PhilPapers Survey 2020

r: -0.5	Metaontology: anti-realism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	23	452
Reject	52	56

n: 583

p < 0.0001

r: 0.36	External world: non-skeptical realism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	1087	100
Reject	186	101

n: 1474

p < 0.0001

r: 0.32	Metaontology: heavyweight realism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	247	231
Reject	19	89

n: 586

p < 0.0001

r: 0.31	True contradictions: impossible
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	535	112
Reject	73	69

n: 789

p < 0.0001

r: -0.31	External world: idealism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	51	1138
Reject	52	236

n: 1477

p < 0.0001

r: -0.3	External world: skepticism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	48	1141
Reject	38	249

n: 1476

p < 0.0001

r: -0.28	Values in science: necessarily value-laden
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	246	397
Reject	115	66

n: 824

p < 0.0001

r: -0.28	True contradictions: actual
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	60	587
Reject	34	108

n: 789

p < 0.0001

r: -0.25	Philosophical knowledge: none
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	15	734
Reject	18	167

n: 934

p < 0.0001

r: 0.24	Truth: correspondence
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	701	382
Reject	100	162

n: 1345

p < 0.0001

r: -0.24	Justification: coherentism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	139	486
Reject	62	85

n: 772

p < 0.0001

r: 0.23	Meta-ethics: moral realism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	824	314
Reject	144	145

n: 1427

p < 0.0001

r: -0.23	Laws of nature: Humean
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	300	750
Reject	126	149

n: 1325

p < 0.0001

r: -0.22	Response to external-world skepticism: pragmatic
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	129	509
Reject	51	93

n: 782

p < 0.0001

r: -0.22	Morality: constructivism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	118	584
Reject	63	96

n: 861

p < 0.0001

r: 0.22	Values in science: necessarily value-free
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	148	495
Reject	14	167

n: 824

p < 0.0001

r: -0.22	Material composition: nihilism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	28	352
Reject	12	58

n: 450

p < 0.0001

r: 0.21	Method in history of philosophy: analytic/rational reconstruction
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	436	180
Reject	89	75

n: 780

p < 0.0001

r: -0.21	True contradictions: possible but non-actual
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	25	622
Reject	13	129

n: 789

p < 0.0001

r: -0.21	Truth: epistemic
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	96	983
Reject	47	215

n: 1341

p < 0.0001

r: -0.21	Spacetime: relationism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	196	240
Reject	57	39

n: 532

p < 0.0001

r: -0.21	Semantic content: radical contextualism (most or all)
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	113	419
Reject	51	82

n: 665

p < 0.0001

r: 0.2	Knowledge claims: invariantism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	313	653
Reject	35	232

n: 1233

p < 0.0001

r: 0.2	Moral judgment: cognitivism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	855	241
Reject	165	111

n: 1372

p < 0.0001

r: 0.2	Continuum hypothesis: determinate
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	158	179
Reject	19	56

n: 412

p < 0.0001

r: 0.19	Logic: classical
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	601	275
Reject	101	118

n: 1095

p < 0.0001

r: 0.19	Propositional attitudes: representational
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	317	228
Reject	37	82

n: 664

p < 0.0001

r: 0.19	Concepts: nativism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	206	338
Reject	28	114

n: 686

p < 0.0001

r: 0.19	Morality: naturalist realism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	275	428
Reject	28	132

n: 863

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	Theory of reference: deflationary
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	79	498
Reject	31	100

n: 708

p < 0.0001

r: 0.18	Propositions: structured entities
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	261	289
Reject	34	83

n: 667

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	Truth: deflationary
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	256	826
Reject	94	166

n: 1342

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	Propositions: nonexistent
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	77	471
Reject	33	84

n: 665

p < 0.0001

r: 0.18	Moral principles: moral generalism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	421	241
Reject	72	95

n: 829

p < 0.0001

r: 0.17	Philosophical methods: intuition-based philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	661	480
Reject	121	181

n: 1443

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Extended mind: yes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	331	324
Reject	106	51

n: 812

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Philosophical progress: none
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	27	1141
Reject	28	268

n: 1464

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Other minds: particles
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	9	740
Reject	9	180

n: 938

p < 0.0001

r: -0.17	Justification: infinitism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	11	604
Reject	6	141

n: 762

p < 0.0001

r: 0.17	Abstract objects: Platonism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	504	536
Reject	91	195

n: 1326

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Grounds of intentionality: interpretational
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	68	428
Reject	23	82

n: 601

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Causation: nonexistent
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	22	587
Reject	12	123

n: 744

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Theory of reference: causal
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	337	250
Reject	49	82

n: 718

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Properties: nonexistent
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	41	490
Reject	18	89

n: 638

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Justification: nonreliabilist foundationalism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	208	416
Reject	19	128

n: 771

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Other minds: plants
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	36	713
Reject	20	169

n: 938

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Morality: expressivism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	69	632
Reject	28	132

n: 861

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	Sleeping beauty: one-third
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	99	188
Reject	13	46

n: 346

p: 0.0058

r: -0.15	Foundations of mathematics: constructivism/intuitionism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	53	340
Reject	27	66

n: 486

p: 0.0012

r: -0.15	Propositions: acts
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	42	507
Reject	17	100

n: 666

p: 0.0002

r: 0.15	Semantic content: moderate contextualism (intermediate)
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	320	212
Reject	61	72

n: 665

p: 0.0002

r: -0.14	Other minds: current AI systems
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	20	729
Reject	11	178

n: 938

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Grounds of intentionality: causal/teleological
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	207	290
Reject	24	80

n: 601

p: 0.0004

r: 0.14	Other minds: newborn babies
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	670	79
Reject	158	31

n: 938

p < 0.0001

r: 0.14	Units of selection: genes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	237	192
Reject	46	67

n: 542

p: 0.0011

r: 0.14	Material composition: restrictivism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	173	207
Reject	16	54

n: 450

p: 0.0029

r: -0.14	Perceptual experience: sense-datum theory
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	49	799
Reject	13	180

n: 1041

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Immortality: yes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	392	348
Reject	65	111

n: 916

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Meaning of life: objective
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	427	561
Reject	74	181

n: 1243

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	A priori knowledge: yes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	933	222
Reject	212	96

n: 1463

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Values in science: can be either
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	229	416
Reject	46	135

n: 826

p: 0.0002

r: 0.13	Other minds: adult humans
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	745	4
Reject	183	6

n: 938

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Response to external-world skepticism: contextualist
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	69	561
Reject	21	120

n: 771

p: 0.0005

r: 0.12	Philosophical knowledge: a lot
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	482	269
Reject	90	95

n: 936

p < 0.0001

r: -0.12	Consciousness: eliminativism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	33	644
Reject	11	146

n: 834

p: 0.0005

r: -0.12	Properties: classes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	63	469
Reject	16	92

n: 640

p: 0.0024

r: -0.12	Propositional attitudes: nonexistent
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	14	518
Reject	4	115

n: 651

p: 0.0027

r: -0.12	Consciousness: panpsychism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	50	627
Reject	19	138

n: 834

p: 0.0007

r: -0.12	Principle of sufficient reason: true
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	242	414
Reject	66	92

n: 814

p: 0.001

r: -0.12	Propositional attitudes: phenomenal
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	39	494
Reject	11	109

n: 653

p: 0.0032

r: 0.12	Aesthetic value: objective
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	562	505
Reject	108	166

n: 1341

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Quantum mechanics: epistemic
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	54	330
Reject	12	69

n: 465

p: 0.0151

r: -0.11	Knowledge claims: contextualism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	539	430
Reject	186	81

n: 1236

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Propositional attitudes: dispositional
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	174	369
Reject	48	72

n: 663

p: 0.0042

r: 0.11	Aim of philosophy: truth/knowledge
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	553	567
Reject	116	172

n: 1408

p < 0.0001

r: 0.11	Temporal ontology: eternalism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	236	271
Reject	39	68

n: 614

p: 0.0071

r: 0.11	Method in political philosophy: ideal theory
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	186	301
Reject	41	99

n: 627

p: 0.0083

r: -0.11	Temporal ontology: presentism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	96	411
Reject	29	78

n: 614

p: 0.0091

r: 0.1	Arguments for theism: design
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	144	458
Reject	20	137

n: 759

p: 0.0038

r: -0.1	Aim of philosophy: wisdom
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	358	736
Reject	112	168

n: 1374

p < 0.0001

r: -0.1	Aim of philosophy: happiness
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	133	927
Reject	58	222

n: 1340

p: 0.0002

r: -0.1	Knowledge claims: relativism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	33	935
Reject	35	232

n: 1235

p: 0.0003

r: -0.1	Arguments for theism: moral
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	64	534
Reject	19	136

n: 753

p: 0.0055

r: 0.1	Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	782	352
Reject	183	117

n: 1434

p < 0.0001

r: -0.1	Quantum mechanics: many-worlds
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	75	310
Reject	20	61

n: 466

p: 0.0313

r: -0.1	Meaning of life: subjective
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	385	606
Reject	122	132

n: 1245

p: 0.0004

r: -0.1	Knowledge: empiricism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	536	427
Reject	149	91

n: 1203

p: 0.0006

r: -0.1	Aesthetic experience: sui generis
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	169	250
Reject	65	63

n: 547

p: 0.0227

r: -0.1	Experience machine: yes
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	150	945
Reject	53	216

n: 1364

p: 0.0003

r: 0.09	Mind: physicalism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	688	431
Reject	141	150

n: 1410

p: 0.0004

r: 0.09	Philosophical methods: formal philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	724	417
Reject	152	150

n: 1443

p: 0.0005

r: -0.09	Normative ethics: virtue ethics
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	433	647
Reject	130	139

n: 1349

p: 0.0008

r: -0.09	Perceptual experience: disjunctivism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	154	698
Reject	32	162

n: 1046

p: 0.004

r: -0.09	Gender: social
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	702	324
Reject	218	68

n: 1312

p: 0.0015

r: 0.09	Aesthetic experience: perception
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	143	278
Reject	33	96

n: 550

p: 0.0407

r: 0.09	Wittgenstein: early
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	188	443
Reject	38	124

n: 793

p: 0.0143

r: 0.09	Human genetic engineering: permissible
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	508	192
Reject	111	65

n: 876

p: 0.0103

r: -0.09	Morality: error theory
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	38	662
Reject	10	148

n: 858

p: 0.0115

r: 0.09	Perceptual experience: representationalism
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	420	437
Reject	68	126

n: 1051

p: 0.0055

r: 0.09	Race: biological
Science: scientific realism	Accept	Reject
Accept	240	800
Reject	45	238

n: 1323

p: 0.0019

r: 0.23	Tradition: Analytic
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	1055	121
Reject	229	86

n: 1491

p < 0.0001

r: -0.18	AOS: Continental Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	37	1152
Reject	36	284

n: 1509

p < 0.0001

r: -0.16	Tradition: Continental
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	44	1132
Reject	39	276

n: 1491

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Philosopher: Husserl
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	12	845
Reject	16	231

n: 1104

p < 0.0001

r: -0.15	Tradition: Other tradition
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	77	1099
Reject	47	268

n: 1491

p < 0.0001

r: 0.15	AOS: Metaphysics
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	288	901
Reject	48	272

n: 1509

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Philosopher: Lewis
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	95	762
Reject	12	235

n: 1104

p < 0.0001

r: 0.13	Philosopher: Russell
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	74	783
Reject	4	243

n: 1104

p < 0.0001

r: 0.12	AOS: Philosophy of Mind
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	271	918
Reject	42	278

n: 1509

p < 0.0001

r: -0.11	Philosopher: Marx
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	23	834
Reject	20	227

n: 1104

p: 0.0002

r: -0.1	AOS: Asian Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	15	1174
Reject	15	305

n: 1509

p < 0.0001

r: -0.1	Philosopher: Foucault
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	8	849
Reject	11	236

n: 1104

p: 0.0012

r: -0.1	AOS: 19th Century Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	52	1137
Reject	25	295

n: 1509

p: 0.0002

r: -0.09	Philosopher: Heidegger
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	16	841
Reject	11	236

n: 1104

p: 0.0017

r: 0.09	Philosopher: Moore
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	34	823
Reject	1	246

n: 1104

p: 0.0024

r: 0.08	Gender: male
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	984	207
Reject	230	85

n: 1506

p: 0.0011

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Nietzsche
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	19	838
Reject	14	233

n: 1104

p: 0.0053

r: -0.08	Gender: female
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	204	987
Reject	83	232

n: 1506

p: 0.0012

r: 0.08	AOS: Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	130	1059
Reject	19	301

n: 1509

p: 0.0015

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Merleau-Ponty
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	12	845
Reject	9	238

n: 1104

p: 0.012

r: -0.08	Philosopher: Nāgārjuna
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	7	850
Reject	7	240

n: 1104

p: 0.0126

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Spinoza
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	17	840
Reject	10	237

n: 1104

p: 0.0129

r: -0.07	Philosopher: Sartre
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	7	850
Reject	5	242

n: 1104

p: 0.0132

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Reid
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	29	828
Reject	1	246

n: 1104

p: 0.0143

r: -0.07	AOS: 20th Century Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	73	1116
Reject	33	287

n: 1509

p: 0.0043

r: -0.07	AOS: Social and Political Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	173	1016
Reject	63	257

n: 1509

p: 0.0069

r: -0.07	AOS: Philosophy of Biology
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	40	1149
Reject	19	301

n: 1509

p: 0.0079

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Locke
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	25	832
Reject	1	246

n: 1104

p: 0.0243

r: -0.07	Region of PhD: Europe
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	73	772
Reject	29	188

n: 1062

p: 0.0318

r: 0.07	Philosopher: Sidgwick
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	6	851
Reject	0	247

n: 1104

p: 0.0297

r: 0.06	AOS: Philosophy of Religion
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	113	1076
Reject	18	302

n: 1509

p: 0.0136

r: -0.06	Region of nationality: Canada
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	77	1053
Reject	30	268

n: 1428

p: 0.0176

r: 0.06	Philosopher: Parfit
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	36	821
Reject	4	243

n: 1104

p: 0.0376

r: 0.06	Philosopher: Frege
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	75	782
Reject	18	229

n: 1104

p: 0.0395

r: -0.06	Region of affiliation: Canada
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	66	1145
Reject	33	290

n: 1534

p: 0.0152

r: -0.06	AOS: 17th/18th Century Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	104	1085
Reject	41	279

n: 1509

p: 0.0203

r: -0.06	Philosopher: Carnap
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	48	809
Reject	24	223

n: 1104

p: 0.0477

r: 0.06	AOS: Epistemology
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	310	879
Reject	63	257

n: 1509

p: 0.0213

r: 0.06	AOS: Meta-Ethics
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	171	1018
Reject	29	291

n: 1509

p: 0.0214

r: 0.06	Philosopher: Augustine
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	18	839
Reject	1	246

n: 1104

p: 0.0496

r: 0.06	AOS: Normative Ethics
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	257	932
Reject	46	274

n: 1509

p: 0.0311

r: -0.05	AOS: Philosophy of Gender, Race, and Sexuality
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	28	1161
Reject	14	306

n: 1509

p: 0.0338

r: 0.05	Region of affiliation: Oceania
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	68	1143
Reject	12	311

n: 1534

p: 0.0335

r: -0.05	AOS: Feminist Philosophy
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	42	1147
Reject	23	297

n: 1509

p: 0.0371

r: 0.05	Region of nationality: Oceania
Science: scientific realism	Yes	No
Accept	66	1064
Reject	11	287

n: 1428

p: 0.0468

Survey Results

Correlations

Strongest correlations with philosophical questions

Strongest correlations with demographic questions