functionalist

A functionalist is a person who subscribes to functionalism, a theoretical approach that defines phenomena by their functions or roles rather than by their intrinsic properties. The term is used across multiple disciplines, and a functionalist in one field may have a different focus from a functionalist in another.

In the philosophy of mind, functionalism posits that mental states are specified by their causal roles—how they interact with inputs, other mental states, and outputs—rather than by their internal constitution or material substrate. This view allows mental states to be realised in different kinds of systems (for example, brains or machines) as long as the functional organization is preserved. Notable proponents include Hilary Putnam and Jerry Fodor. Variants address issues such as multiple realizability and the nature of mental content. Critics argue that functionalism may fail to account for qualitative aspects of experience (qualia) and semantic content, while defenders offer refinements or alternative functional accounts.

In sociology and anthropology, functionalism treats social institutions as contributing to the stability and cohesion of a system by performing specific functions. Classic figures include Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton, who distinguished manifest and latent functions. Functionalism explains how social order emerges from the interdependence of parts, but it has been criticized for downplaying conflict, power, and change, and for potentially justifying existing social arrangements.

In architecture and design, functionalism emphasizes form derived from function, associated with early modernism and the dictum that aesthetics should follow purpose. Architects such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe helped popularize the approach, while critics contend that it can produce austere or context-insensitive designs.

Overall, a functionalist is linked to the emphasis on function as the defining criterion across different domains.