Page "Internalism and externalism" Paragraph 2

In contemporary moral philosophy, motivational internalism ( or moral internalism ) is the view that moral convictions ( which are not necessarily beliefs, e. g. feelings of moral approval or disapproval ) are intrinsically motivating.

That is, the motivational internalist believes that there is an internal, necessary connection between one's conviction that X ought to be done and one's motivation to do X. Conversely, the motivational externalist ( or moral externalist ) claims that there is no necessary, internal connection between moral convictions and moral motives.

That is, there is no necessary connection between the conviction that X is wrong and the motivational drive not to do X.

( The use of these terms has roots in W. D.

Falk's ( 1947 ) paper " Ought " and Motivation ).