Survey Results

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

Population

AOS

Region

for

Exclude answers beyond respondent's first 50

Include skip/insufficiently familiar answers

1736 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:
switch

63.42% (62.50%)

Reject or lean against:
switch

0.29% (0.00%)

Accept or lean towards:
don't switch

13.31% (12.62%)

Reject or lean against:
don't switch

0.35% (0.00%)

Accept a combination of views

1.44%

Accept an alternative view

2.30%

The question is too unclear to answer

5.13%

There is no fact of the matter

6.16%

Agnostic/undecided

7.66%

Other

2.19%

N = 1736, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (49 respondents)

Alternative Views

63 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.

PERM (9): permissible (7) permissable (2)
DEPE (7): depends (7)
OPTI (7): options (4) option (3)
PHIL (6): philosophy (3) philosophical (2) philosophers (1)
BOTH (5): both (5)
EITH (5): either (5)
PART (4): particularism (2) particularly (1) parties (1)
DILE (4): dilemma (3) dilemmas (1)

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: switch

68.21%

66.2%

2.01

-3.13

2009	68.21%
2020	66.2%
Change	2.01
Swing	-3.13

Accept or lean towards: don't switch

7.63%

11.88%

4.25

3.13

2009	7.63%
2020	11.88%
Change	4.25
Swing	3.13

Accept a combination of views

2.79%

0.62%

2.17

2009	2.79%
2020	0.62%
Change	2.17

Accept an alternative view

1.18%

1.85%

0.67

2009	1.18%
2020	1.85%
Change	0.67

The question is too unclear to answer

2.9%

2.93%

0.03

2009	2.9%
2020	2.93%
Change	0.03

There is no fact of the matter

3.65%

4.63%

0.98

2009	3.65%
2020	4.63%
Change	0.98

Insufficiently familiar with the issue

4.51%

0.62%

3.89

2009	4.51%
2020	0.62%
Change	3.89

Agnostic/undecided

6.44%

7.87%

1.43

2009	6.44%
2020	7.87%
Change	1.43

Skipped

1.61%

1.39%

0.22

2009	1.61%
2020	1.39%
Change	0.22

Other

1.07%

2.01%

0.94

2009	1.07%
2020	2.01%
Change	0.94

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

Weighted values

Option	2009	2020	Change
Switch	67.48	68.31	0.83
Don't switch	21.41	16.86	4.55

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.33	Footbridge: push
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	370	690
Reject	7	334

n: 1401

p < 0.0001

r: 0.28	Normative ethics: consequentialism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	437	536
Reject	54	263

n: 1290

p < 0.0001

r: 0.26	Human genetic engineering: permissible
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	491	141
Reject	106	82

n: 820

p < 0.0001

r: 0.18	Practical reason: Humean
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	203	315
Reject	36	123

n: 677

p < 0.0001

r: 0.18	Temporal ontology: eternalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	216	220
Reject	49	94

n: 579

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	God: theism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	179	869
Reject	89	248

n: 1385

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Arguments for theism: moral
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	47	505
Reject	29	137

n: 718

p < 0.0001

r: 0.16	Metaphilosophy: naturalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	541	310
Reject	124	155

n: 1130

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Temporal ontology: presentism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	76	361
Reject	34	108

n: 579

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Principle of sufficient reason: true
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	190	383
Reject	85	101

n: 759

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Abortion: permissible
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	611	90
Reject	160	47

n: 908

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Cosmological fine-tuning: design
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	83	424
Reject	41	103

n: 651

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Normative ethics: virtue ethics
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	343	626
Reject	155	166

n: 1290

p < 0.0001

r: -0.14	Free will: libertarianism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	181	866
Reject	89	244

n: 1380

p < 0.0001

r: -0.14	Belief or credence: belief
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	146	333
Reject	59	92

n: 630

p: 0.0003

r: 0.14	Causation: counterfactual/difference-making
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	242	296
Reject	47	119

n: 704

p: 0.0002

r: 0.14	Mind: physicalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	641	366
Reject	153	166

n: 1326

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Belief or credence: credence
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	185	294
Reject	36	115

n: 630

p: 0.0007

r: -0.13	Other minds: plants
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	34	640
Reject	25	185

n: 884

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	External world: idealism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	53	993
Reject	34	296

n: 1376

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Personal identity: further-fact view
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	147	718
Reject	57	228

n: 1150

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Practical reason: Kantian
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	90	427
Reject	47	111

n: 675

p: 0.0015

r: -0.12	Causation: process/production
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	122	414
Reject	48	118

n: 702

p: 0.0012

r: -0.12	Propositions: acts
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	23	432
Reject	24	134

n: 613

p: 0.0031

r: -0.12	Time: A-theory
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	184	439
Reject	70	155

n: 848

p: 0.0005

r: -0.12	Normative ethics: deontology
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	341	628
Reject	144	177

n: 1290

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Perceptual experience: disjunctivism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	95	624
Reject	60	194

n: 973

p: 0.0003

r: 0.11	Law: legal positivism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	176	193
Reject	36	79

n: 484

p: 0.012

r: -0.11	Arguments for theism: ontological
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	52	496
Reject	24	142

n: 714

p: 0.0024

r: -0.11	Other minds: particles
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	6	668
Reject	7	203

n: 884

p: 0.0007

r: -0.11	True contradictions: possible but non-actual
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	24	544
Reject	12	160

n: 740

p: 0.0022

r: -0.11	Normative concepts: ought
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	71	414
Reject	33	114

n: 632

p: 0.005

r: -0.11	Kant: one world
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	185	203
Reject	77	67

n: 532

p: 0.0127

r: -0.11	Meaning of life: objective
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	328	552
Reject	135	155

n: 1170

p: 0.0002

r: 0.11	Other minds: future AI systems
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	308	366
Reject	68	142

n: 884

p: 0.0014

r: 0.11	Continuum hypothesis: determinate
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	130	158
Reject	31	70

n: 389

p: 0.0353

r: 0.11	Philosophical methods: empirical philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	692	337
Reject	193	142

n: 1364

p < 0.0001

r: 0.1	True contradictions: impossible
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	452	116
Reject	126	46

n: 740

p: 0.0046

r: 0.1	Personal identity: psychological view
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	477	392
Reject	128	160

n: 1157

p: 0.0005

r: 0.1	External world: non-skeptical realism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	929	117
Reject	266	62

n: 1374

p: 0.0002

r: -0.1	Political philosophy: libertarianism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	129	729
Reject	48	226

n: 1132

p: 0.0012

r: -0.09	Moral motivation: internalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	355	469
Reject	136	134

n: 1094

p: 0.0017

r: -0.09	Response to external-world skepticism: semantic externalist
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	48	502
Reject	20	153

n: 723

p: 0.0112

r: 0.09	Perceptual experience: representationalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	350	372
Reject	106	150

n: 978

p: 0.0063

r: -0.09	Well-being: objective list
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	336	247
Reject	105	49

n: 737

p: 0.0193

r: 0.09	Teletransporter: survival
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	400	488
Reject	98	180

n: 1166

p: 0.0032

r: -0.09	Truth: epistemic
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	89	858
Reject	44	257

n: 1248

p: 0.0024

r: -0.08	Practical reason: Aristotelian
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	192	326
Reject	79	80

n: 677

p: 0.0302

r: 0.08	Philosophical progress: a lot
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	514	547
Reject	134	196

n: 1391

p: 0.0019

r: -0.08	Philosophical progress: none
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	25	1035
Reject	16	314

n: 1390

p: 0.0021

r: -0.08	Vagueness: epistemic
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	207	632
Reject	83	206

n: 1128

p: 0.0062

r: -0.08	True contradictions: actual
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	61	507
Reject	21	151

n: 740

p: 0.0268

r: 0.08	Rational disagreement: non-permissivism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	146	463
Reject	28	165

n: 802

p: 0.0242

r: 0.08	Political philosophy: egalitarianism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	459	396
Reject	132	148

n: 1135

p: 0.0076

r: -0.08	Causation: nonexistent
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	21	509
Reject	8	157

n: 695

p: 0.0378

r: -0.08	Political philosophy: communitarianism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	245	608
Reject	90	188

n: 1131

p: 0.0092

r: -0.08	Eating animals and animal products: omnivorism (yes and yes)
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	509	534
Reject	172	159

n: 1374

p: 0.0043

r: -0.08	Philosophical methods: linguistic philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	479	550
Reject	181	154

n: 1364

p: 0.0046

r: 0.07	Consciousness: functionalism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	248	349
Reject	57	129

n: 783

p: 0.0384

r: 0.07	Knowledge: empiricism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	505	352
Reject	141	136

n: 1134

p: 0.0132

r: 0.07	Philosophical methods: experimental philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	383	646
Reject	101	234

n: 1364

p: 0.0072

r: -0.07	Zombies: inconceivable
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	156	761
Reject	54	244

n: 1215

p: 0.0142

r: -0.07	External world: skepticism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	55	990
Reject	22	308

n: 1375

p: 0.0099

r: -0.07	Philosophical knowledge: none
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	14	652
Reject	8	198

n: 872

p: 0.0429

r: 0.07	Free will: compatibilism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	681	368
Reject	197	136

n: 1382

p: 0.0116

r: 0.07	Aim of philosophy: truth/knowledge
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	491	504
Reject	141	186

n: 1322

p: 0.0138

r: 0.07	Eating animals and animal products: veganism (no and no)
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	227	815
Reject	57	273

n: 1372

p: 0.0126

r: -0.07	Philosophical progress: a little
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	520	541
Reject	172	158

n: 1391

p: 0.0143

r: -0.06	Aesthetic value: objective
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	465	506
Reject	164	149

n: 1284

p: 0.0276

r: 0.06	Science: scientific realism
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	832	173
Reject	233	79

n: 1317

p: 0.0262

r: -0.06	Aim of philosophy: wisdom
Trolley problem: switch	Accept	Reject
Accept	306	659
Reject	120	203

n: 1288

p: 0.043

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.15	Philosopher: Hume
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	166	592
Reject	29	237

n: 1024

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Philosopher: Mill
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	59	699
Reject	4	262

n: 1024

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Gender: male
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	892	188
Reject	241	98

n: 1419

p < 0.0001

r: -0.13	Gender: female
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	185	895
Reject	95	244

n: 1419

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Philosopher: Kierkegaard
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	7	751
Reject	10	256

n: 1024

p < 0.0001

r: 0.11	AOS: Normative Ethics
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	260	813
Reject	52	296

n: 1421

p < 0.0001

r: -0.1	Philosopher: Kant
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	97	661
Reject	50	216

n: 1024

p: 0.0011

r: -0.1	AOS: Feminist Philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	32	1041
Reject	27	321

n: 1421

p: 0.0003

r: 0.09	Tradition: Analytic
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	952	109
Reject	293	54

n: 1408

p: 0.001

r: -0.08	Region of PhD: Europe
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	62	718
Reject	29	213

n: 1022

p: 0.0118

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Husserl
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	12	746
Reject	11	255

n: 1024

p: 0.0123

r: -0.07	AOS: Continental Philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	35	1038
Reject	21	327

n: 1421

p: 0.0056

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Aquinas
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	24	734
Reject	15	251

n: 1024

p: 0.0207

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Wittgenstein
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	54	704
Reject	31	235

n: 1024

p: 0.0217

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Moore
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	30	728
Reject	4	262

n: 1024

p: 0.0226

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Anscombe
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	17	741
Reject	11	255

n: 1024

p: 0.0233

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Putnam
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	35	723
Reject	6	260

n: 1024

p: 0.0264

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Hobbes
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	13	745
Reject	1	265

n: 1024

p: 0.0289

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Sidgwick
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	7	751
Reject	0	266

n: 1024

p: 0.0317

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Aristotle
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	127	631
Reject	54	212

n: 1024

p: 0.0332

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Parfit
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	38	720
Reject	7	259

n: 1024

p: 0.0334

r: -0.07	Tradition: Other tradition
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	65	996
Reject	33	314

n: 1408

p: 0.0133

r: -0.07	Region of nationality: Europe
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	187	836
Reject	71	251

n: 1345

p: 0.0166

r: 0.06	AOS: Epistemology
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	279	794
Reject	72	276

n: 1421

p: 0.016

r: 0.06	AOS: Decision Theory
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	40	1033
Reject	4	344

n: 1421

p: 0.0162

r: 0.06	Philosopher: Lewis
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	95	663
Reject	16	250

n: 1024

p: 0.044

r: 0.06	AOS: Philosophy of Social Science
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	44	1029
Reject	6	342

n: 1421

p: 0.0249

r: -0.06	AOS: 19th Century Philosophy
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	45	1028
Reject	23	325

n: 1421

p: 0.0322

r: -0.06	AOS: Logic and Philosophy of Logic
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	81	992
Reject	46	302

n: 1421

p: 0.0353

r: -0.06	Region of affiliation: Latin America
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	8	1083
Reject	8	350

n: 1449

p: 0.0336

r: -0.06	AOS: Philosophy of Gender, Race, and Sexuality
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	25	1048
Reject	17	331

n: 1421

p: 0.0364

r: 0.05	Region of nationality: Oceania
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	60	963
Reject	12	310

n: 1345

p: 0.0475

r: -0.05	Tradition: Continental
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	44	1017
Reject	21	326

n: 1408

p: 0.0455

r: 0.05	Region of affiliation: United States
Trolley problem: switch	Yes	No
Accept	642	449
Reject	195	163

n: 1449

p: 0.0475