Survey Results

Proper names: Fregean or Millian?

Population

AOS

Region

for

Exclude answers beyond respondent's first 50

Include skip/insufficiently familiar answers

1269 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:
Fregean

36.09% (34.75%)

Reject or lean against:
Fregean

0.79% (0.00%)

Accept or lean towards:
Millian

38.69% (37.51%)

Reject or lean against:
Millian

0.95% (0.00%)

Accept a combination of views

2.29%

Accept an alternative view

4.18%

The question is too unclear to answer

2.84%

There is no fact of the matter

2.44%

Agnostic/undecided

14.81%

Other

1.18%

N = 1269, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (516 respondents)

Alternative Views

84 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.

KRIP (8): kripkean (6) kripke (2)
PRED (7): predicativism (4) predicates (3)
CONT (7): context (2) contribute (1) contextualism (1) content (1) contribution (1) contexts (1)
REFE (6): reference (4) referentialism (1) referent (1)
DESC (6): descriptions (2) descriptive (1) descriptivist (1) description (1) descriptivism (1)
SENS (5): senses (3) sensitive (1) sense (1)
CAUS (4): causal-historical (2) causal (2)
HYBR (4): hybrid (4)

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: Fregean

28.68%

27.01%

1.67

0.28

2009	28.68%
2020	27.01%
Change	1.67
Swing	0.28

Accept or lean towards: Millian

34.48%

32.25%

2.23

-0.28

2009	34.48%
2020	32.25%
Change	2.23
Swing	-0.28

Accept a combination of views

7.63%

2.01%

5.62

2009	7.63%
2020	2.01%
Change	5.62

Accept an alternative view

3.44%

2.62%

0.82

2009	3.44%
2020	2.62%
Change	0.82

The question is too unclear to answer

2.58%

1.54%

1.04

2009	2.58%
2020	1.54%
Change	1.04

There is no fact of the matter

0.97%

1.7%

0.73

2009	0.97%
2020	1.7%
Change	0.73

Insufficiently familiar with the issue

13.75%

18.83%

5.08

2009	13.75%
2020	18.83%
Change	5.08

Agnostic/undecided

6.34%

12.04%

5.70

2009	6.34%
2020	12.04%
Change	5.70

Skipped

1.5%

1.23%

0.27

2009	1.5%
2020	1.23%
Change	0.27

Other

0.64%

0.77%

0.13

2009	0.64%
2020	0.77%
Change	0.13

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

Weighted values

Option	2009	2020	Change
Fregean	34.88	33.3	1.58
Millian	37.96	38.78	0.82

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.37	Theory of reference: descriptive
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	111	136
Reject	54	306

n: 607

p < 0.0001

r: -0.32	Theory of reference: causal
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	98	149
Reject	226	134

n: 607

p < 0.0001

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

n: 987

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	Grounds of intentionality: causal/teleological
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	70	156
Reject	123	159

n: 508

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Justification: reliabilism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	78	167
Reject	153	204

n: 602

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Continuum hypothesis: determinate
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	58	83
Reject	97	113

n: 351

p: 0.0034

r: -0.15	Mind: physicalism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	220	191
Reject	403	222

n: 1036

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Grounds of intentionality: phenomenal
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	41	185
Reject	27	256

n: 509

p: 0.0009

r: 0.14	Epistemic justification: internalism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	192	209
Reject	199	393

n: 993

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Truth: epistemic
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	55	350
Reject	40	562

n: 1007

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Metaontology: anti-realism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	26	181
Reject	27	251

n: 485

p: 0.0044

r: 0.13	Propositions: sets
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	33	198
Reject	21	311

n: 563

p: 0.0029

r: 0.12	Cosmological fine-tuning: design
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	43	159
Reject	47	275

n: 524

p: 0.0048

r: 0.12	Justification: nonreliabilist foundationalism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	90	154
Reject	94	261

n: 599

p: 0.0043

r: -0.11	Human genetic engineering: permissible
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	177	83
Reject	286	103

n: 649

p: 0.0049

r: -0.11	Other minds: flies
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	87	199
Reject	150	260

n: 696

p: 0.0036

r: 0.11	God: theism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	96	331
Reject	97	539

n: 1063

p: 0.0003

r: 0.11	Philosophical methods: conceptual analysis
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	343	86
Reject	452	178

n: 1059

p: 0.0005

r: -0.11	Meaning of life: nonexistent
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	66	299
Reject	117	391

n: 873

p: 0.0017

r: 0.11	Principle of sufficient reason: true
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	96	146
Reject	122	244

n: 608

p: 0.0091

r: -0.11	Propositions: structured entities
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	90	141
Reject	165	168

n: 564

p: 0.0125

r: 0.1	Semantic content: moderate contextualism (intermediate)
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	151	98
Reject	170	147

n: 566

p: 0.0126

r: 0.1	Normative ethics: virtue ethics
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	181	225
Reject	214	363

n: 983

p: 0.0012

r: 0.1	Analysis of knowledge: justified true belief
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	69	196
Reject	84	320

n: 669

p: 0.008

r: 0.1	Grounds of intentionality: inferential
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	34	193
Reject	20	261

n: 508

p: 0.0256

r: 0.1	Hume: skeptic
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	94	128
Reject	110	217

n: 549

p: 0.0224

r: -0.1	Abortion: permissible
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	237	52
Reject	364	54

n: 707

p: 0.0115

r: -0.09	Philosophical methods: formal philosophy
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	267	162
Reject	418	212

n: 1059

p: 0.0025

r: -0.09	Gender categories: eliminate
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	36	213
Reject	69	288

n: 606

p: 0.0292

r: 0.09	Hard problem of consciousness: yes
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	178	87
Reject	248	155

n: 668

p: 0.0229

r: 0.09	Arguments for theism: design
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	62	164
Reject	66	278

n: 570

p: 0.0383

r: 0.09	Race: unreal
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	70	315
Reject	85	466

n: 936

p: 0.0092

r: -0.08	Time travel: metaphysically possible
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	122	127
Reject	178	175

n: 602

p: 0.0435

r: -0.08	Other minds: worms
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	57	229
Reject	106	304

n: 696

p: 0.0305

r: -0.08	Race: social
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	259	135
Reject	403	160

n: 957

p: 0.0146

r: 0.08	Gender: psychological
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	91	287
Reject	116	447

n: 941

p: 0.0183

r: -0.08	Science: scientific realism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	327	89
Reject	510	115

n: 1041

p: 0.0137

r: 0.08	Gender: biological
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	134	240
Reject	160	406

n: 940

p: 0.0196

r: 0.07	Moral judgment: cognitivism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	332	85
Reject	422	180

n: 1019

p: 0.019

r: 0.07	Aim of philosophy: understanding
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	276	134
Reject	374	242

n: 1026

p: 0.021

r: -0.07	Metaphilosophy: naturalism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	206	169
Reject	329	213

n: 917

p: 0.0308

r: 0.07	Aim of philosophy: wisdom
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	131	263
Reject	179	420

n: 993

p: 0.0286

r: -0.07	Truth: correspondence
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	229	179
Reject	356	247

n: 1011

p: 0.0296

r: -0.07	Normative ethics: consequentialism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	135	270
Reject	223	352

n: 980

p: 0.0346

r: -0.07	External world: non-skeptical realism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	362	64
Reject	571	77

n: 1074

p: 0.03

r: 0.06	Aim of philosophy: goodness/justice
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	102	295
Reject	140	459

n: 996

p: 0.0433

r: 0.06	External world: idealism
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	33	393
Reject	36	613

n: 1075

p: 0.0375

r: -0.06	Aim of philosophy: truth/knowledge
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	193	219
Reject	306	308

n: 1026

p: 0.0434

r: -0.06	Philosophical methods: empirical philosophy
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	264	165
Reject	433	197

n: 1059

p: 0.0435

r: 0.06	Philosophical progress: none
Proper names: Fregean	Accept	Reject
Accept	16	413
Reject	16	620

n: 1065

p: 0.0488

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.14	Region of PhD: Oceania
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	24	301
Reject	10	460

n: 795

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Philosopher: Russell
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	20	306
Reject	51	417

n: 794

p: 0.0008

r: -0.1	AOS: Philosophy of Language
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	85	362
Reject	144	508

n: 1099

p: 0.0005

r: 0.1	AOS: 20th Century Philosophy
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	46	401
Reject	30	622

n: 1099

p: 0.0009

r: 0.09	Philosopher: Wittgenstein
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	45	281
Reject	32	436

n: 794

p: 0.0131

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Quine
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	25	301
Reject	63	405

n: 794

p: 0.0177

r: -0.08	AOS: Metaphysics
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	105	342
Reject	187	465

n: 1099

p: 0.006

r: 0.08	Region of nationality: Oceania
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	31	381
Reject	24	601

n: 1037

p: 0.0095

r: 0.08	Philosopher: Frege
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	47	279
Reject	36	432

n: 794

p: 0.0238

r: 0.08	Tradition: Other tradition
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	37	401
Reject	32	618

n: 1088

p: 0.0086

r: 0.08	Philosopher: Husserl
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	11	315
Reject	9	459

n: 794

p: 0.026

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Carnap
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	34	292
Reject	29	439

n: 794

p: 0.0409

r: 0.07	AOS: Aesthetics
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	33	414
Reject	26	626

n: 1099

p: 0.0202

r: -0.06	Tradition: Analytic
Proper names: Fregean	Yes	No
Accept	388	50
Reject	597	53

n: 1088

p: 0.0347