[anakanemison]

Your response is really exciting! I'm grateful--it's pointing at exactly what I was hoping to find. Deutsch seems to be talking about how to evaluate challenging arguments that come before evidence.

To contribute something, other than my thanks, here's a link to Deutsch talking about knowledge, evidence, and incredible cosmic relationships:

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_on_our_place_in_the_c...

[xenophanes]

If you'd like to contribute more, you could contribute any thoughts you have while looking into it at the discussion group:

http://groups.google.com/group/beginning-of-infinity/

Thanks for the positive response! Good luck.