Knowledge Externalism

Knowledge externalism is the idea that what counts as knowledge is not solely dependent on an individual's internal mental states, such as beliefs or thoughts. Instead, it considers external factors, like the environment and context, that influence whether someone truly knows something. For instance, if a person forms a belief based on reliable information, they can be considered to have knowledge, even if they are unaware of how reliable that information is. This perspective emphasizes that knowledge can depend on conditions outside our conscious awareness.