debug function javascript

hi,
sorry if this is obvious, i searched dcs and forums but couldn't find an answer.
i have a basic patcher below, basically turns on/off a debug variable in the js script. if the function is called setdebug, it works ok, but if the function is called debug, it doesn't work at all. indeed, when i call a function named debug from another one (not i the script below) it says "debug is not defined". i'm not a javascript expert but my search of the web didn't indicate debug() was a reserved function or keyword.
can anyone help? cheers,,

//the patch

//the javascript (debugtest.js)

//inlets and outlets
inlets = 2;
outlets = 1;

var dbg=1;

//if renamed to debug() it stops working

function setdebug(a)
{
dbg=arguments[0];
if(a) {
post("debug on n")
} else {
post("debug off n")
}
}