5.2 Externalism and the role of external factors
2 min read•august 9, 2024
in epistemology focuses on factors outside our minds that affect . It's all about how our beliefs connect to the world around us, not just what's going on in our heads.
This topic explores different externalist theories like and . It also looks at how things like our environment and play a role in justifying our beliefs.
Externalist Theories
Process Reliabilism and Tracking Theories
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- Process reliabilism posits beliefs justified when produced by reliable cognitive processes
- Reliable processes consistently generate true beliefs in various conditions
- assert justified beliefs "track" truth across possible worlds
- 's truth-tracking theory requires beliefs to covary with facts
- demands belief not held if proposition false
- requires belief true in all nearby possible worlds
Proper Functionalism and Contextualism
- Proper functionalism links justification to cognitive faculties functioning as designed
- argues justified beliefs result from properly functioning cognitive systems
- Proper function determined by evolutionary or divine design
- claims justification standards vary with context
- Low-stakes situations require less evidence for justification
- High-stakes contexts demand more stringent justification criteria
- 's bank cases illustrate contextual shifts in knowledge attribution
Justification Factors
Reliability and Truth-Conduciveness
- measures consistency of true belief production
- evaluates tendency of belief-forming methods to yield truths
- demonstrates importance of environmental reliability
- Reliable processes include perception, memory, and reasoning
- Truth-conducive methods lead to higher proportion of true beliefs over time
- exemplifies truth-conducive reasoning
Environmental Factors and Causal Connections
- Environmental factors influence justification beyond internal mental states
- Includes physical surroundings, social context, and historical background
- challenges pure reliabilism by considering deceptive environments
- Causal connections link beliefs to truth-making facts in the world
- requires appropriate causal chains
- highlight importance of right kind of causal connection for knowledge
Key Terms to Review (19)
Alvin Plantinga: Alvin Plantinga is a prominent American philosopher known for his work in epistemology, particularly regarding the concepts of externalism and warrant. His theories challenge traditional views of justification and belief by emphasizing the role of external factors, suggesting that beliefs can be justified based on external conditions rather than solely on internal evidence or reasons.
Bayesian inference: Bayesian inference is a statistical method that applies Bayes' theorem to update the probability of a hypothesis as more evidence or information becomes available. This approach incorporates prior knowledge or beliefs about an event and adjusts those beliefs based on new data, making it a powerful tool for reasoning under uncertainty.
Causal connections: Causal connections refer to the relationship between events where one event (the cause) directly influences another event (the effect). Understanding these connections is crucial in epistemology, especially when evaluating the reliability of knowledge claims based on external factors and contexts that shape our beliefs.
Contextualism: Contextualism is a philosophical approach to knowledge that emphasizes the significance of the context in which knowledge claims are made, suggesting that factors such as the speaker's intentions, the audience's background, and the situational factors can influence what counts as justified belief. This perspective allows for a flexible understanding of knowledge, particularly when responding to skepticism and considering external influences on justification.
Externalism: Externalism is a theory in epistemology that asserts that the justification of a belief can depend on factors outside an individual's mental states or access to information. This approach highlights the role of external factors, such as social context, environmental influences, and the reliability of the belief-forming processes, in determining whether a belief is justified or constitutes knowledge.
Gettier cases: Gettier cases are philosophical thought experiments that challenge the traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief. These scenarios present situations where an individual has a belief that is both justified and true, yet still intuitively fails to constitute knowledge due to the presence of luck or coincidence. This prompts deeper discussions about the nature of justification and how external factors may influence our understanding of knowledge.
Goldman's Causal Theory of Knowledge: Goldman's Causal Theory of Knowledge is a philosophical framework that argues that for a belief to count as knowledge, there must be a causal connection between the belief and the fact that makes it true. This theory emphasizes the importance of external factors in the formation of knowledge, suggesting that one's environment and the causal processes involved play a critical role in determining whether a belief is justified as knowledge.
Goldman's Fake Barn Scenario: Goldman's Fake Barn Scenario is a thought experiment used to illustrate challenges in epistemology, particularly concerning the nature of knowledge and justification. In this scenario, a person sees what appears to be a real barn but is actually a fake one, designed to look authentic only from a specific angle. This raises questions about how external factors influence our knowledge and beliefs, as it emphasizes the role of context and environment in determining what we can truly know.
Justification: Justification is the process of providing adequate reasons or evidence to support a belief or claim, making it rationally acceptable. It plays a crucial role in determining the validity of knowledge, influencing how we understand foundational beliefs, the regress problem, and theories of knowledge.
Keith Derose: Keith Derose is a prominent philosopher known for his contributions to epistemology, particularly in the areas of contextualism and responses to skepticism. His work challenges traditional views of knowledge by arguing that the truth conditions of knowledge claims can vary based on contextual factors, providing a fresh perspective on how we understand knowledge and belief.
New evil demon problem: The new evil demon problem is a thought experiment in epistemology that challenges the distinction between internalism and externalism by positing a scenario where a deceiving demon creates a perfect illusion of reality. This concept raises questions about the nature of knowledge and justification, as it suggests that individuals might have justified beliefs while still being entirely deceived, thus complicating the understanding of how external factors contribute to knowledge.
Proper Functionalism: Proper functionalism is a theory of knowledge that suggests that beliefs are justified if they are produced by cognitive processes functioning properly in an appropriate environment. This approach emphasizes the role of both internal cognitive functions and external conditions in ensuring that those functions lead to true beliefs, linking justification and knowledge closely with the reliability of the belief-forming mechanisms.
Reliabilism: Reliabilism is a theory in epistemology that suggests a belief is justified if it is produced by a reliable cognitive process, meaning that the process consistently leads to true beliefs. This approach shifts the focus from internal factors, such as the believer's perspective, to external factors, emphasizing the importance of how knowledge is acquired and the reliability of the methods used.
Reliability: Reliability refers to the consistency and dependability of a belief, method, or source of knowledge. It indicates how well a particular belief can be trusted to yield accurate results across different situations or instances. In discussions about external factors, reliability often relates to how external conditions and influences affect the validation of knowledge claims. When justifying induction, reliability is crucial as it underpins the assumption that past experiences can be trusted to predict future occurrences.
Robert Nozick: Robert Nozick was an American philosopher best known for his work in political philosophy and epistemology, particularly through his contributions to post-Gettier theories of knowledge. His influential ideas challenge traditional views on knowledge, emphasizing the role of external factors in determining what counts as knowledge, especially in the context of externalism and the conditions that must be met for justified belief.
Safety Condition: The safety condition is a principle in epistemology that states for a belief to qualify as knowledge, it must not only be true, but also safe from being false in nearby possible worlds. This means that if someone believes something based on a reliable process, it should be unlikely to be mistaken in similar situations, addressing concerns raised by skeptical scenarios and the Gettier problem.
Sensitivity condition: The sensitivity condition is a criterion in epistemology that states that if a person knows a proposition, then they must not only be justified in believing it but also that their belief must be sensitive to the truth of the proposition. This means that if the proposition were false, the person would not believe it. This condition plays a significant role in discussions about knowledge, particularly in addressing issues raised by Gettier problems and shaping post-Gettier theories. It is also crucial in evaluating the impact of external factors on knowledge claims and in assessing the reliability of truth-conducive processes.
Tracking Theories: Tracking theories are approaches to understanding knowledge that emphasize the connection between belief and the truth across possible worlds. These theories suggest that for someone to know a proposition, their belief must 'track' the truth in various relevant situations, ensuring that if the proposition were false, the individual would not believe it. This idea addresses concerns raised by Gettier cases and seeks to establish a more robust definition of knowledge by linking epistemic justification with the reliability of belief in relation to the truth.
Truth-conduciveness: Truth-conduciveness refers to the property of a belief or method that leads to an increased likelihood of producing true beliefs. It highlights how external factors and context can influence the reliability of our beliefs, which is essential for understanding how we acquire knowledge. The concept emphasizes that knowledge isn't solely based on internal factors, but also on external elements that contribute to the accuracy of our beliefs.