being wrong....

So, I'm sitting it my Biology class. and in the row in front of me, two seats to the left, there is a kid who CAN'T be wrong. he's got a bitchy little sidekick, too.

Professor asked what criteria we use to define something as a species, a few suggestions were called out and he wrote them down indiscriminately, whether they were viable or not. and told us as he wrote them whether or not the suggestions were right.
right in the middle, the discussion was derailed by a kid who just refused to accept that his suggestion was wrong. I don't get it. I'm here to learn, not to refute what my teacher is telling me. When he says that scientists don't use habitat to define species, I'm going to take his word for it.

Maybe it's how he learns... it's kinda scientific--pursuing a hypothesis until it is proven or disproved. But for me that happened right when he said "you could potentially use that, but we don't because it is too complicated"

there was an awkward silence, cut only by the bumbling, fractured thoughts of this kid. He chimes in at least once per class, and usually his comment or question contributes something to the discussion. He's probably very interested in biology. Maybe I just can't relate on this topic. But he definitely feels a need to "save face" when he's wrong. And his girlfriend feels a need to defend him as well.
"you could take that information and make a best assumption but--"
"well that's all science is anyway!"

eh...okay.

Addendum:

Teacher: "population growth ratio is affected by A, B, C and D--"
Mr N'erwrong: "Doesn't B depend on... E?"
Teacher: how so?
Mr N'erwrong: sea turtles!
Teacher: that's one reproductive stategy... but we don't measure growth ratio by "E". (blah blah blah)... does that answer your question?
Mr N'erwrong:No....