The mind of a Justice

New York Magazine is running an interview with Antonin Scalia.  The interviewer's not bad, though a bit callow.  She is unused to talking to conservatives.  There is a wonderful exchange on the value of testing one's opinions against a dissenting voice--without, of course, hoping to lose the argument:

[Scalia:]  I am something of a contrarian, I suppose.  I feel less comfortable when everybody agrees with me.  I say, “I better reexamine my position!”  I probably believe that the worst opinions in my court have been unanimous.  Because there’s nobody on the other side pointing out all the flaws. 

Really?  So if you had the chance to have eight other justices just like you, would you not want them to be your colleagues? 

No.  Just six. 

That was a serious question! 

The interviewer is also startled to hear that Justice Scalia is serious about his Catholic faith.  That may be another kind of creature she's not used to encountering.

H/t Maggie's Farm.