Vähentämisväitys

Vähentämisväitys, often translated as reduction claim or reductionist claim, is a philosophical statement that proposes one kind of phenomenon or entity can be fully explained or constituted by another, typically considered more fundamental. This concept is central to discussions in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science. A common example involves the claim that mental states, such as beliefs and desires, are reducible to physical brain states. Proponents of reductionism argue that understanding the underlying physical processes provides a complete explanation of the higher-level phenomenon, rendering the original description as merely a convenient shorthand.

Conversely, opponents often argue that such reductions fail to capture the essential qualities or emergent properties of the phenomenon being reduced. For instance, in the philosophy of mind, some argue that consciousness cannot be fully reduced to neural activity because it possesses subjective qualities (qualia) that are not accounted for by physical descriptions alone. The debate surrounding vähentämisväitys touches upon issues of explanation, causation, and the nature of reality itself, questioning whether our understanding of the world is best achieved through decomposition into simpler parts or by appreciating phenomena at their own level of organization.