Survey Results

Mental content: externalism or internalism?

Population

AOS

Region

for

Exclude answers beyond respondent's first 50

Include skip/insufficiently familiar answers

1514 respondents

What the percentages mean: "Accept or lean toward P: 50% (40%)" means that 50% of respondents endorsed this answer inclusively (including multiple-answer endorsements) and 40% endorsed this answer exclusively (excluding multiple-answer endorsements).

These results should not be used for comparison to 2009 results due to different populations and parameters. For meaningful longitudinal comparisons, see the longitudinal analysis section.

Collapse accept and lean towards

Accept or lean towards:
internalism

26.35% (21.93%)

Reject or lean against:
internalism

0.13% (0.00%)

Accept or lean towards:
externalism

58.12% (53.83%)

Reject or lean against:
externalism

0.20% (0.00%)

Accept a combination of views

4.62%

Accept an alternative view

3.43%

The question is too unclear to answer

4.49%

There is no fact of the matter

1.52%

Agnostic/undecided

9.31%

Other

0.86%

N = 1514, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (271 respondents)

Alternative Views

67 target respondents indicated that they accept or lean toward an alternative view. The words used in their responses cluster as follows. These results are not filtered by AOS, region, etc.

BOTH (9): both (9)
PHEN (6): phenomenological (4) phenomenology (1) phenomenal (1)
PLUR (5): pluralism (5)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

Comparison type

AOS

Geographic filters do not apply to this section.

Option

2009

2020

Change

Swing

Option

Accept or lean towards: internalism

19.98%

18.21%

1.77

-0.40

2009	19.98%
2020	18.21%
Change	1.77
Swing	-0.40

Accept or lean towards: externalism

51.13%

50.15%

0.98

0.40

2009	51.13%
2020	50.15%
Change	0.98
Swing	0.40

Accept a combination of views

9.67%

4.17%

5.50

2009	9.67%
2020	4.17%
Change	5.50

Accept an alternative view

2.26%

2.01%

0.25

2009	2.26%
2020	2.01%
Change	0.25

The question is too unclear to answer

3.01%

4.01%

1.00

2009	3.01%
2020	4.01%
Change	1.00

There is no fact of the matter

0.43%

1.54%

1.11

2009	0.43%
2020	1.54%
Change	1.11

Insufficiently familiar with the issue

5.69%

10.49%

4.80

2009	5.69%
2020	10.49%
Change	4.80

Agnostic/undecided

5.59%

7.56%

1.97

2009	5.59%
2020	7.56%
Change	1.97

Skipped

1.61%

1.39%

0.22

2009	1.61%
2020	1.39%
Change	0.22

Other

0.64%

0.46%

0.18

2009	0.64%
2020	0.46%
Change	0.18

N (2020) = 648
N (2009) = 931

Weighted values

Option	2009	2020	Change
Internalism	27.28	27.55	0.27
Externalism	52.66	52.15	0.51

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.44	Epistemic justification: internalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	253	112
Reject	228	629

n: 1222

p < 0.0001

r: 0.39	Theory of reference: descriptive
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	85	121
Reject	72	392

n: 670

p < 0.0001

r: -0.3	Theory of reference: causal
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	78	128
Reject	291	173

n: 670

p < 0.0001

r: 0.26	Grounds of intentionality: phenomenal
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	42	127
Reject	30	372

n: 571

p < 0.0001

r: -0.24	Response to external-world skepticism: epistemic externalist
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	23	177
Reject	138	362

n: 700

p < 0.0001

r: -0.23	Analysis of knowledge: no analysis
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	53	183
Reject	210	335

n: 781

p < 0.0001

r: -0.23	External world: non-skeptical realism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	289	86
Reject	823	85

n: 1283

p < 0.0001

r: -0.23	Justification: reliabilism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	56	155
Reject	214	273

n: 698

p < 0.0001

r: 0.23	Proper names: Fregean
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	164	124
Reject	232	467

n: 987

p < 0.0001

r: 0.22	Moral motivation: internalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	191	125
Reject	290	446

n: 1052

p < 0.0001

r: 0.21	External world: skepticism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	49	327
Reject	29	879

n: 1284

p < 0.0001

r: 0.19	Hard problem of consciousness: yes
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	168	58
Reject	335	223

n: 784

p < 0.0001

r: 0.17	Propositional attitudes: phenomenal
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	27	148
Reject	21	424

n: 620

p < 0.0001

r: 0.17	External world: idealism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	43	334
Reject	41	868

n: 1286

p < 0.0001

r: 0.17	Analysis of knowledge: justified true belief
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	71	166
Reject	115	431

n: 783

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Perceptual experience: disjunctivism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	27	265
Reject	157	555

n: 1004

p < 0.0001

r: 0.16	Response to external-world skepticism: abductive
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	62	139
Reject	108	394

n: 703

p < 0.0001

r: 0.16	Justification: coherentism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	71	141
Reject	106	379

n: 697

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Grounds of intentionality: causal/teleological
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	53	116
Reject	172	233

n: 574

p: 0.0003

r: -0.15	Extended mind: yes
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	98	124
Reject	301	221

n: 744

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Principle of sufficient reason: true
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	100	119
Reject	162	338

n: 719

p < 0.0001

r: -0.14	Free will: compatibilism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	224	163
Reject	614	294

n: 1295

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Propositions: sets
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	27	177
Reject	30	393

n: 627

p: 0.0005

r: 0.14	Hume: skeptic
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	84	107
Reject	164	299

n: 654

p: 0.0005

r: -0.13	Personal identity: biological view
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	56	268
Reject	196	572

n: 1092

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Statue and lump: one thing
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	88	109
Reject	153	304

n: 654

p: 0.0006

r: 0.13	Zombies: metaphysically possible
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	122	225
Reject	201	622

n: 1170

p < 0.0001

r: -0.13	Response to external-world skepticism: semantic externalist
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	9	190
Reject	65	434

n: 698

p: 0.0005

r: 0.13	Perceptual experience: qualia theory
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	67	225
Reject	102	608

n: 1002

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Foundations of mathematics: constructivism/intuitionism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	32	109
Reject	43	269

n: 453

p: 0.0059

r: 0.12	Spacetime: relationism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	92	64
Reject	146	196

n: 498

p: 0.0053

r: 0.12	Perceptual experience: sense-datum theory
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	28	263
Reject	26	682

n: 999

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Mind: physicalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	192	179
Reject	530	340

n: 1241

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Consciousness: functionalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	72	146
Reject	223	314

n: 755

p: 0.0007

r: 0.12	Justification: nonreliabilist foundationalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	81	129
Reject	128	358

n: 696

p: 0.0013

r: 0.12	Metaontology: anti-realism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	30	126
Reject	38	336

n: 530

p: 0.006

r: 0.12	Well-being: desire satisfaction
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	57	143
Reject	90	405

n: 695

p: 0.0021

r: -0.12	Practical reason: Aristotelian
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	67	129
Reject	203	252

n: 651

p: 0.003

r: -0.11	Quantum mechanics: collapse
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	22	110
Reject	58	240

n: 430

p: 0.0173

r: 0.11	Grounds of intentionality: inferential
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	25	144
Reject	36	367

n: 572

p: 0.008

r: -0.11	Properties: immanent universals
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	39	139
Reject	100	304

n: 582

p: 0.0082

r: 0.11	Practical reason: Humean
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	93	103
Reject	140	315

n: 651

p: 0.0054

r: -0.11	Normative concepts: fit
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	12	164
Reject	37	387

n: 600

p: 0.0076

r: -0.11	Consciousness: eliminativism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	11	206
Reject	30	507

n: 754

p: 0.0032

r: 0.11	Race: biological
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	94	242
Reject	137	682

n: 1155

p: 0.0003

r: -0.11	Well-being: objective list
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	103	95
Reject	304	192

n: 694

p: 0.0052

r: 0.11	Free will: libertarianism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	92	295
Reject	158	748

n: 1293

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Philosophical methods: linguistic philosophy
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	173	194
Reject	463	436

n: 1266

p: 0.0002

r: -0.11	Foundations of mathematics: structuralism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	23	118
Reject	84	229

n: 454

p: 0.025

r: -0.1	Zombies: conceivable but not metaphysically possible
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	141	207
Reject	361	464

n: 1173

p: 0.0004

r: 0.1	Personal identity: psychological view
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	192	132
Reject	366	402

n: 1092

p: 0.0006

r: 0.1	God: theism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	86	285
Reject	162	746

n: 1279

p: 0.0002

r: 0.1	Experience machine: yes
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	61	290
Reject	113	758

n: 1222

p: 0.0003

r: 0.1	Gender: biological
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	129	192
Reject	228	589

n: 1138

p: 0.0005

r: 0.1	Propositions: simple entities
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	20	184
Reject	30	394

n: 628

p: 0.013

r: -0.1	Race: social
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	205	131
Reject	593	225

n: 1154

p: 0.0008

r: 0.1	Plato: knowledge only of forms
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	100	53
Reject	178	147

n: 478

p: 0.0338

r: -0.1	Propositions: structured entities
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	80	124
Reject	200	224

n: 628

p: 0.0164

r: -0.09	Cosmological fine-tuning: brute fact
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	69	136
Reject	143	267

n: 615

p: 0.0233

r: -0.09	Properties: tropes
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	29	149
Reject	72	334

n: 584

p: 0.0273

r: 0.09	Aim of philosophy: wisdom
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	132	222
Reject	264	586

n: 1204

p: 0.0016

r: 0.09	Belief or credence: credence
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	75	112
Reject	121	302

n: 610

p: 0.0253

r: -0.09	Belief or credence: belief
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	64	123
Reject	146	277

n: 610

p: 0.0254

r: 0.09	Analysis of knowledge: other analysis
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	100	137
Reject	179	366

n: 782

p: 0.0115

r: 0.09	Laws of nature: Humean
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	141	217
Reject	246	587

n: 1191

p: 0.0022

r: 0.09	Aim of philosophy: happiness
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	64	284
Reject	98	732

n: 1178

p: 0.0024

r: -0.09	Aesthetic value: objective
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	163	186
Reject	420	403

n: 1172

p: 0.0025

r: 0.09	Gender: psychological
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	97	226
Reject	161	654

n: 1138

p: 0.0034

r: -0.09	Morality: naturalist realism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	71	163
Reject	193	343

n: 770

p: 0.0178

r: 0.09	Politics: capitalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	91	135
Reject	160	349

n: 735

p: 0.0211

r: 0.08	Truth: epistemic
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	53	303
Reject	77	766

n: 1199

p: 0.0039

r: 0.08	Moral principles: moral generalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	140	87
Reject	303	222

n: 752

p: 0.0263

r: -0.08	Other minds: future AI systems
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	93	147
Reject	264	318

n: 822

p: 0.0234

r: -0.08	Truth: deflationary
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	84	273
Reject	254	590

n: 1201

p: 0.0064

r: -0.08	Vagueness: metaphysical
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	60	268
Reject	178	598

n: 1104

p: 0.0102

r: 0.08	Values in science: necessarily value-free
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	54	160
Reject	84	443

n: 741

p: 0.0388

r: -0.07	Moral judgment: cognitivism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	260	112
Reject	638	216

n: 1226

p: 0.009

r: 0.07	Free will: no free will
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	62	324
Reject	96	812

n: 1294

p: 0.0082

r: 0.07	Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	268	108
Reject	577	326

n: 1279

p: 0.0096

r: -0.07	Morality: expressivism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	28	205
Reject	61	474

n: 768

p: 0.0459

r: 0.07	Footbridge: push
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	102	244
Reject	206	644

n: 1196

p: 0.0131

r: -0.07	Other minds: newborn babies
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	212	28
Reject	524	58

n: 822

p: 0.0457

r: -0.07	Philosophical methods: empirical philosophy
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	219	148
Reject	595	304

n: 1266

p: 0.0136

r: 0.07	Other minds: particles
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	8	232
Reject	8	574

n: 822

p: 0.0473

r: 0.07	Philosophical methods: conceptual analysis
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	292	75
Reject	663	236

n: 1266

p: 0.0155

r: -0.07	Science: scientific realism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	291	73
Reject	722	159

n: 1245

p: 0.0166

r: 0.07	Teletransporter: survival
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	147	165
Reject	305	471

n: 1088

p: 0.0263

r: 0.07	Normative ethics: consequentialism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	143	199
Reject	288	558

n: 1188

p: 0.0204

r: -0.06	Metaphilosophy: naturalism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	181	151
Reject	449	301

n: 1082

p: 0.0339

r: 0.06	Vagueness: semantic
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	197	131
Reject	409	371

n: 1108

p: 0.0335

r: -0.06	Meta-ethics: moral realism
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	233	134
Reject	608	282

n: 1257

p: 0.0306

r: 0.06	Aim of philosophy: goodness/justice
Mental content: internalism	Accept	Reject
Accept	99	254
Reject	195	650

n: 1198

p: 0.045

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: -0.12	AOS: Philosophy of Language
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	54	334
Reject	187	751

n: 1326

p < 0.0001

r: 0.12	AOS: 17th/18th Century Philosophy
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	61	327
Reject	66	872

n: 1326

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Philosopher: Frege
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	19	272
Reject	67	603

n: 961

p: 0.0005

r: -0.11	Region of PhD: United Kingdom
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	29	254
Reject	103	561

n: 947

p: 0.001

r: -0.1	Philosopher: Davidson
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	6	285
Reject	35	635

n: 961

p: 0.0025

r: 0.1	Philosopher: Descartes
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	24	267
Reject	21	649

n: 961

p: 0.0028

r: 0.09	Region of PhD: Oceania
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	18	265
Reject	23	641

n: 947

p: 0.0035

r: -0.09	Philosopher: Wittgenstein
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	19	272
Reject	71	599

n: 961

p: 0.0043

r: 0.08	AOS: Philosophy of Religion
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	48	340
Reject	64	874

n: 1326

p: 0.0025

r: -0.08	Other demographics: YOB
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	146	213
Reject	434	441

n: 1234

p: 0.005

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Quine
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	21	270
Reject	72	598

n: 961

p: 0.0135

r: 0.08	Philosopher: Sartre
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	5	286
Reject	3	667

n: 961

p: 0.0137

r: 0.08	Philosopher: Socrates
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	15	276
Reject	21	649

n: 961

p: 0.014

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Putnam
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	7	284
Reject	30	640

n: 961

p: 0.016

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Hume
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	66	225
Reject	118	552

n: 961

p: 0.0232

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Berkeley
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	7	284
Reject	4	666

n: 961

p: 0.0296

r: 0.06	AOS: Normative Ethics
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	78	310
Reject	166	772

n: 1326

p: 0.0191

r: -0.06	Region of nationality: United Kingdom
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	37	327
Reject	103	783

n: 1250

p: 0.0434

r: 0.06	Tradition: Other tradition
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	36	348
Reject	60	864

n: 1308

p: 0.041

r: 0.06	Region of affiliation: United States
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	219	174
Reject	518	435

n: 1346

p: 0.0428

r: -0.05	AOS: Aesthetics
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	15	373
Reject	55	883

n: 1326

p: 0.0486

r: -0.05	Region of affiliation: United Kingdom
Mental content: internalism	Yes	No
Accept	43	350
Reject	122	831

n: 1346

p: 0.049