Final answer:
Reliabilism does not cope well with fake-barn cases due to its focus on the reliability of the belief-forming process and neglect of the possibility of chance and 'defeaters' which undermine the justification for the belief and the connection to truth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reliabilism, an externalist approach to epistemology, struggles with fake-barn cases because it emphasizes the reliability of the belief-forming process over cognitive accessibility. In the scenario where Henry identifies a real barn among many facades, reliabilism would endorse Henry's belief as knowledge because his perception is reliable in producing true beliefs. However, the luck involved in Henry's case suggests that despite the reliable process, this does not constitute genuine knowledge since many barns in the area are fake, introducing a significant chance for error.
Gilbert Harman and others argue that without a proper connection between the belief and evidence, and the presence of potential defeaters, the belief cannot be considered as knowledge. Hence, reliabilism is insufficient in dealing with Gettier problems as it does not adequately address the element of luck or justify the belief in the presence of 'defeaters'—evidence or reasons that would undermine the justification of the belief.