A debate is an exchange of ideas wherein one side speaks against the topic at hand while one side speaks for it. A debate is primarily a dichotomous representation of an idea, broken into its most rudimentary argumentative skeleton for the sake of evoking questions and answers that actively question its validity in terms of ethical, social, political, or economic issues it may pose.
So why are debates important? This can be an incomplete question, as it is too broad to elaborate on. First, let’s see it through the lens of the viewer. A debate is essentially an analysis of an idea through the lens of the people discussing it. It can simply be an opinion market to some. Hence, a debate can be seen as a means of educating yourself in all the aspects of a particular subject or topic where the viewer ultimately gets to decide what side of a topic they need to follow if at all they want to at the end of the debate. However, a debate does more than just educate.
From the point of view of the participant, this can be an exercise in practicing critical thinking. In a debate, you need to have your wits about you and you definitely have to keep pushing yourself intellectually to put your point across effectively. The best way to do this is by preparing well and being mindful of your opponent’s points. This way, you are lifting yourself intellectually as well as the viewers watching it.
At the end of the day, there is a winner and a loser in a debate for the people participating in it, but for the viewer, they receive an all-around education on the pros and cons of a certain topic.
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