Unfortunately I think the person who presents the simpler theory, even if it's less correct or less powerful, typically wins debates on theory. In some sense,

Unfortunately I think the person who presents the simpler theory, even if it's less correct or less powerful, typically wins debates on theory. In some sense, theorists are working at different levels of abstraction across temporal dimensions. Foucault was concerned about deeper structures and a longer time horizon than Chomsky was at the time they debated, Chomsky is concerned about deeper issues and a longer time horizon than Norvig. This is why they wind up talking past each other.