Over on Twitter, said the following:
“IDK if a person who doesn't have the intuitions should think realism is right. Maybe they should because it seems most smart people and people in general have realist intuitions strongly on certain things, but it's a bit unclear. But I have the intuitions, so I'm a realist”
Here, Matthew continues to suggest that most people “in general” have realist intuitions despite presenting virtually nothing by way of good arguments or evidence for this, and even after I have repeatedly raised objections to this claim and the one weak study that he points to in support of this claim. The best available empirical evidence does not support the claim that most people have realist intuitions. Both myself and Joe Schmid from majesty of reason pointed out how weak Bentham’s case for this was in citing the Dunaway study, and we never received a reply. I address this “most people are realists” claim again at length here:
…and on many other occasions. I’ve never received a decent rebuttal to my objections to the claim that most people are realists not only from Bentham but from anyone.
Bentham also claims most “smart people” are realists. I don’t believe there is any empirical evidence specifically suggesting most smart people endorse moral realism. I’m curious what Bentham is basing that claim on.
Granted, Bentham says it’s a “bit unclear.” I’m not sure how much that qualifies these claims, but if Bentham thinks most smart people endorse moral realism, or most people in general, I’d like to know on what basis he thinks this and if or when he will address the objections he’s received to claims like these.