How to Get Started with Street Epistemology
Anthony Magnabosco offers a comprehensive guide to starting your journey with Street Epistemology (SE), including a wide range of resources and communities where you can dive deeper into this engaging method.
11 October 2020
There have never been more resources and communities available to people interested in learning Street Epistemology than today. These options for understanding the method also serve as entry points for people who have never heard of it before. It fascinates me when I hear people report that their first exposure to Street Epistemology (SE) may have been a chat they had with someone in virtual reality or in the comments section of a TikTok video.
Most are pleasantly surprised when they learn there are also books, videos, and robust communities that have formed over the years around this exciting method.
Since there are now so many potential entry points into Street Epistemology, it could be a bit confusing for people who have discovered the method, want to learn more about it, but don’t know where to go next. I’m hopeful this blog post will serve as a “road map” and outline some of the directions one can head in order to start soaking things in.
The Website
One of the first places anyone wanting to learn more about Street Epistemology should be the SE Website. It’s a good place to familiarize yourself with some of the basics of Street Epistemology before launching off into the various SE communities. The website addresses many of the basic questions people unfamiliar with SE may have.
The Books
Street Epistemology got its start with A Manual for Creating Atheists in 2013 and a much-needed update in 2019 with How to Have Impossible Conversations. Both books promote foundational concepts for the method.
YouTube Channels
Videos of people practicing Street Epistemology began surfacing around 2014. Watching examples where someone is using SE with another person to explore their claim can be both entertaining and educational. There’s something incredible about watching a person think about their thoughts that really highlights the potential of the SE approach.
TikTok
It’s been exciting to see Street Epistemology taking hold on this platform, as TikTok’s short format helps make complex topics accessible. Searching for the hashtag #streetepistemology can help you find active SE content creators and learn the method in an entertaining way.
Discord
Discord is an online forum where people around the world can text, voice, or video chat. The largest SE-themed Discord server has channels for SE discussions, project coordination, role-play practice, and live interaction sharing.
Facebook Groups and Page
There are several main Facebook groups and a page for SE enthusiasts, each with a different focus:
- Street Epistemology Study Group (Private group): Centered around SE application, primarily for atheists.
- Learn Street Epistemology (Private group): Open to anyone interested in learning about SE.
- Chat With a Street Epistemologist (Private group): A space to practice SE by discussing claims or role-playing scenarios.
- Critique Street Epistemology (Public group): A place to discuss criticisms and concerns about the method.
The Street Epistemology subreddit is another great place to follow discussions and keep up with SE activities, though it has yet to reach its full potential in terms of activity.
The Street Epistemology Podcast
The SE Podcast is a great way to keep up with Street Epistemology, airing SE examples, blog posts, related shows, interviews with practitioners, and much more.
Members of Your Own Tribe
SE can be practiced in any group or community where you have an interest. Introducing SE within familiar groups is a great way to promote respectful discourse.
Conclusion
That’s a pretty comprehensive list of resources and communities available for people interested in learning more about Street Epistemology. I hope you’ll consider interacting in these places to help us grow the SE method and community.
Source: Anthony Magnabosco
The Street Epistemology Podcast and The Street Epistemology Blog is a production of Street Epistemology International. The views, guests, and topics expressed here (or not expressed here) do not necessarily represent those of the organization.
