The PhilPapers SurveysPreliminary Survey results (Back to contents)

Note: set response grain to "fine" for details on "other" responses.

Population  AOS Response details

A priori knowledge: yes or no?

Accept: yes 97 / 177 (54.8%)
Lean toward: yes 37 / 177 (20.9%)
Lean toward: no 19 / 177 (10.7%)
Accept: no 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Abstract objects: Platonism or nominalism?

Lean toward: Platonism 44 / 177 (24.9%)
Lean toward: nominalism 40 / 177 (22.6%)
Accept: Platonism 30 / 177 (16.9%)
Accept: nominalism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Reject both 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept another alternative 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept an intermediate view 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept both 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Skip 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Aesthetic value: objective or subjective?

Lean toward: objective 47 / 177 (26.6%)
Accept: objective 41 / 177 (23.2%)
Lean toward: subjective 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Accept: subjective 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Accept an intermediate view 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Accept both 5 / 177 (2.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 177 (1.7%)

Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?

Lean toward: yes 62 / 177 (35.0%)
Accept: yes 59 / 177 (33.3%)
Lean toward: no 16 / 177 (9.0%)
Accept: no 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Skip 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Epistemic justification: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: externalism 39 / 177 (22.0%)
Lean toward: internalism 34 / 177 (19.2%)
Accept: internalism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Accept: externalism 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Accept both 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

External world: idealism, skepticism, or non-skeptical realism?

Accept: non-skeptical realism 93 / 177 (52.5%)
Lean toward: non-skeptical realism 37 / 177 (20.9%)
Lean toward: idealism 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Lean toward: skepticism 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Accept: idealism 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Skip 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept: skepticism 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept more than one 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Free will: compatibilism, libertarianism, or no free will?

Accept: libertarianism 58 / 177 (32.8%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Accept: compatibilism 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Lean toward: compatibilism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Accept: no free will 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Lean toward: no free will 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Reject all 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept more than one 1 / 177 (0.6%)

God: theism or atheism?

Accept: theism 108 / 177 (61.0%)
Accept: atheism 22 / 177 (12.4%)
Lean toward: theism 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Lean toward: atheism 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Reject both 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Accept both 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Skip 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Knowledge claims: contextualism, relativism, or invariantism?

Lean toward: contextualism 51 / 177 (28.8%)
Lean toward: invariantism 36 / 177 (20.3%)
Accept: invariantism 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 19 / 177 (10.7%)
Accept: contextualism 17 / 177 (9.6%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Lean toward: relativism 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept more than one 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject all 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept: relativism 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Knowledge: empiricism or rationalism?

Lean toward: rationalism 45 / 177 (25.4%)
Lean toward: empiricism 28 / 177 (15.8%)
Accept: rationalism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 21 / 177 (11.9%)
Accept: empiricism 15 / 177 (8.5%)
Accept both 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Accept another alternative 10 / 177 (5.6%)
The question is too unclear to answer 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Reject both 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 2 / 177 (1.1%)

Laws of nature: Humean or non-Humean?

Accept: non-Humean 71 / 177 (40.1%)
Lean toward: non-Humean 39 / 177 (22.0%)
Lean toward: Humean 22 / 177 (12.4%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Accept: Humean 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Agnostic/undecided 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Skip 5 / 177 (2.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Logic: classical or non-classical?

Accept: classical 50 / 177 (28.2%)
Lean toward: classical 46 / 177 (26.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 23 / 177 (13.0%)
Lean toward: non-classical 17 / 177 (9.6%)
Accept both 12 / 177 (6.8%)
Accept: non-classical 11 / 177 (6.2%)
The question is too unclear to answer 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)

Mental content: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 45 / 177 (25.4%)
Lean toward: externalism 38 / 177 (21.5%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 23 / 177 (13.0%)
Accept: internalism 18 / 177 (10.2%)
Accept: externalism 16 / 177 (9.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Accept both 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Skip 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Reject both 3 / 177 (1.7%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Meta-ethics: moral realism or moral anti-realism?

Accept: moral realism 92 / 177 (52.0%)
Lean toward: moral realism 39 / 177 (22.0%)
Lean toward: moral anti-realism 19 / 177 (10.7%)
Accept: moral anti-realism 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Metaphilosophy: naturalism or non-naturalism?

Accept: non-naturalism 72 / 177 (40.7%)
Lean toward: non-naturalism 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Accept: naturalism 21 / 177 (11.9%)
Lean toward: naturalism 20 / 177 (11.3%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 14 / 177 (7.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Reject both 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Mind: physicalism or non-physicalism?

Accept: non-physicalism 74 / 177 (41.8%)
Lean toward: non-physicalism 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Lean toward: physicalism 27 / 177 (15.3%)
Accept: physicalism 24 / 177 (13.6%)
Accept another alternative 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 177 (2.3%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept both 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Moral judgment: cognitivism or non-cognitivism?

Accept: cognitivism 94 / 177 (53.1%)
Lean toward: cognitivism 41 / 177 (23.2%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 14 / 177 (7.9%)
Lean toward: non-cognitivism 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Accept: non-cognitivism 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept both 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Moral motivation: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 45 / 177 (25.4%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Lean toward: externalism 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Accept: internalism 20 / 177 (11.3%)
Accept: externalism 16 / 177 (9.0%)
Accept both 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Agnostic/undecided 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Newcomb's problem: one box or two boxes?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 76 / 177 (42.9%)
Accept: one box 23 / 177 (13.0%)
Lean toward: two boxes 19 / 177 (10.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 19 / 177 (10.7%)
Accept: two boxes 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Lean toward: one box 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Skip 8 / 177 (4.5%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?

Lean toward: virtue ethics 36 / 177 (20.3%)
Accept: virtue ethics 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Lean toward: deontology 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Lean toward: consequentialism 20 / 177 (11.3%)
Accept more than one 20 / 177 (11.3%)
Accept: deontology 15 / 177 (8.5%)
Accept another alternative 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Accept: consequentialism 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Reject all 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Reject one, undecided between others 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Perceptual experience: disjunctivism, qualia theory, representationalism, or sense-datum theory?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Lean toward: qualia theory 32 / 177 (18.1%)
Lean toward: representationalism 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Lean toward: disjunctivism 14 / 177 (7.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Accept: representationalism 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Lean toward: sense-datum theory 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Reject all 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Reject one or two, undecided between others 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept: qualia theory 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept another alternative 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept more than one 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept: sense-datum theory 2 / 177 (1.1%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Personal identity: biological view, psychological view, or further-fact view?

Lean toward: psychological view 34 / 177 (19.2%)
Accept: further-fact view 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Lean toward: further-fact view 24 / 177 (13.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 15 / 177 (8.5%)
Lean toward: biological view 15 / 177 (8.5%)
Accept: psychological view 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Accept: biological view 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Accept more than one 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Accept another alternative 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Reject all 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Lean toward: communitarianism 48 / 177 (27.1%)
Lean toward: egalitarianism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 26 / 177 (14.7%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 16 / 177 (9.0%)
Accept: libertarianism 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Accept more than one 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Accept: egalitarianism 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept: communitarianism 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Reject all 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Proper names: Fregean or Millian?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 53 / 177 (29.9%)
Lean toward: Fregean 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Lean toward: Millian 31 / 177 (17.5%)
Agnostic/undecided 17 / 177 (9.6%)
Accept: Fregean 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Accept: Millian 6 / 177 (3.4%)
The question is too unclear to answer 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Skip 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Reject both 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 177 (2.3%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Science: scientific realism or scientific anti-realism?

Accept: scientific realism 64 / 177 (36.2%)
Lean toward: scientific realism 63 / 177 (35.6%)
Lean toward: scientific anti-realism 22 / 177 (12.4%)
Accept: scientific anti-realism 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Accept both 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Skip 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Teletransporter (new matter): survival or death?

Lean toward: death 38 / 177 (21.5%)
Accept: death 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Lean toward: survival 30 / 177 (16.9%)
Accept: survival 24 / 177 (13.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 23 / 177 (13.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 9 / 177 (5.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 8 / 177 (4.5%)
There is no fact of the matter 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept both 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Reject both 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Time: A-theory or B-theory?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 53 / 177 (29.9%)
Lean toward: A-theory 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Accept: A-theory 29 / 177 (16.4%)
Lean toward: B-theory 16 / 177 (9.0%)
Accept: B-theory 15 / 177 (8.5%)
Agnostic/undecided 13 / 177 (7.3%)
Skip 7 / 177 (4.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 3 / 177 (1.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept both 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Trolley problem (five straight ahead, one on side track, turn requires switching, what ought one do?): switch or don't switch?

Accept: switch 64 / 177 (36.2%)
Lean toward: switch 48 / 177 (27.1%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 24 / 177 (13.6%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Lean toward: don't switch 7 / 177 (4.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 7 / 177 (4.0%)
Reject both 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Accept: don't switch 4 / 177 (2.3%)
Skip 4 / 177 (2.3%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Other 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Truth: correspondence, deflationary, or epistemic?

Accept: correspondence 66 / 177 (37.3%)
Lean toward: correspondence 42 / 177 (23.7%)
Lean toward: epistemic 18 / 177 (10.2%)
Lean toward: deflationary 10 / 177 (5.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 9 / 177 (5.1%)
Accept: epistemic 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 177 (3.4%)
Accept: deflationary 5 / 177 (2.8%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Skip 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Other 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject all 1 / 177 (0.6%)
Accept more than one 1 / 177 (0.6%)

Zombies: inconceivable, conceivable but not metaphysically possible, or metaphysically possible?

Accept: metaphysically possible 37 / 177 (20.9%)
Lean toward: metaphysically possible 33 / 177 (18.6%)
Lean toward: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 28 / 177 (15.8%)
Accept: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 25 / 177 (14.1%)
Lean toward: inconceivable 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Accept: inconceivable 11 / 177 (6.2%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 8 / 177 (4.5%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 177 (1.7%)
Other 3 / 177 (1.7%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 177 (1.1%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Skip 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject all 2 / 177 (1.1%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 177 (1.1%)

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