About the project

Experimental philosophy is a discipline in which philosophers conduct experimental studies to test the intuitions people have about philosophical problems.

Although relatively young, this discipline has produced many important findings. Numerous studies have revealed that people’s intuitions differ depending on factors such as culture, age, or education. Other studies have discovered that people’s intuitions are influenced by surprising factors, such as how or in what order philosophical scenarios are presented to them. The current state of research suggests that philosophical intuitions can be highly variable and unstable.

Meta-analysis is a statistical technique for summarizing and analyzing the results of multiple studies on a similar topic, conducted by different research teams, at different times, or using different methods. The primary goal of this project is to determine, through meta-analysis, how people’s philosophical intuitions vary. This will involve not only conducting meta-analyses but also investigating how the results can be translated into philosophical debates about intuitions.

Based on the results of our research, we will also:

• Develop best practices for experimental philosophers to report findings in a way that facilitates future meta-analyses.
• Create guidelines for conducting and describing meta-analyses tailored to experimental philosophy, thereby improving the field’s methods and the reliability of its findings.