causalreliabilism

Causalreliabilism is a theory of knowledge that focuses on the causal connection between a belief and its object. Developed by Alvin Goldman, it proposes that a belief is justified if it is produced by a reliable cognitive process, meaning a process that tends to produce true beliefs. This reliability is understood in a counterfactual sense: if the belief were false, the process would still have produced the same belief. For example, seeing a red apple typically causes the belief that there is a red apple. If the apple were not red, the process of seeing would likely not have produced the belief that it is red.

This approach contrasts with internalist theories of justification, which emphasize the internal mental states of the believer, such as having good reasons or evidence for a belief. Causalreliabilism, on the other hand, is an externalist theory because the reliability of the belief-forming process is an external factor, not necessarily something the believer is aware of or has direct access to. The focus is on the causal history of the belief and the general propensity of the belief-forming mechanism to produce truth.

A key aspect of causalreliabilism is its account of how knowledge is acquired. For a belief to count as knowledge, it must be true, justified, and the justification must be connected to the truth of the belief through a reliable process. This helps to avoid cases of accidental true beliefs, where a belief happens to be true but is formed through a flawed or unreliable process. The theory aims to provide a robust account of how our cognitive faculties, when functioning properly, lead us to acquire knowledge about the world.