 In subsequent exchanges between the Khazar king and his interlocutors, Halevi goes on to furnish important additional information about both the speakers themselves and also about the principles, themes, and criteria of judgment that will be invoked to advance the dialogue and to evaluate the views and justifications offered to support them. This applies especially to his depiction of the king. Accordingly, the king responds to the philosopher's speech by acknowledging that he found it persuasive, but then immediately qualifies this by adding that it was nonetheless unresponsive to his request for practical guidance. This divided response confirms from the outset that the king is himself a divided man, someone open to and impressed by philosophy, but at the same time open and plainly responsive to the claims of religion and particularly claims regarding the importance of correct action. As the dialogue unfolds, therefore, he will often draw upon the philosopher's skeptical stance or the various ideas introduced by him in responding to other speakers in different contexts. However, the importance he accords to his own experience and that of others possessing genuine empirical knowledge will play a decisive role in how he seeks to have his particular concerns addressed and in the decisions he ultimately makes regarding his own beliefs and actions.