What is internalism and externalism in epistemology?

Internalism and externalism are contrasting ways of explaining subjects across philosophy, including human motivation, truth, and justification. In epistemology, the debate centers on whether the justification of a belief is determined strictly by a person's internal mental states or if it can also depend on external circumstances. Internalism looks to factors accessible to the individual's mind, whereas externalism allows objective features of the world to play a role.

What we know

• Internalism and externalism are opposite ways of integrating and explaining various subjects in several areas of philosophy, including knowledge, justification, meaning, and truth. [2]
• In epistemology, internalism and externalism debate whether justification is determined solely by mental states or also by external circumstances. [4]
• Internalism in a broader philosophical sense is the thesis that no fact about the world can provide reasons for action independently of desires and beliefs. [2]
• Externalism in a broader philosophical sense is the thesis that reasons are to be identified with objective features of the world. [2]

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat is epistemic justification?
• how we knowHow does epistemology examine the nature of knowledge?
• compared withHow do internalism and externalism apply to human motivation?
• how it workedWhat role does perception play as a source of justification?
• whoWho coined the term epistemology in English?
• an unexpected connectionHow does the internal-external distinction divide an ontology?The exact same internal-external dichotomy used to debate knowledge and justification in epistemology is also utilized to divide an ontology into internal observational parts and external questions.

Sources

• [1]internalism and externalism (Wikidata Q1185050) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Internalism and externalism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Justification (epistemology) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Epistemology · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Outline of epistemology · CC BY-SA 4.0