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    Higher-level theories are legitimately reduced to lower-l... — Carmelics
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    Home/Consciousness & Mind
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    Higher-level theories are legitimately reduced to lower-level theories when relatively simple mappings exist from solutions of the lower-level theory to solutions of the higher-level theory over a certain domain.

    Truth & Knowledge
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    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Functional instantiation of a higher-level theory by a lower-level theory requires relatively simple mappings between their respective solutions.
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    • 2.If such mappings exist, higher-level structures are real patterns at the more fundamental level.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Nagel and Kim argue that multiple realizability entails that higher-level predicates cannot be systematically mapped to lower-level predicates.
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    • 2.If mental or biological states are multiply realizable, no relatively simple mapping from lower-level solutions can capture their generality.
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    • 3.Therefore, the existence of simple mappings is too strong a condition and would wrongly exclude legitimate higher-level sciences from counting as reduced.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Putnam's functionalism holds that higher-level kinds are defined by causal-functional roles, not by any particular physical realization.
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    • 2.A mapping from lower-level solutions that merely tracks physical implementation cannot capture the invariance that defines the higher-level kind.
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    • 3.Hence 'relatively simple mappings' between solutions misidentifies what would constitute a genuine inter-theoretic reduction of functionally defined higher-level theories.
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    Topics

    Consciousness & MindTruth & Knowledge

    Key Terms

    Domain (in philosophy and science)(specifying that reduction doesn't have to work everywhere)
    The specific area, subject matter, or range of situations that a theory applies to—for example, a theory might work for small objects but not large ones.
    Higher-level theory(as contrasted with lower-level theories)
    A scientific explanation that describes things in broader, more general terms—like how biology explains life processes without needing to talk about individual atoms.
    Legitimately reduced(describing when reduction is philosophically acceptable)
    When it's actually valid and justified to say that one theory can be explained by another simpler theory, not just that it seems similar.
    Lower-level theory(as contrasted with higher-level theories)
    A scientific explanation that describes things at a more basic, fundamental level—like physics describing atoms and particles rather than whole organisms.
    Mapping (in logic and mathematics)(describing the connection between two theories)
    A systematic relationship or translation between items in one system and items in another—like how each word in English maps to a word in Spanish.
    reduction (in philosophy of science)(debate over whether classical genetics reduces to molecular genetics)
    The subsumption or derivation of one theory (classical genetics) from another more fundamental theory (molecular genetics)

    Connections

    1 topic

    Modality & Possibility1 linked

    Related

    A mapping from lower-level solutions that merely tracks physical implementation ...Functional instantiation of a higher-level theory by a lower-level theory requir...Hence 'relatively simple mappings' between solutions misidentifies what would co...If mental or biological states are multiply realizable, no relatively simple map...

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: qm-decoherence
    View source passageHide passage
    A justification for this identification can be variously given by suggesting that a ‘world’ should be a temporally extended structure and thus reidentification over time will be a necessary condition for defining worlds; or similarly by suggesting that in order for observers to have evolved there must be stable records of past events (Saunders 1993, and the unpublished Gell-Mann and Hartle 1994 – see the Other Internet Resources section below); or that observers must be able to access robust s
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    +4 moreShow less
    If such mappings exist, higher-level structures are real patterns at the more fu...Nagel and Kim argue that multiple realizability entails that higher-level predic...Putnam's functionalism holds that higher-level kinds are defined by causal-funct...Therefore, the existence of simple mappings is too strong a condition and would ...

    Similar

    Functional instantiation of a higher-level theory by a lower-level the...87%Reductionism requires that higher-level properties be fully specifiabl...83%Nagel's model of reduction requires a specific kind of bridge relation...78%The process of reduction often leads to a corrected version of the red...78%
    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit