On the contrary, having an initial spark of curiousity (or even doubt) about 2 + 2 = 5 is a great way of engaging with critical reasoning, mature mathematical t

On the contrary, having an initial spark of curiousity (or even doubt) about 2 + 2 = 5 is a great way of engaging with critical reasoning, mature mathematical thinking, proofs, etc. Given the number of times human civilisation lurked forward because someone revisited earlier assumptions, training more people to think critically and be courageous about their conclusions would, I believe, be a net benefit to us all. Yes, 2 + 2 does not equal 5, but we need more people who can explain and think about _why_, and not simply repeat "just because". If someone cannot debunk a misconception as rudimentary as that, how can we expect their arguments against a flat earth theory to be sound and persuasive?