Then it was I who misunderstood. I tend to prefer arguments that stand on their own, and i highly doubt that the persuasive aspects of the talmud's authorship

Then it was I who misunderstood. I tend to prefer arguments that stand on their own, and i highly doubt that the persuasive aspects of the talmud's authorship discourse are disjoint with the academic discourse. It would be shocking to me to find parallel communities discussing the same topic unaware of the other's existence. Regardless, at this point i am willing to admit I am out of my depth and cannot devote the time to pursuing the topic without enrolling in yeshiva myself; much of my interest focuses on its historical context and its relation to abrahamic religions, not just rabbinical judaism. I will have to settle for comiserating with you: it is indeed a shame that I have not consulted the talmudic experts. Perhaps soon. :)