Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones New Research on Joseph Smith & Brigham Young | What We Found in Section 132 | E0046
Nov 7, 2025
Dr. Paul J. Fields, a statistician and stylometry expert, joins to dissect the authorship of Section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants. He explains how stylometry quantifies writing style, revealing distinct patterns that separate Joseph Smith’s revelations from those of others. Their discussion covers historical examples, the unique voices in the Book of Mormon, and intriguing evidence that suggests Joseph's voice evolved over time. Fields shares striking findings that challenge prevailing assumptions about the text's authorship, impacting both scholarship and personal faith.
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Let Data Temper Emotional Claims
- Use stylometry as an objective tool to reduce emotional bias in authorship debates.
- Compare texts quantitatively before drawing conclusions about provenance.
Stylometry Uses Function Words
- Stylometry measures an author's use of grammatical function words to detect distinct voices in texts.
- Fields compares 264 closed-set function words to test authorship objectively.
Split-Test To Detect Multiple Authors
- The study splits D&C 132 into plural-marriage and non-plural sections to test if one author wrote both halves.
- Matching profiles indicate whether the same author produced both portions.
