Poe's Law, Group Polarization, and the Epistemology of Online Religious Discourse

Abstract:     
Poe's Law is roughly that online parodies of religious extremism are indistinguishable from instances of sincere extremism. Poe's Law may be expressed in a variety of ways, each highlighting either a facet of indirect discourse generally, attitudes of online audiences, or the quality of online religious material. As a consequence of the polarization of online discussions, invocations of Poe's Law have relevance in wider circles than religion. Further, regular invocations of Poe's Law in critical discussions have the threat of further entrenching and polarizing views.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 14

Keywords: Epistemology, Satire, Group Polarization, Religion

working papers series