• But were they debates? Can we really call them that?

      I know that’s what the forum called for, but I saw zero debating.

      Jerry Springer episodes had more debating going on.

      • El Barto
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        18 months ago

        I mean, that’s a nice opinion and all, but yeah. Technically yes, those were debates. That one of the debaters was poorly prepared is another thing.

        In a professional car race, if one of the drivers decides to hit reverse se whole time, is it fair to tell the one that plays by the rules “oh no, you don’t deserve the winner title because that wasn’t even a race”?

        • If there were only two cars would it have been a race?

          It was called a race, people expected to see a race, but no race took place.

          It was not a race.

          • El Barto
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            18 months ago

            Yes. It would have been called a race.

            Let’s give you a better example, then. A boxing match.

            One of the boxers just runs around trying to touch the other contender’s butt.

            He gets disqualified.

            The other boxer wins the match.

            What the public (including you) thinks of it is irrelevant. The judges were there and ruled who won the match per the scenario presented.

            • Let me try it this way…

              If you had a coworker who got a new dog. They were excited and told everyone in the office about him.

              Couple months later this coworker throws a party. When you get to their house, they excitedly show you the new dog, but when what you see is clearly a cat.

              Which are you more likely to think? “What an interesting looking dog.” or “Sir, that is a cat.”

              He said it was a dog, and everyone attending was expecting to see a dog. It wasn’t a dog.

              How about this scenario:

              You have a disagreement with your neighbor about the property line. You mutually agree to settle it with a debate.

              Your neighbor spends the entire time talking over you, sidestepping virtually every point you make, blatantly lying, personally insulting you and airing grievances.

              You participate in good faith and the moderator decides that the property line should follow your plans.

              Did you and your neighbor engage in a debate?

              Here is an opinion: Donald Trump is neither classically or emotionally intelligent enough to engage in an actual, by definition, debate.

              • El Barto
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                8 months ago

                Your first analogy is flawed. If we compare it to the boxing example, it’s as if the two contenders played poker in the middle of the ring. Then the audience would be like “sir, this is a poker tournament.” So, no. Not the same.

                The second one is still a debate. The neighbor is deranged, but there is a procedure, the neighbor didn’t follow the usual rules, and it didn’t help him at all.

              • El Barto
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                18 months ago

                Well, like I said, that’s your opinion. A bit dense in my own opinion, but if it’s yours, it’s yours.

                  • El Barto
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                    18 months ago

                    Debate means to me what it means to you. Whatever the dictionary says.

                    Informally I guess it’s an event in which two or more parties have a side in an argument, and they intend to prove that their side is the right one.