Survey Results

Temporal ontology: eternalism, growing block, or presentism?


734 respondents
Login to view or update your response to this question.

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:
presentism
18.39% (17.57%)
Reject or lean against:
presentism
0.95% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
eternalism
39.92% (38.69%)
Reject or lean against:
eternalism
0.68% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
growing block
17.03% (16.76%)
Reject or lean against:
growing block
1.36% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
2.04%
Accept an alternative view
3.41%
The question is too unclear to answer
3.00%
There is no fact of the matter
2.59%
Agnostic/undecided
15.40%
Other
0.54%
N = 734, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (381 respondents)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: -0.7
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 24 241
Reject 144 125
n: 534
p < 0.0001
r: 0.59
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 79 21
Reject 90 345
n: 535
p < 0.0001
r: 0.37
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 55 41
Reject 112 325
n: 533
p < 0.0001
r: 0.37
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 148 100
Reject 95 233
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: 0.36
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 168 78
Reject 113 180
n: 539
p < 0.0001
r: -0.34
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 25 96
Reject 218 237
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: -0.33
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 33 78
Reject 248 180
n: 539
p < 0.0001
r: -0.3
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 34 243
Reject 116 235
n: 628
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 56 71
Reject 95 406
n: 628
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 77 90
Reject 67 198
n: 432
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 71 58
Reject 67 134
n: 330
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 52 75
Reject 329 174
n: 630
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 82 50
Reject 88 123
n: 343
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 189 47
Reject 199 106
n: 541
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 87 105
Reject 45 146
n: 383
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 84 106
Reject 68 195
n: 453
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 40 150
Reject 106 157
n: 453
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 197 82
Reject 185 166
n: 630
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 24 53
Reject 113 139
n: 329
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 18 81
Reject 126 207
n: 432
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 43 75
Reject 297 190
n: 605
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 26 86
Reject 193 249
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 69 123
Reject 94 97
n: 383
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 46 52
Reject 100 255
n: 453
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 21 77
Reject 131 224
n: 453
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 176 95
Reject 165 169
n: 605
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 56 110
Reject 132 134
n: 432
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 87 149
Reject 67 219
n: 522
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 21 88
Reject 132 281
n: 522
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 108 124
Reject 89 208
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 13 95
Reject 99 322
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 23 83
Reject 173 250
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 63 49
Reject 324 105
n: 541
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 63 169
Reject 50 247
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 121 129
Reject 99 205
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 60 60
Reject 139 323
n: 582
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 40 71
Reject 257 166
n: 534
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 47 119
Reject 26 162
n: 354
p: 0.0002
r: -0.19
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 78 37
Reject 393 78
n: 586
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 59 52
Reject 128 285
n: 524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 42 59
Reject 78 329
n: 508
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 43 63
Reject 98 324
n: 528
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 59 63
Reject 124 308
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 68 157
Reject 119 180
n: 524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 26 71
Reject 62 316
n: 475
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 14 60
Reject 117 191
n: 382
p: 0.0003
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 216 49
Reject 220 94
n: 579
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 37 224
Reject 84 231
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 107 112
Reject 86 208
n: 513
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 43 31
Reject 120 188
n: 382
p: 0.0006
r: -0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 20 96
Reject 139 341
n: 596
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 61 38
Reject 127 206
n: 432
p: 0.0003
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 69 50
Reject 157 253
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 91 179
Reject 68 258
n: 596
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 148 87
Reject 149 150
n: 534
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 108 146
Reject 98 209
n: 561
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 46 184
Reject 94 203
n: 527
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 8 60
Reject 65 222
n: 355
p: 0.0016
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 193 85
Reject 211 137
n: 626
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 13 77
Reject 42 335
n: 467
p: 0.0003
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 21 61
Reject 37 285
n: 404
p: 0.0008
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 45 80
Reject 95 404
n: 624
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 172 91
Reject 165 153
n: 581
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 33 199
Reject 83 216
n: 531
p: 0.0002
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 101 102
Reject 175 90
n: 468
p: 0.0004
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 90 179
Reject 83 249
n: 601
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 42 210
Reject 103 227
n: 582
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 26 181
Reject 18 241
n: 466
p: 0.0006
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 76 34
Reject 361 108
n: 579
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 28 76
Reject 87 338
n: 529
p: 0.0003
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 12 236
Reject 7 321
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 11 83
Reject 73 307
n: 474
p: 0.0006
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 43 83
Reject 99 113
n: 338
p: 0.0039
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 196 82
Reject 220 128
n: 626
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 39 73
Reject 221 203
n: 536
p: 0.0003
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 32 53
Reject 76 257
n: 418
p: 0.0016
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 33 41
Reject 137 132
n: 343
p: 0.0043
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 27 86
Reject 178 270
n: 561
p: 0.0003
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 25 187
Reject 62 200
n: 474
p: 0.0009
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 50 48
Reject 231 208
n: 537
p: 0.0004
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 64 191
Reject 135 192
n: 582
p: 0.0003
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 7 54
Reject 26 294
n: 381
p: 0.0036
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 33 60
Reject 72 307
n: 472
p: 0.0014
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 44 150
Reject 101 188
n: 483
p: 0.0012
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 12 72
Reject 26 356
n: 466
p: 0.0016
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 46 231
Reject 94 253
n: 624
p: 0.0003
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 133 101
Reject 127 175
n: 536
p: 0.0007
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 26 77
Reject 168 243
n: 514
p: 0.0009
r: 0.15
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 42 62
Reject 103 275
n: 482
p: 0.0014
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 29 128
Reject 21 176
n: 354
p: 0.0069
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 216 37
Reject 255 78
n: 586
p: 0.0005
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 36 76
Reject 79 362
n: 553
p: 0.0008
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 203 35
Reject 221 78
n: 537
p: 0.001
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 42 61
Reject 99 310
n: 512
p: 0.0015
r: -0.14
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 20 198
Reject 30 238
n: 486
p: 0.0021
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: eternalism Accept Reject
Accept 138 87
Reject 155 133
n: 513
p: 0.0017
r: -0.14
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 5 94
Reject 39 329
n: 467
p: 0.0029
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: growing block Accept Reject
Accept 16 45
Reject 38 256
n: 355
p: 0.0102
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 66 30
Reject 210 163
n: 469
p: 0.0032
r: -0.14
Temporal ontology: presentism Accept Reject
Accept 5 84
Reject 33 296
n: 418
p: 0.0056

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.25
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 57 163
Reject 21 256
n: 497
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 30 93
Reject 201 328
n: 652
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 136 155
Reject 97 266
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 49 171
Reject 37 240
n: 497
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 5 97
Reject 72 322
n: 496
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 14 88
Reject 15 379
n: 496
p: 0.0002
r: 0.16
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 272 12
Reject 309 44
n: 637
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 6 88
Reject 71 330
n: 495
p: 0.0005
r: -0.15
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 9 275
Reject 34 319
n: 637
p: 0.0002
r: 0.14
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 6 88
Reject 5 396
n: 495
p: 0.0015
r: -0.13
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 9 93
Reject 77 317
n: 496
p: 0.0027
r: 0.13
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 7 116
Reject 9 520
n: 652
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 148 125
Reject 166 175
n: 614
p: 0.0013
r: -0.13
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 14 218
Reject 31 241
n: 504
p: 0.0038
r: 0.13
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 20 271
Reject 9 354
n: 654
p: 0.0013
r: 0.12
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 5 89
Reject 11 390
n: 495
p: 0.0057
r: 0.12
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 32 188
Reject 26 251
n: 497
p: 0.0068
r: -0.12
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 8 212
Reject 21 256
n: 497
p: 0.0084
r: 0.12
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 14 88
Reject 23 371
n: 496
p: 0.0099
r: 0.11
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 16 111
Reject 27 483
n: 637
p: 0.0042
r: 0.11
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 15 75
Reject 29 383
n: 502
p: 0.0129
r: 0.11
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 49 83
Reject 151 371
n: 654
p: 0.0047
r: -0.11
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 108 19
Reject 473 37
n: 637
p: 0.0057
r: 0.11
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 32 91
Reject 67 465
n: 655
p: 0.0055
r: 0.1
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 23 250
Reject 17 328
n: 618
p: 0.0108
r: 0.1
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 5 89
Reject 5 396
n: 495
p: 0.023
r: -0.1
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 15 276
Reject 46 317
n: 654
p: 0.0096
r: 0.1
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 27 105
Reject 54 468
n: 654
p: 0.0101
r: 0.1
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 16 275
Reject 6 357
n: 654
p: 0.0115
r: -0.1
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 35 257
Reject 65 300
n: 657
p: 0.0116
r: -0.1
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 47 85
Reject 186 336
n: 654
p: 0.0126
r: -0.1
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 44 229
Reject 75 270
n: 618
p: 0.0154
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 8 283
Reject 24 339
n: 654
p: 0.0164
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 11 121
Reject 21 501
n: 654
p: 0.0165
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 15 108
Reject 46 483
n: 652
p: 0.0192
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 15 205
Reject 8 269
n: 497
p: 0.041
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 16 107
Reject 41 488
n: 652
p: 0.0205
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 11 83
Reject 75 326
n: 495
p: 0.0448
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 10 122
Reject 15 507
n: 654
p: 0.0213
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 28 104
Reject 139 383
n: 654
p: 0.0214
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 10 210
Reject 24 253
n: 497
p: 0.0451
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 5 120
Reject 35 457
n: 617
p: 0.0283
r: 0.09
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 16 107
Reject 43 486
n: 652
p: 0.0272
r: -0.09
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 8 283
Reject 17 346
n: 654
p: 0.0274
r: -0.08
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 61 63
Reject 252 237
n: 613
p: 0.0369
r: 0.08
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 21 102
Reject 63 466
n: 652
p: 0.0317
r: 0.08
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 8 115
Reject 15 514
n: 652
p: 0.0372
r: -0.08
Temporal ontology: eternalism Yes No
Accept 23 268
Reject 36 327
n: 654
p: 0.0384
r: 0.08
Temporal ontology: growing block Yes No
Accept 20 103
Reject 45 484
n: 652
p: 0.0433
r: 0.08
Temporal ontology: presentism Yes No
Accept 8 124
Reject 15 507
n: 654
p: 0.0462