What do philosophers believe?

(H/T Rob Sica.) The organizers of Philpapers conducted a fairly extensive survey to determine what most professional philosophers believe about a range of issues. See their results and methods here. Some interesting results:

1. A priori knowledge: yes 71.1%; no 18.4%; other 10.5%.

2. Abstract objects: Platonism 39.3%; nominalism 37.7%; other 23.0%.

3. Aesthetic value: objective 41.0%; subjective 34.5%; other 24.5%.

4. Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes 64.9%; no 27.1%; other 8.1%.

5. Epistemic justification: externalism 42.7%; internalism 26.4%; other 30.8%.

6. External world: non-skeptical realism 81.6%; skepticism 4.8%; idealism 4.3%; other 9.2%.

7. Free will: compatibilism 59.1%; libertarianism 13.7%; no free will 12.2%; other 14.9%.

8. God: atheism 72.8%; theism 14.6%; other 12.6%.

[…]

28. Trolley problem: switch 68.2%; don’t switch 7.6%; other 24.2%.

29. Truth: correspondence 50.8%; deflationary 24.8%; epistemic 6.9%; other 17.5%.

30. Zombies: conceivable but not metaphysically possible 35.6%; metaphysically possible 23.3%; inconceivable 16.0%; other 25.1%

Author: Huenemann

Curious about the ways humans use their minds and hearts to distract themselves from the meaninglessness of life.

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