Epistemic Internalism and Critical Literacy: A Path to Student Autonomy

Whereas the locus of understanding in internalism lies in the knowing subject, externalist models of justification readily accept knowledge claims on the basis of expert testimony or appeals to authority. This paper does not challenge the general legitimacy of externalist arguments outlining the sometimes impractical consequences of holding an inflexible internalist view, but it argues that internalism should be adopted as an ethic in literacy education to protect the intellectual autonomy of learners. Internalism promotes the intellectual autonomy of students by positioning them as subjects rather than objects in generating knowledge, and by encouraging them to evaluate critically truth claims in discourse. Language arts teachers can promote intellectual autonomy in students by encouraging them to evaluate truth claims in text, and by viewing students as participants in creating knowledge rather than as depositories for pre-existing information. Contains 21 references. (NKA)