▁as ▁rendered ▁by ▁Van ▁Norden , ▁amounts ▁to ▁the ▁belief ▁that ▁every ▁opinion ▁someone ▁holds ▁can ▁be ▁categor ized ▁either ▁completely ▁true , ▁somewhat ▁true , ▁or ▁completely ▁false , ▁and ▁that ▁even ▁the ▁discussion ▁of ▁pat ently ▁false ▁belief s ▁is ▁valuable . ▁Mill ▁believed ▁in ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁people ▁to ▁distinguish ▁true ▁belief s ▁from ▁false ▁ones ▁through ▁rational ▁and ▁open ▁disc ourse ▁with ▁one ▁another . ▁Van ▁Norden ▁cont ends ▁contra ▁Mill , ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁one ▁universal ▁method ▁of ▁rational ity ▁that ▁all ▁human ▁be ings ▁may ▁learn ▁through ▁proper ▁education . ▁Van ▁Norden ▁disag rees , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁if ▁that ▁were ▁the ▁case , ▁people ▁wouldn ' t ▁believe ▁a ▁radio ▁host ▁when ▁they ▁den y ▁that ▁the ▁mass ▁shooting ▁of ▁Sand y ▁Hook ▁ever ▁happened . ▁Van ▁Norden ▁goes ▁on ▁to ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁historical ▁situation ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁diff ers ▁consider ably ▁from ▁that ▁of ▁Mill ' s . ▁In ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁mass ▁media , ▁which ▁see ks ▁to ▁attract ▁the ▁largest ▁audience ▁possible , ▁networks ▁will ▁grav itate ▁towards ▁more ▁controvers ial ▁figures ▁like ▁former ▁child ▁actor ▁Kirk ▁Camer on , ▁who ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁defend ▁on ▁television ▁that ▁we ▁should ▁not ▁believe ▁in ▁evolution ary ▁theory ▁unless ▁bi olog ists ▁can ▁produce ▁a ▁' c roc od uck ' ▁as ▁evidence . ▁Van ▁Norden ▁arg ues ▁that , ▁in ▁contrast , ▁responsible ▁intellect uals ▁like ▁No am ▁Ch om sky ▁or ▁Mar tha ▁N uss baum ▁are ▁not ▁platform ed ▁to