Internal justification depends on reasons or mental states available from the believer's own perspective. External justification may depend on truth-conducive factors, such as the reliability of the belief-forming process, even if the believer cannot identify those factors.
The Reasoning
In epistemology, internalism holds that whether a belief is justified is determined by factors internal to the person's cognitive perspective. These may include evidence, experiences, memories, and other beliefs that the person can access through reflection.
Externalism rejects the requirement that every justifying factor must be reflectively accessible. A major externalist theory is reliabilism, according to which a belief is justified when it is produced by a process that usually generates true beliefs, such as normal vision under suitable conditions.
| Internal justification | External justification |
|---|---|
| Focuses on the believer's accessible reasons or mental states | Focuses on the connection between the belief-forming process and truth |
| Asks, "What evidence can the person give?" | Asks, "Was the belief produced reliably?" |
| Can justify a belief even if circumstances are unknowingly deceptive | May withhold justification if the process is unreliable |
Consider two people with identical visual experiences. One sees a real tree; the other is unknowingly viewing an extremely convincing artificial tree. An internalist may judge them equally justified because their accessible evidence is identical. An externalist may judge them differently because only the first person's belief results from a reliable connection with reality.
A common misconception is that "internal" means physically inside the brain and "external" means physically outside the person. The distinction concerns what determines epistemic justification, not physical location.
Exam Technique
In an IB Philosophy response, define both positions, apply them to the same example, and evaluate which better explains justified belief. Compare their implications for reliability, rational responsibility, skepticism, and error rather than merely describing each theory.
