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 53 / 102 (52.0%)
Lean toward: yes 24 / 102 (23.5%)
Lean toward: no 10 / 102 (9.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept: no 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Abstract objects: Platonism or nominalism?

Lean toward: nominalism 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Lean toward: Platonism 20 / 102 (19.6%)
Accept: Platonism 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Accept: nominalism 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept another alternative 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Reject both 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 3 / 102 (2.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Aesthetic value: objective or subjective?

Accept: subjective 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Lean toward: objective 22 / 102 (21.6%)
Accept: objective 15 / 102 (14.7%)
Lean toward: subjective 12 / 102 (11.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept both 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?

Lean toward: yes 43 / 102 (42.2%)
Accept: yes 37 / 102 (36.3%)
Lean toward: no 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Accept: no 8 / 102 (7.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 102 (1.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Epistemic justification: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: internalism 30 / 102 (29.4%)
Lean toward: externalism 21 / 102 (20.6%)
Accept an intermediate view 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Accept: externalism 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Accept: internalism 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept both 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 102 (4.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Accept: non-skeptical realism 71 / 102 (69.6%)
Lean toward: non-skeptical realism 24 / 102 (23.5%)
Lean toward: skepticism 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Lean toward: idealism 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Accept: compatibilism 40 / 102 (39.2%)
Lean toward: compatibilism 28 / 102 (27.5%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept: no free will 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept: libertarianism 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 102 (3.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Lean toward: no free will 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

God: theism or atheism?

Accept: atheism 72 / 102 (70.6%)
Lean toward: atheism 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept: theism 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Other 3 / 102 (2.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Lean toward: theism 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Knowledge claims: contextualism, relativism, or invariantism?

Lean toward: contextualism 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Lean toward: invariantism 21 / 102 (20.6%)
Accept: invariantism 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Accept: contextualism 12 / 102 (11.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Lean toward: relativism 4 / 102 (3.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept: relativism 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Knowledge: empiricism or rationalism?

Lean toward: empiricism 28 / 102 (27.5%)
Lean toward: rationalism 16 / 102 (15.7%)
Accept: rationalism 16 / 102 (15.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 14 / 102 (13.7%)
Accept: empiricism 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept both 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject both 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Laws of nature: Humean or non-Humean?

Lean toward: non-Humean 30 / 102 (29.4%)
Accept: non-Humean 24 / 102 (23.5%)
Lean toward: Humean 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 12 / 102 (11.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Accept: Humean 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Skip 3 / 102 (2.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Logic: classical or non-classical?

Lean toward: classical 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Accept: classical 25 / 102 (24.5%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 20 / 102 (19.6%)
Lean toward: non-classical 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept: non-classical 3 / 102 (2.9%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 102 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Mental content: internalism or externalism?

Lean toward: externalism 34 / 102 (33.3%)
Accept: externalism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Lean toward: internalism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 7 / 102 (6.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept both 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept: internalism 2 / 102 (2.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Accept: moral realism 42 / 102 (41.2%)
Accept: moral anti-realism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Lean toward: moral realism 15 / 102 (14.7%)
Lean toward: moral anti-realism 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 7 / 102 (6.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 2 / 102 (2.0%)

Metaphilosophy: naturalism or non-naturalism?

Lean toward: naturalism 23 / 102 (22.5%)
Accept: naturalism 22 / 102 (21.6%)
Accept: non-naturalism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Lean toward: non-naturalism 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 8 / 102 (7.8%)
The question is too unclear to answer 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Reject both 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Mind: physicalism or non-physicalism?

Accept: physicalism 31 / 102 (30.4%)
Lean toward: physicalism 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Lean toward: non-physicalism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Accept: non-physicalism 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Reject both 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Moral judgment: cognitivism or non-cognitivism?

Accept: cognitivism 63 / 102 (61.8%)
Lean toward: cognitivism 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Lean toward: non-cognitivism 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Accept: non-cognitivism 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 102 (3.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept both 2 / 102 (2.0%)

Moral motivation: internalism or externalism?

Accept: internalism 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Accept: externalism 23 / 102 (22.5%)
Lean toward: internalism 18 / 102 (17.6%)
Lean toward: externalism 14 / 102 (13.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Accept an intermediate view 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject both 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Newcomb's problem: one box or two boxes?

Accept: two boxes 25 / 102 (24.5%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 19 / 102 (18.6%)
Lean toward: two boxes 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Accept: one box 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Lean toward: one box 12 / 102 (11.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Skip 3 / 102 (2.9%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 102 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept another alternative 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?

Accept: consequentialism 16 / 102 (15.7%)
Accept: deontology 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Lean toward: consequentialism 12 / 102 (11.8%)
Reject all 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Lean toward: deontology 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Accept more than one 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Lean toward: virtue ethics 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept: virtue ethics 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 4 / 102 (3.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Reject one, undecided between others 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 23 / 102 (22.5%)
Lean toward: representationalism 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Accept: representationalism 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Lean toward: disjunctivism 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Lean toward: qualia theory 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept another alternative 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Reject one or two, undecided between others 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept: qualia theory 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept more than one 2 / 102 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Reject all 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Lean toward: sense-datum theory 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept: sense-datum theory 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Lean toward: psychological view 27 / 102 (26.5%)
Accept: psychological view 14 / 102 (13.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Lean toward: further-fact view 9 / 102 (8.8%)
Lean toward: biological view 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept more than one 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Reject all 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept: biological view 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept another alternative 4 / 102 (3.9%)
Accept: further-fact view 4 / 102 (3.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 102 (2.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Politics: communitarianism, egalitarianism, or libertarianism?

Accept: egalitarianism 20 / 102 (19.6%)
Lean toward: egalitarianism 18 / 102 (17.6%)
Lean toward: communitarianism 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Accept more than one 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Lean toward: libertarianism 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Agnostic/undecided 6 / 102 (5.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept another alternative 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept an intermediate view 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Reject all 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept: libertarianism 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept: communitarianism 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Proper names: Fregean or Millian?

Lean toward: Fregean 23 / 102 (22.5%)
Lean toward: Millian 21 / 102 (20.6%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 18 / 102 (17.6%)
Accept: Millian 16 / 102 (15.7%)
Accept: Fregean 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 102 (2.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Science: scientific realism or scientific anti-realism?

Accept: scientific realism 47 / 102 (46.1%)
Lean toward: scientific realism 35 / 102 (34.3%)
Lean toward: scientific anti-realism 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept another alternative 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 102 (1.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Teletransporter (new matter): survival or death?

Lean toward: survival 26 / 102 (25.5%)
Lean toward: death 18 / 102 (17.6%)
Accept: survival 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Accept: death 16 / 102 (15.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 7 / 102 (6.9%)
There is no fact of the matter 5 / 102 (4.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Reject both 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Time: A-theory or B-theory?

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 44 / 102 (43.1%)
Agnostic/undecided 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Accept: B-theory 11 / 102 (10.8%)
Lean toward: B-theory 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Lean toward: A-theory 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Skip 6 / 102 (5.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept both 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Accept: A-theory 2 / 102 (2.0%)
There is no fact of the matter 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (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 64 / 102 (62.7%)
Lean toward: switch 16 / 102 (15.7%)
The question is too unclear to answer 7 / 102 (6.9%)
Lean toward: don't switch 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept: don't switch 4 / 102 (3.9%)
There is no fact of the matter 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Other 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Agnostic/undecided 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject both 1 / 102 (1.0%)

Truth: correspondence, deflationary, or epistemic?

Lean toward: correspondence 34 / 102 (33.3%)
Lean toward: deflationary 20 / 102 (19.6%)
Accept: correspondence 18 / 102 (17.6%)
Accept: deflationary 10 / 102 (9.8%)
Agnostic/undecided 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Lean toward: epistemic 3 / 102 (2.9%)
Reject all 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept more than one 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Accept an intermediate view 1 / 102 (1.0%)
The question is too unclear to answer 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Accept: epistemic 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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

Insufficiently familiar with the issue 17 / 102 (16.7%)
Lean toward: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 14 / 102 (13.7%)
Accept: metaphysically possible 14 / 102 (13.7%)
Accept: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Lean toward: metaphysically possible 13 / 102 (12.7%)
Agnostic/undecided 8 / 102 (7.8%)
Lean toward: inconceivable 7 / 102 (6.9%)
The question is too unclear to answer 6 / 102 (5.9%)
Accept: inconceivable 5 / 102 (4.9%)
Accept another alternative 2 / 102 (2.0%)
Reject all 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Skip 1 / 102 (1.0%)
Reject one, undecided between others 1 / 102 (1.0%)

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