2nd February 2003, 6:13 PM
What that requires is proper debate method where both sides agree to take on an issue point by point and where both are willing to admit that when good logic is used to denounce a single point, that point is no longer allowed to be used and declared false. However, very rarely is such a method used, and when it is, it's a one sided affair.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)