A good debater, I’m told, can successfully argue either side of an issue. I’ve also been told, mostly by debaters, that this is desirable … that learning to debate is an excellent way to create fair-minded citizens.

Being debaters, they do an excellent job of making this case. Ironically, they do not seem able to argue the other side of this issue very well. And as it’s a proposition that has left the realm of evidence and logic and entered the realm of “everyone knows,” they don’t need to.

And yet, it’s a dubious proposition, unless you think arguing the merits of both the round-earth and flat-earth theories of planetary form with equal success is a sign of wisdom.