In 2014, Dr. David Bourget from the University of Ontario and Dr. David Chalmers from the University of New York published a paper with the results of a survey sent to 1,972 professional philosophers who served as regular faculty at 99 leading departments of philosophy. Of those surveyed, 72.8% identified as atheists.
In a recent discussion I had about the necessity or contingency of the Universe, I asked my atheist interlocuter how a thing could be necessary and not eternal, to which he replied with the utmost glee, “Why do you think that the majority of philosophers are atheists?” I was unfamiliar with such a claim about the majority of modern philosophers being atheists and requested a source. What he provided was the aforementioned survey.
Upon examining his source, I noticed the following interesting points:
This explains why these same philosophers surveyed had such inconsistent views. For example, the majority identified as believing in a priori knowledge while also holding to empiricism and scientific realism. And it’s no great wonder why the majority of them also believe that one’s personal identity is determined by anything other than their biological makeup. The zeitgeist seems only rarely ever to be based in reality.
My interlocuter shot himself in the foot when he made reference to that survey. The majority of specialists in philosophy of religion, those in the know, are theists. Odd, it seems the more educated one is, the more he leans toward God.
“[A] little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.” – Francis Bacon, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral
In a recent discussion I had about the necessity or contingency of the Universe, I asked my atheist interlocuter how a thing could be necessary and not eternal, to which he replied with the utmost glee, “Why do you think that the majority of philosophers are atheists?” I was unfamiliar with such a claim about the majority of modern philosophers being atheists and requested a source. What he provided was the aforementioned survey.
Upon examining his source, I noticed the following interesting points:
- Those surveyed had a strong bias toward analytic philosophy.
- The intellectual inconsistency of those surveyed on the various philosophical issues that comprise a conceptual framework.
- The overwhelming majority (79.13%) of specialists in philosophy of religion, or the “experts”, were theists.
This explains why these same philosophers surveyed had such inconsistent views. For example, the majority identified as believing in a priori knowledge while also holding to empiricism and scientific realism. And it’s no great wonder why the majority of them also believe that one’s personal identity is determined by anything other than their biological makeup. The zeitgeist seems only rarely ever to be based in reality.
My interlocuter shot himself in the foot when he made reference to that survey. The majority of specialists in philosophy of religion, those in the know, are theists. Odd, it seems the more educated one is, the more he leans toward God.
“[A] little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.” – Francis Bacon, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral