mattnewport comments on Hacking the CEV for Fun and Profit - Less Wrong

52 Post author: Wei_Dai 03 June 2010 08:30PM

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Comment author: mattnewport 04 June 2010 02:02:55AM *  4 points [-]

Depending on how you define 'philosophical competence' the results of the PhilPapers survey may be relevant.

The PhilPapers Survey was a survey of professional philosophers and others on their philosophical views, carried out in November 2009. The Survey was taken by 3226 respondents, including 1803 philosophy faculty members and/or PhDs and 829 philosophy graduate students.

Here are the stats for Philosophy Faculty or PhD, All Respondents

Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?

Other 558 / 1803 (30.9%)
Accept or lean toward: consequentialism 435 / 1803 (24.1%)
Accept or lean toward: virtue ethics 406 / 1803 (22.5%)
Accept or lean toward: deontology 404 / 1803 (22.4%)

And for Philosophy Faculty or PhD, Area of Specialty Normative Ethics

Normative ethics: deontology, consequentialism, or virtue ethics?

Other 80 / 274 (29.1%)
Accept or lean toward: deontology 78 / 274 (28.4%)
Accept or lean toward: consequentialism 66 / 274 (24%)
Accept or lean toward: virtue ethics 50 / 274 (18.2%)

As utilitarianism is a subset of consequentialism it appears you could conclude that utilitarians are a minority in this sample.

Comment author: timtyler 04 June 2010 02:11:12AM *  0 points [-]

Thanks! For perspective:

* 2.1 Utilitarianism
* 2.2 Ethical egoism and altruism
* 2.3 Rule consequentialism
* 2.4 Motive consequentialism
* 2.5 Negative consequentialism
* 2.6 Teleological ethics
Comment author: mattnewport 04 June 2010 02:31:09AM 1 point [-]

Unfortunately the survey doesn't directly address the main distinction in the original post since utilitarianism and egoism are both forms of consequentialism.

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