Survey Results

Arguments for theism (which argument is strongest?): design, cosmological, moral, ontological, or pragmatic?


1025 respondents
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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.

Accept or lean towards:
cosmological
20.88% (16.59%)
Reject or lean against:
cosmological
14.34% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
design
17.66% (13.85%)
Reject or lean against:
design
14.83% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
ontological
8.88% (6.83%)
Reject or lean against:
ontological
16.00% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
pragmatic
14.24% (11.61%)
Reject or lean against:
pragmatic
14.63% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
moral
9.37% (6.34%)
Reject or lean against:
moral
14.54% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
19.61%
Accept an alternative view
7.61%
The question is too unclear to answer
1.66%
There is no fact of the matter
5.46%
Agnostic/undecided
8.10%
Other
2.34%
N = 1025, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (113 respondents)
Alternative Views

107 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.

  • NONE (32): none (32)
  • EQUA (12): equally (12)
  • STRO (12): strongest (7) strong (4) stronger (1)
  • EXPE (7): experience (6) experiential (1)
  • RELI (6): religious (6)
  • ATHE (5): atheism (4) atheist (1)
  • WEAK (5): weak (5)
  • TERR (3): terrible (3)
  • TRAN (2): transcendental (2)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.33
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 69 95
Reject 53 339
n: 556
p < 0.0001
r: -0.29
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 111 68
Reject 468 70
n: 717
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 92 111
Reject 111 479
n: 793
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 54 35
Reject 146 553
n: 788
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 75 123
Reject 343 220
n: 761
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 90 85
Reject 155 305
n: 635
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 64 103
Reject 300 212
n: 679
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 52 85
Reject 70 349
n: 556
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 17 65
Reject 397 276
n: 755
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 16 57
Reject 268 353
n: 694
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 34 37
Reject 429 160
n: 660
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 136 48
Reject 308 234
n: 726
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 106 71
Reject 204 306
n: 687
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 78 128
Reject 107 488
n: 801
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 33 150
Reject 158 384
n: 725
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 64 59
Reject 107 228
n: 458
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 5 63
Reject 170 313
n: 551
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 41 54
Reject 105 394
n: 594
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 31 33
Reject 88 398
n: 550
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 67 100
Reject 105 346
n: 618
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 120 29
Reject 315 185
n: 649
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 29 49
Reject 105 471
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 44 37
Reject 532 98
n: 711
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 128 56
Reject 244 276
n: 704
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 159 42
Reject 392 196
n: 789
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 14 29
Reject 194 160
n: 397
p: 0.0004
r: -0.18
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 22 58
Reject 339 256
n: 675
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: ontological Accept Reject
Accept 10 69
Reject 37 574
n: 690
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 32 28
Reject 138 415
n: 613
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 66 81
Reject 105 274
n: 526
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 82 66
Reject 156 248
n: 552
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 118 50
Reject 318 316
n: 802
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 47 29
Reject 505 137
n: 718
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 37 112
Reject 141 263
n: 553
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 60 28
Reject 247 347
n: 682
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 55 92
Reject 117 354
n: 618
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 58 43
Reject 333 146
n: 580
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 18 97
Reject 192 366
n: 673
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 37 80
Reject 83 287
n: 487
p: 0.0004
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 22 152
Reject 113 392
n: 679
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 18 155
Reject 58 438
n: 669
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 73 46
Reject 140 198
n: 457
p: 0.0007
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 128 43
Reject 307 171
n: 649
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 82 35
Reject 292 267
n: 676
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 39 73
Reject 129 178
n: 419
p: 0.0012
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 39 29
Reject 205 356
n: 629
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 48 118
Reject 181 270
n: 617
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 166 32
Reject 424 149
n: 771
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 24 94
Reject 111 226
n: 455
p: 0.001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 29 25
Reject 141 300
n: 495
p: 0.0006
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 104 102
Reject 391 205
n: 802
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 121 72
Reject 258 282
n: 733
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 15 87
Reject 61 205
n: 368
p: 0.0036
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 114 46
Reject 250 186
n: 596
p: 0.0002
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 59 75
Reject 130 318
n: 582
p: 0.0003
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 22 153
Reject 104 367
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 139 37
Reject 414 211
n: 801
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 36 50
Reject 132 326
n: 544
p: 0.0004
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: ontological Accept Reject
Accept 9 38
Reject 51 282
n: 380
p: 0.0035
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 113 41
Reject 331 241
n: 726
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 82 34
Reject 272 253
n: 641
p: 0.0002
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 7 70
Reject 184 479
n: 740
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 29 136
Reject 142 248
n: 555
p: 0.0005
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 93 21
Reject 517 58
n: 689
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 126 71
Reject 308 296
n: 801
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 33 110
Reject 65 390
n: 598
p: 0.0004
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 44 140
Reject 178 373
n: 735
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 28 64
Reject 90 405
n: 587
p: 0.0005
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 81 42
Reject 209 307
n: 639
p: 0.0003
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 72 70
Reject 155 267
n: 564
p: 0.0007
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 41 101
Reject 181 241
n: 564
p: 0.0007
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 40 49
Reject 144 563
n: 796
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 22 58
Reject 80 328
n: 488
p: 0.0018
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 32 76
Reject 95 163
n: 366
p: 0.0071
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: ontological Accept Reject
Accept 26 39
Reject 93 323
n: 481
p: 0.002
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 42 83
Reject 107 379
n: 611
p: 0.0005
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 42 60
Reject 133 312
n: 547
p: 0.0011
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 20 30
Reject 198 238
n: 486
p: 0.0021
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 14 32
Reject 80 158
n: 284
p: 0.0201
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 23 102
Reject 49 541
n: 715
p: 0.0002
r: -0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 21 139
Reject 99 338
n: 597
p: 0.0008
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 29 46
Reject 102 269
n: 446
p: 0.0038
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 105 60
Reject 360 138
n: 663
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 114 41
Reject 286 229
n: 670
p: 0.0005
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 73 89
Reject 282 205
n: 649
p: 0.0007
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: ontological Accept Reject
Accept 7 71
Reject 30 553
n: 661
p: 0.0007
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 32 104
Reject 83 429
n: 648
p: 0.0007
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 160 41
Reject 393 207
n: 801
p: 0.0002
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 32 72
Reject 109 450
n: 663
p: 0.0007
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 32 133
Reject 98 293
n: 556
p: 0.0018
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 13 84
Reject 43 469
n: 609
p: 0.0012
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 27 127
Reject 164 407
n: 725
p: 0.0004
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 58 119
Reject 228 291
n: 696
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Accept Reject
Accept 36 104
Reject 68 282
n: 490
p: 0.0039
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Accept Reject
Accept 9 114
Reject 104 412
n: 639
p: 0.0013
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 49 59
Reject 130 274
n: 512
p: 0.004
r: -0.13
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 9 55
Reject 121 365
n: 550
p: 0.0031
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: design Accept Reject
Accept 16 103
Reject 28 354
n: 501
p: 0.005
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 8 51
Reject 24 499
n: 582
p: 0.0025
r: -0.12
Arguments for theism: moral Accept Reject
Accept 10 44
Reject 157 284
n: 495
p: 0.0055

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.35
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 33 137
Reject 8 475
n: 653
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 21 189
Reject 11 614
n: 835
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 8 70
Reject 9 561
n: 648
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 12 104
Reject 5 524
n: 645
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 30 100
Reject 41 480
n: 651
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 14 102
Reject 11 518
n: 645
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Arguments for theism: ontological Yes No
Accept 7 66
Reject 10 563
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 20 123
Reject 184 497
n: 824
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 50 120
Reject 85 398
n: 653
p: 0.0003
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 44 166
Reject 58 567
n: 835
p: 0.0002
r: 0.13
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 5 73
Reject 6 564
n: 648
p: 0.0011
r: 0.12
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 14 156
Reject 10 473
n: 653
p: 0.0019
r: 0.12
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 71 107
Reject 140 517
n: 835
p: 0.0006
r: 0.12
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 30 111
Reject 99 575
n: 815
p: 0.0009
r: -0.11
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 111 30
Reject 572 102
n: 815
p: 0.0016
r: 0.11
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 38 140
Reject 64 593
n: 835
p: 0.0018
r: 0.11
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 15 128
Reject 28 653
n: 824
p: 0.0023
r: 0.11
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 11 67
Reject 32 538
n: 648
p: 0.0069
r: -0.11
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 109 33
Reject 604 72
n: 818
p: 0.0026
r: -0.1
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 26 184
Reject 120 505
n: 835
p: 0.0056
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 95 76
Reject 294 320
n: 785
p: 0.008
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 10 120
Reject 18 503
n: 651
p: 0.0163
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 13 65
Reject 46 524
n: 648
p: 0.0167
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 24 118
Reject 45 631
n: 818
p: 0.0072
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 6 110
Reject 7 522
n: 645
p: 0.018
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 166 11
Reject 558 94
n: 829
p: 0.0079
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 31 112
Reject 86 595
n: 824
p: 0.009
r: -0.09
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 49 43
Reject 401 291
n: 784
p: 0.0118
r: -0.09
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 74 20
Reject 645 85
n: 824
p: 0.01
r: 0.09
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 16 62
Reject 77 493
n: 648
p: 0.0239
r: -0.09
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 6 171
Reject 63 589
n: 829
p: 0.0134
r: -0.09
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 6 206
Reject 42 584
n: 838
p: 0.0137
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 9 86
Reject 34 701
n: 830
p: 0.0145
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 22 121
Reject 67 614
n: 824
p: 0.0174
r: -0.08
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 15 128
Reject 130 551
n: 824
p: 0.0176
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 17 156
Reject 28 587
n: 788
p: 0.0254
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: ontological Yes No
Accept 8 65
Reject 22 551
n: 646
p: 0.0442
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 18 125
Reject 50 631
n: 824
p: 0.0235
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: ontological Yes No
Accept 6 83
Reject 14 723
n: 826
p: 0.0237
r: -0.08
Arguments for theism: cosmological Yes No
Accept 9 161
Reject 50 433
n: 653
p: 0.0451
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 10 133
Reject 27 654
n: 824
p: 0.0252
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 21 71
Reject 115 577
n: 784
p: 0.0292
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 8 122
Reject 11 510
n: 651
p: 0.048
r: -0.08
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 27 116
Reject 195 486
n: 824
p: 0.0265
r: 0.08
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 63 115
Reject 162 495
n: 835
p: 0.0261
r: -0.08
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 6 172
Reject 62 595
n: 835
p: 0.0296
r: -0.07
Arguments for theism: pragmatic Yes No
Accept 7 131
Reject 62 578
n: 778
p: 0.04
r: -0.07
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 5 173
Reject 44 613
n: 835
p: 0.0335
r: 0.07
Arguments for theism: ontological Yes No
Accept 15 75
Reject 54 676
n: 820
p: 0.038
r: 0.07
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 11 167
Reject 16 641
n: 835
p: 0.0375
r: 0.07
Arguments for theism: design Yes No
Accept 33 145
Reject 87 570
n: 835
p: 0.0426
r: 0.07
Arguments for theism: moral Yes No
Accept 5 90
Reject 15 720
n: 830
p: 0.0469