The First Law of Truth
Tom Nichols recently said, “No medical professional should ever agree to do this. Never. It elevates the conspiracy guy, demeans the medical professional, and will only convince the kooks out there that RFK is right because a real doctor took the time to debate him.
Never debate a conspiracy theorist.”
This was in reference to the proposal that Peter Hotez publicly debate Robert F Kennedy Jr on vaccines. But Mr Nichols does not seem to know the first law of truth. The first law of truth is that truth always destroys untruth. Untruth can only survive in the dark, unopposed - that is why those who promote lies are most likely to call for censorship. Their lies can only survive if they are not opposed.
In fact, the best way to discover the truth is to bring opposing views out into public view and debate them openly. This has been understood since at least Ancient Greece, through Medieval times, and up to the present day. If Dr Hotez were really on the side of truth, he would agree to debate RFK Jr in an instant.
Nobody, who is thoroughly versed in a subject, can ever lose a debate on that subject, if they are on the side of truth. Thus far, Dr Hotez has refused to debate, in spite of the fact that he is an MD, and vaccines are his area of expertise. This is as good as an admission that he does not speak from a place of truth.