Survey Results

True contradictions: actual, impossible, or possible but non-actual?


925 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:
impossible
71.35% (71.03%)
Reject or lean against:
impossible
0.00% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
possible but non-actual
4.76% (4.65%)
Reject or lean against:
possible but non-actual
0.22% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
actual
12.43% (12.22%)
Reject or lean against:
actual
0.11% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
0.43%
Accept an alternative view
1.30%
The question is too unclear to answer
2.38%
There is no fact of the matter
1.51%
Agnostic/undecided
6.16%
Other
0.32%
N = 925, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (203 respondents)
Alternative Views

18 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.

  • LOGI (5): logical (3) logic (1) logically (1)
  • OPPO (2): opposition (2)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.38
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 412 116
Reject 60 102
n: 690
p < 0.0001
r: -0.36
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 31 55
Reject 441 163
n: 690
p < 0.0001
r: -0.33
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 211 277
Reject 111 37
n: 636
p < 0.0001
r: 0.31
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 535 73
Reject 112 69
n: 789
p < 0.0001
r: -0.31
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 92 376
Reject 58 76
n: 602
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 66 19
Reject 256 295
n: 636
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 38 35
Reject 112 417
n: 602
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 21 67
Reject 39 625
n: 752
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 60 34
Reject 587 108
n: 789
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 578 55
Reject 153 43
n: 829
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 27 540
Reject 27 150
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 98 401
Reject 49 84
n: 632
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 26 553
Reject 34 139
n: 752
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 25 7
Reject 297 307
n: 636
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 28 39
Reject 119 446
n: 632
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 81 452
Reject 59 95
n: 687
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 18 82
Reject 36 608
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 204 170
Reject 33 83
n: 490
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 25 39
Reject 45 324
n: 433
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 59 34
Reject 223 342
n: 658
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 14 90
Reject 32 694
n: 830
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 12 18
Reject 128 529
n: 687
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 29 291
Reject 41 72
n: 433
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 24 610
Reject 22 174
n: 830
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 82 327
Reject 56 81
n: 546
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 188 308
Reject 94 68
n: 658
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 172 138
Reject 43 72
n: 425
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 133 156
Reject 21 64
n: 374
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 79 25
Reject 652 73
n: 829
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 30 343
Reject 29 86
n: 488
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 19 20
Reject 453 198
n: 690
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 15 616
Reject 17 177
n: 825
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 17 47
Reject 42 382
n: 488
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 137 445
Reject 81 98
n: 761
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 36 39
Reject 102 369
n: 546
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 206 310
Reject 34 151
n: 701
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 13 89
Reject 19 704
n: 825
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 49 54
Reject 519 200
n: 822
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 181 285
Reject 21 113
n: 600
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 461 164
Reject 107 90
n: 822
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 25 13
Reject 622 129
n: 789
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 322 237
Reject 57 103
n: 719
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 27 607
Reject 20 176
n: 830
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 31 55
Reject 109 492
n: 687
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 318 129
Reject 92 70
n: 609
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 16 48
Reject 221 205
n: 490
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 71 38
Reject 603 121
n: 833
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 536 96
Reject 138 63
n: 833
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 55 545
Reject 38 143
n: 781
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 5 24
Reject 23 547
n: 599
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 249 182
Reject 50 84
n: 565
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 478 126
Reject 114 69
n: 787
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 159 344
Reject 22 125
n: 650
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 212 287
Reject 39 108
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 118 378
Reject 17 145
n: 658
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 565 2
Reject 172 5
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 97 3
Reject 640 4
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 29 49
Reject 103 491
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 48 42
Reject 362 157
n: 609
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 11 62
Reject 191 336
n: 600
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 300 263
Reject 65 118
n: 746
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 47 48
Reject 171 495
n: 761
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 15 84
Reject 225 377
n: 701
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 136 339
Reject 17 142
n: 634
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 5 95
Reject 16 628
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 12 57
Reject 38 459
n: 566
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 36 55
Reject 118 521
n: 730
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 24 36
Reject 191 174
n: 425
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 41 49
Reject 348 221
n: 659
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 10 557
Reject 6 171
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 242 277
Reject 123 62
n: 704
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 100 460
Reject 54 116
n: 730
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 89 443
Reject 43 97
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 18 65
Reject 233 330
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 12 92
Reject 35 691
n: 830
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 18 20
Reject 200 523
n: 761
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 388 193
Reject 83 90
n: 754
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 11 19
Reject 136 466
n: 632
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 9 84
Reject 126 439
n: 658
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 5 16
Reject 30 352
n: 403
p: 0.0003
r: -0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 34 52
Reject 345 288
n: 719
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 11 61
Reject 10 472
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 13 81
Reject 140 400
n: 634
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 12 16
Reject 138 436
n: 602
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 24 71
Reject 69 617
n: 781
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 316 185
Reject 73 85
n: 659
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 15 552
Reject 6 171
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 26 297
Reject 9 71
n: 403
p: 0.0006
r: -0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 11 71
Reject 170 398
n: 650
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 19 22
Reject 452 261
n: 754
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 506 61
Reject 146 31
n: 744
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 25 48
Reject 274 218
n: 565
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 363 248
Reject 84 120
n: 815
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 35 58
Reject 330 323
n: 746
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 10 74
Reject 31 599
n: 714
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 21 10
Reject 317 288
n: 636
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Accept Reject
Accept 8 22
Reject 229 231
n: 490
p: 0.0002
r: -0.17
True contradictions: actual Accept Reject
Accept 60 38
Reject 532 157
n: 787
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 55 354
Reject 5 132
n: 546
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: impossible Accept Reject
Accept 121 308
Reject 11 105
n: 545
p < 0.0001

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.35
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 604 35
Reject 144 62
n: 845
p < 0.0001
r: -0.35
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 66 48
Reject 682 49
n: 845
p < 0.0001
r: 0.34
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 25 89
Reject 10 721
n: 845
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 12 84
Reject 13 558
n: 667
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 8 640
Reject 21 191
n: 860
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 14 100
Reject 15 731
n: 860
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 13 635
Reject 17 195
n: 860
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 23 91
Reject 39 692
n: 845
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 11 479
Reject 14 163
n: 667
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 33 606
Reject 29 177
n: 845
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 5 25
Reject 28 574
n: 632
p: 0.0002
r: -0.14
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 17 465
Reject 16 134
n: 632
p: 0.0003
r: 0.14
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 568 76
Reject 157 47
n: 848
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 8 88
Reject 10 561
n: 667
p: 0.0004
r: -0.13
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 75 569
Reject 45 159
n: 848
p < 0.0001
r: -0.13
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 8 482
Reject 10 167
n: 667
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 59 431
Reject 7 170
n: 667
p: 0.0007
r: 0.13
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 9 105
Reject 21 725
n: 860
p: 0.0002
r: -0.12
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 32 616
Reject 26 186
n: 860
p: 0.0003
r: 0.12
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 28 462
Reject 1 176
n: 667
p: 0.0016
r: 0.12
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 6 37
Reject 47 776
n: 866
p: 0.0004
r: -0.12
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 31 624
Reject 22 189
n: 866
p: 0.0004
r: -0.12
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 5 485
Reject 9 168
n: 667
p: 0.002
r: -0.12
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 89 23
Reject 636 100
n: 848
p: 0.0006
r: 0.12
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 7 107
Reject 12 734
n: 860
p: 0.0006
r: 0.12
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 52 438
Reject 7 170
n: 667
p: 0.0026
r: 0.12
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 5 91
Reject 9 562
n: 667
p: 0.0027
r: 0.11
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 5 39
Reject 25 791
n: 860
p: 0.0009
r: 0.11
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 22 90
Reject 98 638
n: 848
p: 0.0015
r: 0.11
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 86 562
Reject 10 202
n: 860
p: 0.0016
r: 0.11
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 73 417
Reject 13 164
n: 667
p: 0.0061
r: 0.1
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 6 90
Reject 6 565
n: 667
p: 0.0069
r: -0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 8 640
Reject 11 201
n: 860
p: 0.0022
r: 0.1
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 10 31
Reject 110 697
n: 848
p: 0.0025
r: -0.1
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 31 10
Reject 694 113
n: 848
p: 0.0025
r: 0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 352 130
Reject 93 57
n: 632
p: 0.0128
r: 0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 36 454
Reject 4 173
n: 667
p: 0.0116
r: 0.1
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 24 90
Reject 80 666
n: 860
p: 0.0042
r: 0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 20 470
Reject 0 177
n: 667
p: 0.0118
r: -0.1
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 7 89
Reject 79 492
n: 667
p: 0.0119
r: -0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 33 449
Reject 19 131
n: 632
p: 0.0152
r: -0.1
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 25 89
Reject 221 525
n: 860
p: 0.005
r: 0.1
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 201 447
Reject 45 167
n: 860
p: 0.0051
r: -0.1
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 17 13
Reject 428 174
n: 632
p: 0.0165
r: 0.09
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 73 552
Reject 10 189
n: 824
p: 0.0094
r: 0.09
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 5 36
Reject 30 774
n: 845
p: 0.0091
r: 0.09
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 9 70
Reject 24 529
n: 632
p: 0.0263
r: 0.09
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 397 258
Reject 109 102
n: 866
p: 0.0095
r: 0.09
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 12 67
Reject 40 513
n: 632
p: 0.0287
r: -0.09
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 6 108
Reject 90 656
n: 860
p: 0.0126
r: -0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 67 581
Reject 37 175
n: 860
p: 0.0128
r: -0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 29 596
Reject 19 180
n: 824
p: 0.0149
r: 0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 17 473
Reject 3 174
n: 667
p: 0.0293
r: -0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 9 481
Reject 9 168
n: 667
p: 0.0302
r: -0.08
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 20 94
Reject 209 537
n: 860
p: 0.0146
r: 0.08
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 5 91
Reject 13 558
n: 667
p: 0.0319
r: -0.08
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 19 24
Reject 487 336
n: 866
p: 0.0188
r: 0.08
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 13 101
Reject 45 701
n: 860
p: 0.0217
r: -0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 10 480
Reject 5 172
n: 667
p: 0.0449
r: 0.08
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 11 102
Reject 42 711
n: 866
p: 0.023
r: 0.08
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 5 109
Reject 23 723
n: 860
p: 0.0249
r: 0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 28 620
Reject 2 210
n: 860
p: 0.0256
r: 0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 28 620
Reject 2 210
n: 860
p: 0.0256
r: -0.08
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 49 599
Reject 25 187
n: 860
p: 0.0269
r: -0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 86 569
Reject 36 175
n: 866
p: 0.0292
r: 0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 356 269
Reject 97 102
n: 824
p: 0.0347
r: 0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 184 464
Reject 45 167
n: 860
p: 0.0355
r: -0.07
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 5 103
Reject 78 638
n: 824
p: 0.0414
r: 0.07
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 6 38
Reject 40 776
n: 860
p: 0.0386
r: -0.07
True contradictions: possible but non-actual Yes No
Accept 14 25
Reject 439 346
n: 824
p: 0.0435
r: -0.07
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 57 56
Reject 449 304
n: 866
p: 0.0392
r: 0.07
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 12 96
Reject 36 680
n: 824
p: 0.0451
r: -0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 30 618
Reject 16 196
n: 860
p: 0.0426
r: 0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 141 507
Reject 34 178
n: 860
p: 0.0433
r: 0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 101 547
Reject 20 192
n: 860
p: 0.0448
r: 0.07
True contradictions: impossible Yes No
Accept 133 515
Reject 34 178
n: 860
p: 0.0459
r: 0.07
True contradictions: actual Yes No
Accept 14 100
Reject 60 686
n: 860
p: 0.0481