EPIPHENOMENA Meaning and
Definition
-
Epiphenomena, in the context of psychology and philosophy, refers to secondary phenomena or events that occur alongside or as a result of primary phenomena but are not causally linked to them. Epiphenomena are often considered byproducts or non-functional byproducts of the primary phenomena.
The term "epiphenomena" derives from the Greek words "epi" (meaning "on" or "upon") and "phainomenon" (meaning "appearance" or "being seen"). Thus, epiphenomena can be understood as phenomena that appear alongside or on top of other phenomena.
In the field of psychology, epiphenomena are often associated with conscious experiences or mental states. For example, proponents of the view known as epiphenomenalism argue that consciousness is an epiphenomenon of physical processes in the brain. According to this perspective, mental experiences do not have any causal influence on behavior, but rather, they arise as a byproduct of neural activity.
In philosophy, the concept of epiphenomena is also pertinent to discussions surrounding the mind-body problem. It raises questions about the relationship between physical events and mental states, and whether mental states are merely epiphenomena arising from physical processes or hold some causal power.
Overall, the notion of epiphenomena serves as a conceptual tool for understanding and categorizing secondary phenomena that arise alongside primary phenomena but lack a direct causal impact.
Etymology of EPIPHENOMENA
The word "epiphenomena" is a combination of two Greek roots: "epi" meaning "on" or "upon", and "phainō" meaning "to appear" or "to show". In Greek, "phainō" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "bʰeh₂-", which means "to shine" or "to appear". The term "epiphenomena" was formed by adding the suffix "-a" to "epi" and attaching it to "phainō".
