Hi Jim:
You quoted from Machiavelli -
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Remember Machiavelli's words:
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. -- Niccolò Machiavelli, "The Prince".

There should always be room to question conventional thinking.
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The scientific method has no problem with questioning conventional thinking. Someone comes up with a new theory, and then devises an experiment to test the theory. A new theory without any evidence doesn't have a whole lot of value.

One last example. You go to a Dr. and he tells you your appendix should be removed because it's inflammed and that's what's making you feel lousy. Would you ask the opinion of your flying buddies on what you should do? After all, they all have an appendix, don't they? Ownership of something doesn't make you an expert on it. For a 2nd opinion, most people would go to another Dr.