Debates online? progress?

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Twizelby
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Debates online? progress?

Post by Twizelby »

I don't know what it is but I love debating people online. I remember when I was a good little christian boy getting into debates with atheists online and being thoroughly demolished quite often. Anyway the reason I bring this up is because I just had a debate with a climate change denier spewing all the great unsubstantiated one liners he had. This actually happens to be a topic that I know a lot about, both from climate classes and overlaps with other science degrees and from just being really interested in the topic. Anyway I am always polite which actually gets a lot of vitriol in return but this dude after a week long back and forth of me refuting everyone of his claims and consistent reminders why I can't give him just one paper that thoroughly proves climate change, just deletes everything. I can't tell if I shook his unquestioning American right wing allegiance, or if he just didn't want to hear anymore.

So my question is...have you ever succeeded in changing someones mind in a debate? Do you think it's useful at all in a comments section? I don't know some people are so adamant in their anti-science that it really seems to verge on delusion.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Debates online? progress?

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Maybe 50/50, but it depends on the person. Ultimately, it comes down to their victories in being open minded, not so much mine, since I say pretty much the same thing every time to varying effect to everybody.

Remember that even when they are not successful in changing their minds, seeds may have been planted that will germinate later.

Also, observers to a conversation, if it is public, are far more likely to be influenced than the party or parties you are addressing. Debates between diametric opponents aren't so much for their own benefits, as for that of the audience.
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