David Bourget and David Chalmers on their survey of philosophers in PhilaPapers:
The PhilPapers Survey was a survey of professional philosophers and others on their philosophical views. (It was originally called “The Philosophical Survey”, but we have retrospectively retitled it for reasons given below.) What follows are some thoughts on the conception and design of the survey, including responses to some feedback regarding the survey. We will discuss the results separately.
Why a survey of philosophers' philosophical views? We decided to do this in part because like many philosophers, we have an interest in the sociology of philosophy, and we were interested to see some hard data about this sociology. We are also interested in the experimental use of online tools as a method of philosophical communication. Using the PhilPapers technology to execute a survey of philosophical views plays into both of these interests.
Some findings:
A priori knowledge: yes or no?
| Accept or lean toward: yes | 662 / 931 (71.1%) |
| Accept or lean toward: no | 171 / 931 (18.3%) |
| Other | 98 / 931 (10.5%) |
Abstract objects: Platonism or nominalism?
| Accept or lean toward: Platonism | 366 / 931 (39.3%) |
| Accept or lean toward: nominalism | 351 / 931 (37.7%) |
| Other | 214 / 931 (22.9%) |
Aesthetic value: objective or subjective?
| Accept or lean toward: objective | 382 / 931 (41%) |
| Accept or lean toward: subjective | 321 / 931 (34.4%) |
| Other | 228 / 931 (24.4%) |
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?
| Accept or lean toward: yes | 604 / 931 (64.8%) |
| Accept or lean toward: no | 252 / 931 (27%) |
| Other | 75 / 931 (8%) |
Epistemic justification: internalism or externalism?
| Accept or lean toward: externalism | 398 / 931 (42.7%) |
| Other | 287 / 931 (30.8%) |
| Accept or lean toward: internalism | 246 / 931 (26.4%) |
