Supervene: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The word comes from the Latin 'supervenire', meaning 'to come upon' or 'to arrive on top of'.
• It combines 'super-', which means 'over' or 'above', with 'venire', meaning 'to come'.
• The term started being used in English in the early 17th century.

Philosophy

• In philosophy, 'supervenience' pertains to how one set of properties can depend on another, such as mental states depending on physical states.
• This concept is often discussed in debates around mind-body dualism, exploring if and how mental properties can change as physical properties do.

Science

• In the context of biology, supervening conditions can refer to factors that emerge in an ecosystem as it evolves.
• The idea can also be applied in chemistry, where the properties of a compound can supervene based on the arrangement of its atoms.

Literature

• In stories, unexpected events can supervene on the main plot, creating twists that surprise the audience.
• Authors often use the technique of supervenience to develop themes, with new elements emerging that connect back to earlier plot points.

Psychology

• Decision-making processes often involve supervening effects where new information changes previous judgments.
• An example can be seen in behavioral changes that supervene when stressors are introduced, altering prior behaviors or emotional states.

At rank #29,453, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

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• 29450 weakling
• 29451 chafe
• 29452 overpriced
• 29453 supervene
• 29454 immutability
• 29455 lugubrious
• 29456 denominate
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