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 65 / 101 (64.4%)
Lean toward: yes 17 / 101 (16.8%)
Lean toward: no 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Accept: no 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Abstract objects: Platonism or nominalism?

Lean toward: Platonism 27 / 101 (26.7%)
Lean toward: nominalism 24 / 101 (23.8%)
Accept: Platonism 20 / 101 (19.8%)
Accept: nominalism 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Reject both 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Aesthetic value: objective or subjective?

Lean toward: objective 37 / 101 (36.6%)
Accept: objective 27 / 101 (26.7%)
Lean toward: subjective 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Accept: subjective 10 / 101 (9.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept both 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?

Accept: yes 39 / 101 (38.6%)
Lean toward: yes 37 / 101 (36.6%)
Lean toward: no 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Accept: no 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Epistemic justification: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 21 / 101 (20.8%)
Lean toward: externalism 21 / 101 (20.8%)
Accept: internalism 19 / 101 (18.8%)
Accept: externalism 14 / 101 (13.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Accept both 6 / 101 (5.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Accept: non-skeptical realism 62 / 101 (61.4%)
Lean toward: non-skeptical realism 16 / 101 (15.8%)
Lean toward: idealism 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Lean toward: skepticism 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: idealism 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept: skepticism 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Accept: libertarianism 35 / 101 (34.7%)
Accept: compatibilism 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Lean toward: compatibilism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Accept: no free will 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Lean toward: no free will 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Reject all 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)

God: theism or atheism?

Accept: theism 63 / 101 (62.4%)
Accept: atheism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Lean toward: theism 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Lean toward: atheism 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Reject both 3 / 101 (3.0%)

Knowledge claims: contextualism, relativism, or invariantism?

Lean toward: contextualism 29 / 101 (28.7%)
Lean toward: invariantism 26 / 101 (25.7%)
Accept: invariantism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Accept: contextualism 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept more than one 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Lean toward: relativism 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Knowledge: empiricism or rationalism?

Lean toward: rationalism 28 / 101 (27.7%)
Accept: rationalism 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Lean toward: empiricism 17 / 101 (16.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Accept: empiricism 9 / 101 (8.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Reject both 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept both 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Other 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Laws of nature: Humean or non-Humean?

Accept: non-Humean 49 / 101 (48.5%)
Lean toward: non-Humean 23 / 101 (22.8%)
Lean toward: Humean 12 / 101 (11.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: Humean 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Logic: classical or non-classical?

Accept: classical 33 / 101 (32.7%)
Lean toward: classical 24 / 101 (23.8%)
Lean toward: non-classical 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Accept: non-classical 9 / 101 (8.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Accept both 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 101 (2.0%)

Mental content: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 27 / 101 (26.7%)
Lean toward: externalism 26 / 101 (25.7%)
Accept: internalism 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Accept: externalism 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept both 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 101 (1.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Accept: moral realism 60 / 101 (59.4%)
Lean toward: moral realism 23 / 101 (22.8%)
Accept: moral anti-realism 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Lean toward: moral anti-realism 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Other 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Metaphilosophy: naturalism or non-naturalism?

Accept: non-naturalism 45 / 101 (44.6%)
Lean toward: non-naturalism 17 / 101 (16.8%)
Accept: naturalism 14 / 101 (13.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Lean toward: naturalism 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Mind: physicalism or non-physicalism?

Accept: non-physicalism 45 / 101 (44.6%)
Lean toward: physicalism 17 / 101 (16.8%)
Lean toward: non-physicalism 16 / 101 (15.8%)
Accept: physicalism 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 101 (4.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Moral judgment: cognitivism or non-cognitivism?

Accept: cognitivism 66 / 101 (65.3%)
Lean toward: cognitivism 21 / 101 (20.8%)
Accept: non-cognitivism 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Lean toward: non-cognitivism 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Moral motivation: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 25 / 101 (24.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 20 / 101 (19.8%)
Lean toward: externalism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Accept: internalism 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Accept: externalism 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept both 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Newcomb's problem: one box or two boxes?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 35 / 101 (34.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 16 / 101 (15.8%)
Accept: one box 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Lean toward: two boxes 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Accept: two boxes 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Lean toward: one box 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Skip 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?

Lean toward: virtue ethics 22 / 101 (21.8%)
Lean toward: deontology 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Accept: virtue ethics 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Accept more than one 12 / 101 (11.9%)
Accept: deontology 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Lean toward: consequentialism 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Reject all 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept: consequentialism 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Lean toward: representationalism 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Lean toward: qualia theory 14 / 101 (13.9%)
Lean toward: disjunctivism 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Accept: qualia theory 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: representationalism 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept more than one 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Lean toward: sense-datum theory 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Reject one or two, undecided between others 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Reject all 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept: sense-datum theory 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Accept: further-fact view 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Lean toward: psychological view 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Lean toward: biological view 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Lean toward: further-fact view 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Accept: biological view 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Accept more than one 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Accept: psychological view 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Reject all 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Lean toward: communitarianism 26 / 101 (25.7%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 14 / 101 (13.9%)
Lean toward: egalitarianism 14 / 101 (13.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Accept more than one 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Accept another alternative 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: egalitarianism 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept: libertarianism 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Reject all 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept: communitarianism 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Proper names: Fregean or Millian?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 24 / 101 (23.8%)
Lean toward: Fregean 22 / 101 (21.8%)
Lean toward: Millian 22 / 101 (21.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 12 / 101 (11.9%)
Accept: Millian 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: Fregean 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 101 (4.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Reject both 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Science: scientific realism or scientific anti-realism?

Accept: scientific realism 40 / 101 (39.6%)
Lean toward: scientific realism 36 / 101 (35.6%)
Lean toward: scientific anti-realism 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Accept: scientific anti-realism 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Teletransporter (new matter): survival or death?

Accept: death 23 / 101 (22.8%)
Lean toward: death 22 / 101 (21.8%)
Lean toward: survival 20 / 101 (19.8%)
Accept: survival 13 / 101 (12.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Time: A-theory or B-theory?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 27 / 101 (26.7%)
Lean toward: A-theory 19 / 101 (18.8%)
Accept: A-theory 18 / 101 (17.8%)
Accept: B-theory 11 / 101 (10.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Lean toward: B-theory 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 101 (3.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Skip 2 / 101 (2.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Accept: switch 39 / 101 (38.6%)
Lean toward: switch 28 / 101 (27.7%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 10 / 101 (9.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 101 (5.9%)
Lean toward: don't switch 5 / 101 (5.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Reject both 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Accept: don't switch 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)

Truth: correspondence, deflationary, or epistemic?

Accept: correspondence 39 / 101 (38.6%)
Lean toward: correspondence 28 / 101 (27.7%)
Lean toward: deflationary 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Lean toward: epistemic 8 / 101 (7.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept: epistemic 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept: deflationary 3 / 101 (3.0%)
Other 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept more than one 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 101 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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

Lean toward: metaphysically possible 24 / 101 (23.8%)
Lean toward: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 17 / 101 (16.8%)
Accept: metaphysically possible 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Accept: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 15 / 101 (14.9%)
Lean toward: inconceivable 9 / 101 (8.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 7 / 101 (6.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 101 (5.0%)
Accept: inconceivable 4 / 101 (4.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 101 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 101 (2.0%)
Reject all 1 / 101 (1.0%)

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