The PhilPapers SurveysHighest linear correlations (Back to contents)

Correlations with: Knowledge claims:relativism

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:skepticism0.149
skepticism not skepticism
relativism
23%(6/26)
69.2%(18/26)
not relativism
4.1%(28/673)
92.8%(625/673)
Response pairs: 789   p-value: < 0.001
Science:scientific anti-realism0.143
scientific realism scientific anti-realism
relativism
51.8%(14/27)
40.7%(11/27)
not relativism
80.2%(538/670)
14.1%(95/670)
Response pairs: 784   p-value: < 0.001
Meta-ethics:moral anti-realism0.141
moral anti-realism moral realism
relativism
68%(17/25)
32%(8/25)
not relativism
28.5%(189/661)
64.9%(429/661)
Response pairs: 775   p-value: < 0.001
not Moral judgment:cognitivism0.137
cognitivism non-cognitivism
relativism
44%(11/25)
44%(11/25)
not relativism
73.4%(481/655)
19.2%(126/655)
Response pairs: 763   p-value: < 0.001
Aesthetic value:subjective0.131
subjective objective
relativism
74%(20/27)
18.5%(5/27)
not relativism
37.1%(246/663)
49.9%(331/663)
Response pairs: 776   p-value: < 0.001
Logic:non-classical0.104
classical non-classical
relativism
50%(12/24)
37.5%(9/24)
not relativism
69.4%(421/606)
18.9%(115/606)
Response pairs: 710   p-value: 0.005
Free will:no free will0.098
no free will free will
relativism
25.9%(7/27)
62.9%(17/27)
not relativism
11.4%(76/664)
81%(538/664)
Response pairs: 778   p-value: 0.006
not Laws of nature:non-Humean0.095
non-Humean Humean
relativism
34.7%(8/23)
52.1%(12/23)
not relativism
63.5%(408/642)
27.8%(179/642)
Response pairs: 749   p-value: 0.009
Perceptual experience:sense-datum theory0.086
sense-datum theory not sense-datum theory
relativism
~4.5%(~1/22)
77.2%(17/22)
not relativism
4.1%(23/557)
83.4%(465/557)
Response pairs: 650   p-value: 0.028
A priori knowledge:no0.084
no yes
relativism
30.7%(8/26)
57.6%(15/26)
not relativism
19.6%(133/676)
74.2%(502/676)
Response pairs: 792   p-value: 0.018
Trolley problem:don't switch0.082
don't switch switch
relativism
~4%(~1/25)
60%(15/25)
not relativism
10.2%(66/644)
77.4%(499/644)
Response pairs: 753   p-value: 0.024
not External world:non-skeptical realism0.082
non-skeptical realism not non-skeptical realism
relativism
57.6%(15/26)
34.6%(9/26)
not relativism
85.7%(577/673)
11.2%(76/673)
Response pairs: 789   p-value: 0.021
Truth:epistemic0.071
epistemic not epistemic
relativism
19.2%(5/26)
76.9%(20/26)
not relativism
7.7%(50/643)
87.5%(563/643)
Response pairs: 755   p-value: 0.051
Truth:deflationary0.067
deflationary not deflationary
relativism
34.6%(9/26)
61.5%(16/26)
not relativism
26.5%(171/643)
68.7%(442/643)
Response pairs: 755   p-value: 0.065
Knowledge:empiricism0.065
empiricism rationalism
relativism
55.5%(15/27)
22.2%(6/27)
not relativism
42.9%(291/678)
36.8%(250/678)
Response pairs: 795   p-value: 0.066
External world:idealism0.06
idealism not idealism
relativism
~3.8%(~1/26)
84.6%(22/26)
not relativism
4%(27/673)
93%(626/673)
Response pairs: 789   p-value: 0.092
Politics:egalitarianism0.059
egalitarianism not egalitarianism
relativism
47.8%(11/23)
30.4%(7/23)
not relativism
44%(248/563)
41.2%(232/563)
Response pairs: 655   p-value: 0.131
not Zombies:conceivable but not metaphysically possible0.056
conceivable but not metaphysically possible not conceivable but not metaphysically possible
relativism
33.3%(8/24)
45.8%(11/24)
not relativism
42.5%(264/621)
46.2%(287/621)
Response pairs: 728   p-value: 0.131
Mental content:internalism0.055
externalism internalism
relativism
59.2%(16/27)
25.9%(7/27)
not relativism
62.6%(404/645)
25.4%(164/645)
Response pairs: 756   p-value: 0.13

Philosophical orientation

Answer Corrrelation coefficient
AOS:Decision Theory0.126
Decision Theory not Decision Theory
relativism
11.1%(3/27)
88.8%(24/27)
not relativism
2.2%(15/681)
97.7%(666/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: < 0.001
AOS:Philosophy of Physical Science0.099
Philosophy of Physical Science not Philosophy of Physical Science
relativism
11.1%(3/27)
88.8%(24/27)
not relativism
4.8%(33/681)
95.1%(648/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.005
not xian:Marx0.089
Marx not Marx
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
1.7%(12/681)
98.2%(669/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.011
not AOS:19th Century Philosophy0.08
19th Century Philosophy not 19th Century Philosophy
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
4.4%(30/681)
95.5%(651/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.023
not xian:Russell0.078
Russell not Russell
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
7.6%(52/681)
92.3%(629/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.027
not AOS:Philosophy of Mind0.076
Philosophy of Mind not Philosophy of Mind
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
22.6%(154/681)
77.3%(527/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.031
tradition:analytic0.072
analytic continental
relativism
85.1%(23/27)
~3.7%(~1/27)
not relativism
88.6%(604/681)
4.1%(28/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.041
not AOS:Continental Philosophy0.072
Continental Philosophy not Continental Philosophy
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
2.9%(20/681)
97%(661/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.041
AOS:General Philosophy of Science0.07
General Philosophy of Science not General Philosophy of Science
relativism
11.1%(3/27)
88.8%(24/27)
not relativism
9.8%(67/681)
90.1%(614/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.047
not xian:Hegel0.053
Hegel not Hegel
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
2%(14/681)
97.9%(667/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.134
not AOS:20th Century Philosophy0.051
20th Century Philosophy not 20th Century Philosophy
relativism
~3.7%(~1/27)
~96.2%(~26/27)
not relativism
4.5%(31/681)
95.4%(650/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.149

Background questions

Answer Corrrelation coefficient
year_of_phd0.13
year_of_phd ≥ median year_of_phd < median
relativism
50%(9/18)
50%(9/18)
not relativism
50.1%(270/538)
49.8%(268/538)
Response pairs: 623   p-value: 0.001
year_of_birth0.086
year_of_birth ≥ median year_of_birth < median
relativism
44%(11/25)
56%(14/25)
not relativism
50.7%(326/642)
49.2%(316/642)
Response pairs: 750   p-value: 0.018
affil:region:United Kingdom0.057
United Kingdom not United Kingdom
relativism
18.5%(5/27)
81.4%(22/27)
not relativism
20.2%(138/681)
79.7%(543/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.107
not affil:region:United States0.057
United States not United States
relativism
59.2%(16/27)
40.7%(11/27)
not relativism
60.2%(410/681)
39.7%(271/681)
Response pairs: 800   p-value: 0.107