In a broad sense, a debate is a discussion where participants present different arguments.
Debate comes from the verb debate (to discuss or dispute about something) and refers to a controversy, discussion or dispute . For example: «Let's end this debate and start acting» , «If you want to start a debate with me, you should find a good argument» , «The moderator ended the debate at its most contentious point» .
Debate is often considered a technique or a form of oral communication . Organized debates have a moderator and an audience that attends the conversations. The participants are responsible for presenting their arguments on the topic in question.
Public debate
Debates are usually held in an auditorium with an audience present or in a television studio with a small number of people, which increases exponentially once viewers tune in to the event. Thanks to the development of technology , it is now possible to organize debates over the Internet , either through videoconferences, chat or forums.
For a debate to take place, two opposing positions must be found. Otherwise, if the participants agree on everything, there will be no confrontation or controversy.
Debates are common in the political arena.
Confrontation between candidates
Nowadays, the most frequent debates involve politicians who are running as candidates in an election process. These people agree to debate in the media to defend their proposals and refute the arguments of their opponents.
«The official candidate won the last debate, according to polls by a consulting firm», «Gómez decided not to participate in the debate because he disagreed with the conditions» y «The debate between the presidential candidates broke the audience record» son expresiones que muestran este uso del término.
Debates on different topics
The possible topics for debate are very varied and often reflect how backward certain cultures are compared to others. This is the case of countries that continue to debate about the rights of homosexuals: not only are they questioning whether it is right to allow them to marry, like any other person, but they are also questioning whether they deserve to be treated as normal and healthy individuals, opening the door to discrimination and contempt as reasonable options.
On the other hand, in research settings such as news programmes, there are often spaces for debate to confront opinions about various news items. The political situation of a country at war, rumours about secret experiments by a government or UFO sightings that have been classified: any topic that allows for several points of view can be the subject of debate.
The role of the moderator and the intervention of the participants
The role of the moderator is essential, as he or she must ensure that the discussion does not become violent or that the debaters do not stray from the main topic. It is also his or her obligation to refrain from favoritism and to ensure that everyone receives equal time to express their points of view.
Likewise, it is essential that participants do their homework before attending a debate. Even experts on the topic to be debated should be aware of the focus of the discussion before they come forward, as it often differs from their personal perspective. Prior knowledge is one of the fundamental elements of a successful debate, as it contributes to a healthy exchange of ideas and enriches the audience.
When personal interests intervene, debates become distorted and lose validity; it is highly advisable to remember that these are not competitions but exchanges of opinions and points of view . At best, the effectiveness of a debate continues after its closure , since the new ideas that emerge naturally from the discussion can positively affect its participants, questioning what they considered unquestionable.