I think there should be some balance. Passionless discussion never feels as satisfying. We're not all robots. Our reasoning should be clear, but our tone and the grounding of our opinions should also shine through.
I totally agree with you that we shouldn't try to suppress emotion or passion. Those add depth and color and character to interesting conversation.
What I'm calling "activation" isn't the same thing as emotion or passion, and what I'm calling "curiosity" or "being interested" is definitely not the same thing as being passionless or robotic.
I understand, but it's a blurry line. I think just asking for good faith conversation backed by verifiable facts where appropriate is a good place to start.
I'd say it's a classic Spock vs. Jimbo take.