The PhilPapers SurveysPreliminary Survey results (Back to contents)
A priori knowledge: yes or no?
| Accept or lean toward: yes | 146 / 191 (76.4%) |
| Accept or lean toward: no | 28 / 191 (14.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept another alternative | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Abstract objects: Platonism or nominalism?
| Accept or lean toward: Platonism | 82 / 191 (42.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: nominalism | 62 / 191 (32.5%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 12 / 191 (6.3%) |
| Accept another alternative | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Reject both | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Aesthetic value: objective or subjective?
| Accept or lean toward: objective | 75 / 191 (39.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: subjective | 71 / 191 (37.2%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 13 / 191 (6.8%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Accept both | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?
| Accept or lean toward: yes | 127 / 191 (66.5%) |
| Accept or lean toward: no | 54 / 191 (28.3%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Epistemic justification: internalism or externalism?
| Accept or lean toward: externalism | 88 / 191 (46.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: internalism | 50 / 191 (26.2%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 20 / 191 (10.5%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept both | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Reject both | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Skip | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
External world: idealism, skepticism, or non-skeptical realism?
| Accept or lean toward: non-skeptical realism | 167 / 191 (87.4%) |
| Accept or lean toward: skepticism | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Accept another alternative | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: idealism | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject all | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Free will: compatibilism, libertarianism, or no free will?
| Accept or lean toward: compatibilism | 117 / 191 (61.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: no free will | 28 / 191 (14.7%) |
| Accept or lean toward: libertarianism | 21 / 191 (11.0%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 11 / 191 (5.8%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept more than one | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
God: theism or atheism?
| Accept or lean toward: atheism | 157 / 191 (82.2%) |
| Accept or lean toward: theism | 15 / 191 (7.9%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Skip | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Knowledge claims: contextualism, relativism, or invariantism?
| Accept or lean toward: invariantism | 83 / 191 (43.5%) |
| Accept or lean toward: contextualism | 68 / 191 (35.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 15 / 191 (7.9%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept or lean toward: relativism | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject all | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Knowledge: empiricism or rationalism?
| Accept or lean toward: empiricism | 61 / 191 (31.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: rationalism | 52 / 191 (27.2%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 26 / 191 (13.6%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 23 / 191 (12.0%) |
| Accept both | 17 / 191 (8.9%) |
| Reject both | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Accept another alternative | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
Laws of nature: Humean or non-Humean?
| Accept or lean toward: non-Humean | 126 / 191 (66.0%) |
| Accept or lean toward: Humean | 32 / 191 (16.8%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 16 / 191 (8.4%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 10 / 191 (5.2%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Logic: classical or non-classical?
| Accept or lean toward: classical | 104 / 191 (54.5%) |
| Accept or lean toward: non-classical | 33 / 191 (17.3%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 17 / 191 (8.9%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 15 / 191 (7.9%) |
| Accept both | 11 / 191 (5.8%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Mental content: internalism or externalism?
| Accept or lean toward: externalism | 108 / 191 (56.5%) |
| Accept or lean toward: internalism | 34 / 191 (17.8%) |
| Accept both | 17 / 191 (8.9%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 15 / 191 (7.9%) |
| Accept another alternative | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Reject both | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Meta-ethics: moral realism or moral anti-realism?
| Accept or lean toward: moral realism | 120 / 191 (62.8%) |
| Accept or lean toward: moral anti-realism | 42 / 191 (22.0%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Metaphilosophy: naturalism or non-naturalism?
| Accept or lean toward: naturalism | 113 / 191 (59.2%) |
| Accept or lean toward: non-naturalism | 34 / 191 (17.8%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 22 / 191 (11.5%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Skip | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject both | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Mind: physicalism or non-physicalism?
| Accept or lean toward: physicalism | 117 / 191 (61.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: non-physicalism | 42 / 191 (22.0%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 14 / 191 (7.3%) |
| Accept another alternative | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Reject both | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Moral judgment: cognitivism or non-cognitivism?
| Accept or lean toward: cognitivism | 128 / 191 (67.0%) |
| Accept or lean toward: non-cognitivism | 35 / 191 (18.3%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept both | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Skip | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
Moral motivation: internalism or externalism?
| Accept or lean toward: internalism | 76 / 191 (39.8%) |
| Accept or lean toward: externalism | 60 / 191 (31.4%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 28 / 191 (14.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept both | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Skip | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Newcomb's problem: one box or two boxes?
| Accept or lean toward: two boxes | 54 / 191 (28.3%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 52 / 191 (27.2%) |
| Accept or lean toward: one box | 38 / 191 (19.9%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 29 / 191 (15.2%) |
| Skip | 10 / 191 (5.2%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?
| Accept or lean toward: consequentialism | 47 / 191 (24.6%) |
| Accept or lean toward: deontology | 46 / 191 (24.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: virtue ethics | 31 / 191 (16.2%) |
| Accept more than one | 19 / 191 (9.9%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 15 / 191 (7.9%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Reject all | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Skip | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Perceptual experience: disjunctivism, qualia theory, representationalism, or sense-datum theory?
| Accept or lean toward: representationalism | 82 / 191 (42.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: disjunctivism | 33 / 191 (17.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: qualia theory | 33 / 191 (17.3%) |
| Accept another alternative | 10 / 191 (5.2%) |
| Accept or lean toward: sense-datum theory | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Accept more than one | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Reject all | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Skip | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject one or two, undecided between others | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Personal identity: biological view, psychological view, or further-fact view?
| Accept or lean toward: psychological view | 71 / 191 (37.2%) |
| Accept or lean toward: biological view | 38 / 191 (19.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: further-fact view | 20 / 191 (10.5%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 12 / 191 (6.3%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 10 / 191 (5.2%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Accept more than one | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Accept another alternative | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Reject all | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?
| Accept or lean toward: egalitarianism | 67 / 191 (35.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: communitarianism | 28 / 191 (14.7%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 25 / 191 (13.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: libertarianism | 21 / 191 (11.0%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 9 / 191 (4.7%) |
| Skip | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Accept more than one | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Reject all | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
Proper names: Fregean or Millian?
| Accept or lean toward: Millian | 77 / 191 (40.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: Fregean | 67 / 191 (35.1%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 11 / 191 (5.8%) |
| Accept another alternative | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Reject both | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept both | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Skip | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Science: scientific realism or scientific anti-realism?
| Accept or lean toward: scientific realism | 160 / 191 (83.8%) |
| Accept or lean toward: scientific anti-realism | 11 / 191 (5.8%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Reject both | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Teletransporter (new matter): survival or death?
| Accept or lean toward: death | 82 / 191 (42.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: survival | 77 / 191 (40.3%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Other | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Reject both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Time: A-theory or B-theory?
| Accept or lean toward: B-theory | 56 / 191 (29.3%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 49 / 191 (25.7%) |
| Accept or lean toward: A-theory | 39 / 191 (20.4%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 27 / 191 (14.1%) |
| Skip | 8 / 191 (4.2%) |
| Accept both | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept another alternative | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Reject both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Trolley problem (five straight ahead, one on side track, turn requires switching, what ought one do?): switch or don't switch?
| Accept or lean toward: switch | 143 / 191 (74.9%) |
| Accept or lean toward: don't switch | 12 / 191 (6.3%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 11 / 191 (5.8%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 5 / 191 (2.6%) |
| Other | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Skip | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| There is no fact of the matter | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Reject both | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Accept another alternative | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept an intermediate view | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
| Accept both | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Truth: correspondence, deflationary, or epistemic?
| Accept or lean toward: correspondence | 123 / 191 (64.4%) |
| Accept or lean toward: deflationary | 37 / 191 (19.4%) |
| Accept or lean toward: epistemic | 7 / 191 (3.7%) |
| Reject all | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept more than one | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Reject one, undecided between others | 2 / 191 (1.0%) |
| Skip | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
Zombies: inconceivable, conceivable but not metaphysically possible, or metaphysically possible?
| Accept or lean toward: conceivable but not metaphysically possible | 91 / 191 (47.6%) |
| Accept or lean toward: inconceivable | 47 / 191 (24.6%) |
| Accept or lean toward: metaphysically possible | 35 / 191 (18.3%) |
| The question is too unclear to answer | 6 / 191 (3.1%) |
| Reject all | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Agnostic/undecided | 4 / 191 (2.1%) |
| Accept another alternative | 3 / 191 (1.6%) |
| Insufficiently familiar with the issue | 1 / 191 (0.5%) |
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