If the majority view, whether in government or in the scientific establishment, is wrong, toleration of dissent increases the odds that their errors will eventually be discovered. But even if the majority view is correct, as it often may be, it is more likely to be seen to be correct if it must defend itself against critics.
Angus J.L. Menuge, Agents Under Fire: Materialism and the Rationality of Science
debate, discovery, philosophy, philosophy-of-science