chemical activity in the brain or nervous system.
* 2002', , "‘'''Epiphenomenal’ Qualia?", in ''Mental Causation and the Metaphysics of Mind: A Reader , ed. Neil Campbell, Broadview, p. 211,
(logic, philosophy, of a set of properties) In a relationship with another set such that membership in the other set implies membership in the present set
Supervening; occurring subsequently; coming after something, especially when not causally connected.
As adjectives the difference between epiphenomenal and supervenient
is that epiphenomenal is being of secondary consequence to a causal chain of processes, but playing no causal role in the process of interest while supervenient is in a relationship with another set such that membership in the other set implies membership in the present set.epiphenomenal
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- If qualia are epiphenomenal in the standard philosophical sense, their occurrence can't explain the way things happen (in the material world) since, by definition, things would happen exactly the same without them.
References
supervenient
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- If mental properties are supervenient on physical properties, people with identical bodies will also have identical minds.