How many answers can you get on a controversial question before it degenerates?

Wondering if anyone has done a study, or had any feeling for it, on this for this site in particular?

It just seems like they degenerate fairly quickly into an “Is not – Is too” argument or get sidetracked.

My guess would be that eight is about as many answers as you can get that address the original question.

I can’t even say I mind the sidetracks that much. They can be very educational and do lead to other questions but still the original OP had a specific question in mind.

I am not blaming anyone here, I am just as guilty of it as anyone, perhaps more so on certain subjects.