Are debates a waste of time?
Yes
Side Score: 4
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No
Side Score: 13
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As the 'About' suggests CD is a "useful learning tool that will help groups of people to sort through issues, viewpoints and opinions so that consensus and understanding can be reached and better decisions can be made" So if we do not do that and and do not engage with each other in meaningful discussion we do not learn anything which is I believe a purpose of debate, because useful debate helps us to be introspective about how and why we think the way we do and to be open to learning something new from someone else's point of view. Side: Yes
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Not inherently, nor does debating necessarily need to be worthwhile. I personally prefer an engaged, challenging debate but the mere exercise itself is an adequately stimulating diversion. Debate for the sake of debate is just fine by me. If something more comes of it, great. Side: No
The rhetorician Callicles says that spending our time on things like debates however will lead to a life not well spent. In that we will never affirm a place in society or get the things we want. While this was based around ancient Greece some of his concept still applies to modern day. Side: Yes
There is no objective standard to determine whether a life has been well spent. The only person who can determine that at all is the person whose life it is. We create our own meaning and significance; it does not exist beyond our conception of it. Besides, plenty of people who have engaged in debates have gone on to lead stereotypically accomplished lives. The practice of debate can hone the mind which can be useful with other engagements. At the very worst, debate is a leisure activity; given that leisure is a psychological necessity for our species that can hardly be said to be self-destructive or counter-productive. Side: No
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Debating is useful and helpful. When you dispute an argument, you are constantly increasing your knowledge as your bran thinks up of different responses and evidences that could make a valid debate. Even when creating a debate, your brain is thinking of a good and popular debate topic that could attract different people to type in what and how they feel about the debate. There, hence a debate is useful and helpful. Side: No
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