"To the extent of" in this context

Often it is suggested that the differences amount only to personal preference. However, not all of the descriptions are equally able to describe all observations of the real world. To the extent of these differences, something more than "taste" or personal preference is involved.

The "differences" above refers to differences between proposed theories (descriptions). Does "To the extent of these differences" here mean "as far as these differences are concerned" ?

Source: What is centrifugal force? by Robert P. Bauman, in The Physics Teacher, October 1980. [The first paragraph in this link]

The expression '... to the extent of/that ...' is usually used with the meaning ' ... to the point where ...', 'so far as to':

You use expressions such as to the extent of, to the extent that, or to such an extent that in order to emphasize that a situation has reached a difficult, dangerous, or surprising stage.[Collins].

• 'Why did we have to go to the extent of using tear gas and percussion grenades?' [NYT; Ludwig]

• "Our synagogues don't go to the extent of placing billboard ads for converts, but we do accept them," said Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein .... [NYT; Ludwig]

• "Part of our policy is clearly established: we wish to proceed with, to correctly use your word, very substantial disposal of public forest estate, which could go to the extent of all of it." [The Guardian; Ludwig]

Obviously, 'as far as' can be substituted in the above examples, and in the third one, the 'a difficult, dangerous, or surprising stage' is only loosely obeyed (and I'd say the example sounds at best clumsy).

But in the original, 'as far as these differences are concerned' is a far better replacement, and 'to the extent that these differences are involved' probably what was intended.