Epistemic Internalism and Externalism

“Must justification be accessible to you, or can a reliable process be enough?”

01 / PLAINLY

What it means, plainly

Internalism makes justification depend on reasons accessible to the believer; externalism allows a reliable process to count even when it cannot be fully explained.

02 / CONTEXT

A little more

Internalism ties justification to factors accessible from the subject's perspective. Externalism lets reliable relations to the world count even when the subject cannot fully explain them.

03 / WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

It separates two achievements: being able to defend a belief and reaching it through a route that tends to be right.

04 / EXAMPLE

A familiar example

Someone recognizes faces very reliably but cannot describe how; the case divides intuitions about access and success.

05 / LIMIT

What it does not mean

The dispute is not about introverted personalities or outside social influence.

06 / NOTICE

Notice it in your day

Think of a skill you use well but cannot fully describe. Make “reasons I can give” and “signs of reliability” columns, then see what each supports.

FINAL NOTE

The idea worth keeping

Distinguish being able to defend a belief from having formed it through a process that tends to get things right.

QUESTIONS / 02

Questions people still have

What does epistemic internalism require?

It requires factors that justify a belief to be accessible from the believer's perspective.

What may count for an externalist without a subject explaining it?

A reliable relation or process that connects the belief with the world.