You mention both debate and discussion. My first s...

2008-05-19T08:18:00.000-04:00

You mention both debate and discussion. My first suggestion is to clearly distinguish between the two.

Debate is a verbal contest between two or more speakers wrestling over a particular issue for the purpose of winning one or more prizes. An example prize is winning the allegiance of a third-party audience, if any. Hoping to change the other debater's position on the issue is generally baseless.

The only people who should debate are those who have mastered their subjects, which includes knowing the fundamentals of the subject. People who have mastered their subjects are highly unlikely, in my experience, to change their positions, at least not at the time of the debate.

Discussion is a verbal exchange in which two or more people try to find a solution to a mutual problem. If a friend is wrestling with a problem--such as a conflict between a religious premise and a sexual desire for someone he has met, debate is not appropriate, but discussion is even if one person already has a solution.

One essential distinguishing characteristic, then, of debate relative to discussion is its purpose: to win rather than to solve.

Comments on Cogito's Thoughts: The Problem with Debating

You mention both debate and discussion. My first s...