The PhilPapers SurveysHighest linear correlations (Back to contents)

Correlations with: Science:scientific realism

N = 931 (target faculty). Cut-off = +/-0.05

n < 10 omitted. Some redundant or trivial correlations are not shown.

Jump to: Main Survey questions | Philosophical orientation | Background questions

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Main Survey questions

Answer Corrrelation coefficient
External world:non-skeptical realism0.393
non-skeptical realism not non-skeptical realism
scientific realism
90.3%(624/691)
7.5%(52/691)
scientific anti-realism
52.2%(70/134)
41%(55/134)
Response pairs: 891   p-value: < 0.001
Truth:correspondence0.362
correspondence not correspondence
scientific realism
62.4%(413/661)
31.6%(209/661)
scientific anti-realism
22.6%(29/128)
74.2%(95/128)
Response pairs: 847   p-value: < 0.001
Meta-ethics:moral realism0.32
moral realism moral anti-realism
scientific realism
66.2%(451/681)
26.7%(182/681)
scientific anti-realism
31.5%(42/133)
61.6%(82/133)
Response pairs: 874   p-value: < 0.001
Laws of nature:non-Humean0.293
non-Humean Humean
scientific realism
68.4%(451/659)
24.1%(159/659)
scientific anti-realism
36.7%(47/128)
50%(64/128)
Response pairs: 848   p-value: < 0.001
Moral judgment:cognitivism0.257
cognitivism non-cognitivism
scientific realism
76.9%(510/663)
16.7%(111/663)
scientific anti-realism
49.6%(65/131)
39.6%(52/131)
Response pairs: 854   p-value: < 0.001
Abstract objects:Platonism0.255
Platonism nominalism
scientific realism
46.4%(316/680)
42.7%(291/680)
scientific anti-realism
23.8%(32/134)
70.8%(95/134)
Response pairs: 877   p-value: < 0.001
not External world:idealism0.237
idealism not idealism
scientific realism
2.4%(17/691)
95.3%(659/691)
scientific anti-realism
14.9%(20/134)
78.3%(105/134)
Response pairs: 891   p-value: < 0.001
not Truth:deflationary0.231
deflationary not deflationary
scientific realism
22.6%(150/661)
71.4%(472/661)
scientific anti-realism
46%(59/128)
50.7%(65/128)
Response pairs: 847   p-value: < 0.001
not External world:skepticism0.229
skepticism not skepticism
scientific realism
3.4%(24/691)
94.3%(652/691)
scientific anti-realism
9.7%(13/134)
83.5%(112/134)
Response pairs: 891   p-value: < 0.001
Knowledge claims:invariantism0.212
invariantism not invariantism
scientific realism
41.9%(256/610)
48.5%(296/610)
scientific anti-realism
20.8%(25/120)
67.5%(81/120)
Response pairs: 784   p-value: < 0.001
Trolley problem:switch0.199
switch don't switch
scientific realism
78.2%(514/657)
9.8%(65/657)
scientific anti-realism
60.8%(73/120)
18.3%(22/120)
Response pairs: 841   p-value: < 0.001
A priori knowledge:yes0.196
yes no
scientific realism
76.6%(533/695)
16.5%(115/695)
scientific anti-realism
61.7%(84/136)
33%(45/136)
Response pairs: 896   p-value: < 0.001
not Truth:epistemic0.177
epistemic not epistemic
scientific realism
5.1%(34/661)
88.9%(588/661)
scientific anti-realism
17.9%(23/128)
78.9%(101/128)
Response pairs: 847   p-value: < 0.001
Knowledge:rationalism0.166
rationalism empiricism
scientific realism
39%(272/696)
38.9%(271/696)
scientific anti-realism
22%(30/136)
56.6%(77/136)
Response pairs: 898   p-value: < 0.001
Analytic-synthetic distinction:yes0.165
yes no
scientific realism
69.5%(485/697)
25.6%(179/697)
scientific anti-realism
54%(74/137)
40.8%(56/137)
Response pairs: 897   p-value: < 0.001
Logic:classical0.164
classical non-classical
scientific realism
69.7%(432/619)
16.8%(104/619)
scientific anti-realism
52.1%(62/119)
30.2%(36/119)
Response pairs: 793   p-value: < 0.001
not Knowledge claims:contextualism0.157
contextualism not contextualism
scientific realism
44%(269/610)
46.3%(283/610)
scientific anti-realism
55.8%(67/120)
32.5%(39/120)
Response pairs: 784   p-value: < 0.001
Mind:physicalism0.156
physicalism non-physicalism
scientific realism
61.6%(429/696)
28.3%(197/696)
scientific anti-realism
39.7%(54/136)
44.1%(60/136)
Response pairs: 897   p-value: < 0.001
Perceptual experience:representationalism0.156
representationalism not representationalism
scientific realism
44.2%(244/551)
41.1%(227/551)
scientific anti-realism
32%(34/106)
56.6%(60/106)
Response pairs: 705   p-value: < 0.001
Mental content:externalism0.156
externalism internalism
scientific realism
63.1%(415/657)
24.8%(163/657)
scientific anti-realism
45.6%(58/127)
35.4%(45/127)
Response pairs: 843   p-value: < 0.001
Proper names:Millian0.153
Millian Fregean
scientific realism
45.3%(276/608)
38.4%(234/608)
scientific anti-realism
27.9%(31/111)
55.8%(62/111)
Response pairs: 771   p-value: < 0.001
God:atheism0.152
atheism theism
scientific realism
77.3%(536/693)
15.4%(107/693)
scientific anti-realism
58%(79/136)
27.9%(38/136)
Response pairs: 893   p-value: < 0.001
Aesthetic value:objective0.149
objective subjective
scientific realism
49.3%(333/675)
37.3%(252/675)
scientific anti-realism
31.1%(42/135)
51.1%(69/135)
Response pairs: 874   p-value: < 0.001
not Knowledge claims:relativism0.143
relativism not relativism
scientific realism
2.2%(14/610)
88.1%(538/610)
scientific anti-realism
9.1%(11/120)
79.1%(95/120)
Response pairs: 784   p-value: < 0.001
Time:B-theory0.133
B-theory A-theory
scientific realism
48.4%(222/458)
27.5%(126/458)
scientific anti-realism
46.9%(39/83)
39.7%(33/83)
Response pairs: 575   p-value: 0.001
Newcomb's problem:two boxes0.121
one box two boxes
scientific realism
28.9%(153/529)
48.5%(257/529)
scientific anti-realism
36.9%(31/84)
36.9%(31/84)
Response pairs: 651   p-value: 0.001
Epistemic justification:externalism0.106
externalism internalism
scientific realism
54.7%(361/659)
28.8%(190/659)
scientific anti-realism
43%(56/130)
40.7%(53/130)
Response pairs: 849   p-value: 0.001
not Zombies:inconceivable0.106
inconceivable not inconceivable
scientific realism
17.3%(110/635)
71%(451/635)
scientific anti-realism
23.7%(28/118)
57.6%(68/118)
Response pairs: 809   p-value: 0.002
Moral motivation:externalism0.102
externalism internalism
scientific realism
39.6%(232/585)
44.4%(260/585)
scientific anti-realism
33.6%(38/113)
49.5%(56/113)
Response pairs: 753   p-value: 0.005
Normative ethics:consequentialism0.095
consequentialism not consequentialism
scientific realism
30%(181/603)
57.7%(348/603)
scientific anti-realism
18.5%(23/124)
66.9%(83/124)
Response pairs: 782   p-value: 0.007
Zombies:conceivable but not metaphysically possible0.084
conceivable but not metaphysically possible not conceivable but not metaphysically possible
scientific realism
42.6%(271/635)
45.6%(290/635)
scientific anti-realism
29.6%(35/118)
51.6%(61/118)
Response pairs: 809   p-value: 0.016
Free will:compatibilism0.08
compatibilism not compatibilism
scientific realism
63.1%(428/678)
29%(197/678)
scientific anti-realism
55.2%(74/134)
36.5%(49/134)
Response pairs: 877   p-value: 0.017
Personal identity:biological view0.066
biological view not biological view
scientific realism
20.5%(128/623)
59.5%(371/623)
scientific anti-realism
14%(17/121)
69.4%(84/121)
Response pairs: 794   p-value: 0.063
not Normative ethics:virtue ethics0.063
virtue ethics not virtue ethics
scientific realism
20.3%(123/603)
67.3%(406/603)
scientific anti-realism
25.8%(32/124)
59.6%(74/124)
Response pairs: 782   p-value: 0.078
Personal identity:psychological view0.057
psychological view not psychological view
scientific realism
39.9%(249/623)
40.1%(250/623)
scientific anti-realism
37.1%(45/121)
46.2%(56/121)
Response pairs: 794   p-value: 0.108

Philosophical orientation

Answer Corrrelation coefficient
tradition:analytic0.21
analytic continental
scientific realism
91.7%(643/701)
2.2%(16/701)
scientific anti-realism
74.6%(103/138)
10.1%(14/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
not xian:Kant0.206
Kant not Kant
scientific realism
8.8%(62/701)
91.1%(639/701)
scientific anti-realism
26.8%(37/138)
73.1%(101/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
not AOS:19th Century Philosophy0.143
19th Century Philosophy not 19th Century Philosophy
scientific realism
2.7%(19/701)
97.2%(682/701)
scientific anti-realism
11.5%(16/138)
88.4%(122/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
not AOS:Continental Philosophy0.142
Continental Philosophy not Continental Philosophy
scientific realism
1.5%(11/701)
98.4%(690/701)
scientific anti-realism
7.9%(11/138)
92%(127/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
metasurvey:accuracy0.141
accuracy ≥ median accuracy < median
scientific realism
52.3%(90/172)
47.6%(82/172)
scientific anti-realism
36.3%(8/22)
63.6%(14/22)
Response pairs: 205   p-value: 0.043
not xian:Nietzsche0.136
Nietzsche not Nietzsche
scientific realism
1.2%(9/701)
98.7%(692/701)
scientific anti-realism
7.2%(10/138)
92.7%(128/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
AOS:Metaphysics0.13
Metaphysics not Metaphysics
scientific realism
28.9%(203/701)
71%(498/701)
scientific anti-realism
17.3%(24/138)
82.6%(114/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
not AOS:17th/18th Century Philosophy0.121
17th/18th Century Philosophy not 17th/18th Century Philosophy
scientific realism
9.5%(67/701)
90.4%(634/701)
scientific anti-realism
21.7%(30/138)
78.2%(108/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
not xian:Wittgenstein0.113
Wittgenstein not Wittgenstein
scientific realism
6.2%(44/701)
93.7%(657/701)
scientific anti-realism
13.7%(19/138)
86.2%(119/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
AOS:Philosophy of Language0.111
Philosophy of Language not Philosophy of Language
scientific realism
20.5%(144/701)
79.4%(557/701)
scientific anti-realism
10.8%(15/138)
89.1%(123/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: < 0.001
AOS:Philosophy of Mind0.103
Philosophy of Mind not Philosophy of Mind
scientific realism
22.9%(161/701)
77%(540/701)
scientific anti-realism
11.5%(16/138)
88.4%(122/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.001
AOS:Epistemology0.094
Epistemology not Epistemology
scientific realism
19.4%(136/701)
80.5%(565/701)
scientific anti-realism
9.4%(13/138)
90.5%(125/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.004
xian:Moore0.093
Moore not Moore
scientific realism
3.5%(25/701)
96.4%(676/701)
scientific anti-realism
~0.7%(~1/138)
~99.2%(~137/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.005
not xian:Heidegger0.09
Heidegger not Heidegger
scientific realism
0.8%(6/701)
99.1%(695/701)
scientific anti-realism
3.6%(5/138)
96.3%(133/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.006
not AOS:Asian Philosophy0.089
Asian Philosophy not Asian Philosophy
scientific realism
0.5%(4/701)
99.4%(697/701)
scientific anti-realism
2.8%(4/138)
97.1%(134/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.007
xian:Russell0.081
Russell not Russell
scientific realism
7.5%(53/701)
92.4%(648/701)
scientific anti-realism
4.3%(6/138)
95.6%(132/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.014
not AOS:General Philosophy of Science0.076
General Philosophy of Science not General Philosophy of Science
scientific realism
7.9%(56/701)
92%(645/701)
scientific anti-realism
13.7%(19/138)
86.2%(119/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.022
xian:Lewis0.075
Lewis not Lewis
scientific realism
8.4%(59/701)
91.5%(642/701)
scientific anti-realism
4.3%(6/138)
95.6%(132/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.023
not xian:Hume0.074
Hume not Hume
scientific realism
14.1%(99/701)
85.8%(602/701)
scientific anti-realism
19.5%(27/138)
80.4%(111/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.025
not AOS:Aesthetics0.07
Aesthetics not Aesthetics
scientific realism
3.2%(23/701)
96.7%(678/701)
scientific anti-realism
7.2%(10/138)
92.7%(128/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.035
xian:Frege0.068
Frege not Frege
scientific realism
8.7%(61/701)
91.2%(640/701)
scientific anti-realism
5%(7/138)
94.9%(131/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.04
AOS:Philosophy of Cognitive Science0.055
Philosophy of Cognitive Science not Philosophy of Cognitive Science
scientific realism
6.9%(49/701)
93%(652/701)
scientific anti-realism
2.8%(4/138)
97.1%(134/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.098
not xian:Hegel0.052
Hegel not Hegel
scientific realism
1.1%(8/701)
98.8%(693/701)
scientific anti-realism
3.6%(5/138)
96.3%(133/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.117
xian:Descartes0.051
Descartes not Descartes
scientific realism
2.4%(17/701)
97.5%(684/701)
scientific anti-realism
~0.7%(~1/138)
~99.2%(~137/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.125

Background questions

Answer Corrrelation coefficient
gender:male0.097
male female
scientific realism
84.4%(563/667)
15.5%(104/667)
scientific anti-realism
80.1%(105/131)
19.8%(26/131)
Response pairs: 858   p-value: 0.004
nationality_region:Australasia0.073
Australasia not Australasia
scientific realism
6.2%(44/701)
93.7%(657/701)
scientific anti-realism
3.6%(5/138)
96.3%(133/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.028
affil:region:Australasia0.064
Australasia not Australasia
scientific realism
6.4%(45/701)
93.5%(656/701)
scientific anti-realism
2.8%(4/138)
97.1%(134/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.054
phd_region:United States0.053
United States not United States
scientific realism
54.6%(383/701)
45.3%(318/701)
scientific anti-realism
47.8%(66/138)
52.1%(72/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.11
not affil:region:Europe0.051
Europe not Europe
scientific realism
6.1%(43/701)
93.8%(658/701)
scientific anti-realism
8.6%(12/138)
91.3%(126/138)
Response pairs: 906   p-value: 0.125