# Functionalism **Entity class:** Philosophy-of-mind theory **Collections:** [[collections/Neurotech|Neurotech]] · [[collections/Consciousness Continuity|Consciousness Continuity]] ## Definition **Functionalism** identifies mental states primarily through their causal or functional roles rather than through one mandatory material implementation. ## Relationships - It supplies a philosophical basis for [[wiki/Substrate Independence|Substrate Independence]] and relates to [[wiki/Computational Theory|Computational Theory]]. - [[wiki/Implementation Independence|Implementation Independence]] is a technical analogue, while [[wiki/Technological Embodiment|Technological Embodiment]] emphasizes that every implementation still has material constraints. - [[articles/Technologies for Consciousness Mapping and Transfer|Technologies for Consciousness Mapping and Transfer]] preserves the boundary between functional equivalence and numerical identity.