Ulkoismallisten

Ulkoismallisten is a Finnish term that translates to "externalists" or "externalism" in English, typically referring to a philosophical stance. In epistemology and philosophy of mind, externalism is the view that the meaning of a word, the content of a mental state, or the justification for a belief is determined, at least in part, by factors external to the subject. This contrasts with internalism, which holds that such factors are entirely internal to the subject's mind or body.

There are various forms of externalism. For example, semantic externalism, famously argued by Hilary Putnam, suggests that the meaning of a term is not solely determined by the ideas in a person's head but also by the environment in which the term is used. A classic illustration is Putnam's "twin Earth" thought experiment, where a substance identical in appearance to water on Earth might have a different chemical composition (e.g., XYZ instead of H2O) on a hypothetical twin Earth, leading to different meanings for the word "water" despite identical internal mental states of the speakers.

Another prominent form is justification externalism in epistemology. This view posits that whether a belief is justified depends on factors outside the believer's awareness or control, such as the reliability of the belief-forming process. For instance, a belief formed by a reliable perceptual system might be considered justified, even if the believer is unaware of the system's reliability. This approach is often contrasted with internalist theories of justification, which require that all the factors constituting justification must be accessible to the believer's consciousness. Ulkoismallisten, therefore, represents a broad philosophical position emphasizing the role of the external world in shaping our thoughts, meanings, and knowledge.