>For example, I think we'd share the principle that a controlled experiment testing some hypothesis entitles us to have proportionally increased belief in it.

>For example, I think we'd share the principle that a controlled experiment testing some hypothesis entitles us to have proportionally increased belief in it. vs >I wouldn't want to bet that all intelligent beings would understand the concept of justice It would be unjust if a technologically advanced society murdered all its scientists for heresy during a religious coup, but Paul is unwilling to bet that all alien societies understand justice. Why the belief in science then? Our own planet has theocracies and a President of the supposed #1 country has updated scientific hurricane reports with a sharpie. Plenty of science fiction authors have speculated meeting theocratic aliens. Peter Hamilton's Salvation comes to mind (you get where that series is going from the title).