I think some of the debate comes from the definition of specification. Some people, such as Jack Reeves, say that "the code is the design", and that a spec that is specific enough is really a design document, which should be stated as code. http://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/reeves_design_main.html.

Also search for "code is the specification" for a related viewpoint. In this context, the difference between black and white becomes less clear.