Internalism vs. Externalism

(Originally Written October 4, 2006 in Epistemology)

Internalism: one can only have knowledge if and only if one has solid evidence (justification). This is known as 'time slice' or synchronic

Externalism: the view that one has knowledge if one's beliefs are the result of a reliable process (reliabilism). This is known as 'genetic' or dischronic

Problems with the externalism approach arise from trying to give "reliable processes" and that it disregards all justification. It could lead to epistemological relativism. But, externalism escape the Gettier Problems altogether, which drive internalists to madness.

Goldman:

Belief forming process (functional operation)
-Reasoning
-Memory process
-perceptual processes

Qualifications:
1. Content neutrality
2. Conditional reliability

Objections:
1. Intuitions and phenomenal beliefs (response: there is a causal history, albeit brief)
2. Benevolent Demon and wishful thinking (responses: wishful thinking may not be true in this world, but it is in the made-up world)