The same argument happened in the 1970s when pocket and scientific calculators came into fashion. It's certainly sound policy to ensure that the user knows the basis of the caculation in order to understand it and to prevent "rubbish in = rubbish out".
Once the user knows his stuff, why indeed not use modern technology to assist him most of the time? After all, I would never deliberately switch the engine off the engine of my moped unless I wanted to keep my leg muscles in trim.....
I'm firmly of the opinion that the more spare brain cells a pilot can find himself, the better he can think ahead, look out and be a safer flyer.
There is only one real answer...
Coupled FMS (GPS and multiple DME inputs) and a colour moving map with 1:1,000,000 to 1:50,000 zoom facility.
It's magic.
