Debate=change one's mind?

BrainSocks

Debaters often feel strongly about their side, and are mentally stubborn about changing it.

However, being open to hearing out another side and accepting it as an option is still beneficial to the mind and branches it out with new ways of thinking.

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BrainSocks said:

Debaters often feel strongly about their side, and are mentally stubborn about changing it.

However, being open to hearing out another side and accepting it as an option is still beneficial to the mind and branches it out with new ways of thinking.

I believe thay debate is not an effective tool to change people's own viewpoints. However, I think that debate is necessary because it can debunk false ideas and stop them from spreading like a virus.

CYDdharta

Let me ask you something, what are the chances you'll change your mind about something you're debating?  A person enters into a debate about something they've spent time researching, or at least considering, and have formed fairly strong opinions.  Changing such a person's mind is an extremely difficult task, it's not something you should count on to rate the success of a debate.  The best you can reasonably hope for is by posting solid rational arguments, you may be able to affect people who are interested in the topic and are reading the thread but haven't come to a conclusion.

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CYDdharta said:

Let me ask you something, what are the chances you'll change your mind about something you're debating?  A person enters into a debate about something they've spent time researching, or at least considering, and have formed fairly strong opinions.  Changing such a person's mind is an extremely difficult task, it's not something you should count on to rate the success of a debate.  The best you can reasonably hope for is by posting solid rational arguments, you may be able to affect people who are interested in the topic and are reading the thread but haven't come to a conclusion.

I agree with your claim that debate can hardly change the debaters' minds. Well, the chance I will change my viewpoint about topics I am debating depends on whether my claim is based on delusional/false evidence. If my viewpoint differs from that of my opponent but is totally valid, I would not simply change my mind. However, if the debate in which I am participating debunks the evidence/idea on which I base my claim as false, then I would probably change my mind unless there is any way to defend my position. I think that debate is useful for several reasons. Firstly, a debate can debunk false ideas that could have spread and deceived people while being unchecked. Secondly, a debate can make the debaters improve their claims/reasoning. Lastly, a debate can make people who are watching it reconsider their thoughts and therefore prevent them from being too biased. So these three reasons make me consider a debate to be quite useful. Of course I think that a debate also has bad sides. A debate can be won by someone who simply has better reasoning skills and rhetorics. If that happens, some people will see that winner as the one with correct idea, which is not correct. Anyway, I think that the positive effects of a debate overwhadows the negative consequences of it. 

WinstonC

In a debate, it's painful to publicly admit you're wrong, especially when you strongly espoused another view moments before, so most people don't admit it, despite realizing it.. Many times I have debated people in my personal life on an issue then weeks later I overhear them giving my opinion as if it was their own. Moreover, many times I have discussed things and had my own mind changed by exposure to new information.

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WinstonC said:

In a debate, it's painful to publicly admit you're wrong, especially when you strongly espoused another view moments before, so most people don't admit it, despite realizing it.. Many times I have debated people in my personal life on an issue then weeks later I overhear them giving my opinion as if it was their own. Moreover, many times I have discussed things and had my own mind changed by exposure to new information.

True, it is embarrassing for a debater to admit that his viewpoint on an issue discussed is wrong in front of many people. However, I think that debaters should not give too much weight on embarrassment so as to deny the flaws in their arguments/ideas.