People have been learning how to talk and communicate since the beginning of time. They developed plenty of skills such as discussing, sharing their point of view, debating, etc. Negotiations have always had an important role in world existence. Yet, the difference between debate and argument wasn’t clarified for a long time. Nowadays, both are used for the same purpose, describing the same things and situations. Still, an essential question comes to mind when considering this topic: is it correct to use them interchangeably? Many kinds of research have been done, and today enough evidence has been gathered to confirm that the meaning of those words is completely different. Let’s find out the dividing line between them and learn the proper word usage.
Why Argue?
Arguing takes a special place in people’s life. The reasons why adults prefer to argue are different. Four main causes can be seen with the bare eye.
Most men defend or explain their way of thinking or beliefs. Everyone has reasons for the things they have done. It means those explanations might be unclear or misunderstood by the opposing sides. At this rate, the argument is necessary — it brings up the original purpose of the action and helps to reveal evidence of something.
Another cause is clarifying the way of thinking. This reason applies to individuals as well as to groups of people. In this case, arguing opens more perspectives on different beliefs and things, which helps individuals and groups to dive into a particular field and choose for themselves what is worth sticking to.
While solving issues, people also tend to start an argument. The same happens with judgments. The world is gigantic and includes a variety of diverse interests. But, nobody knows the better way and the right direction. Arguments help to put everything back to place and facilitate conflicts.
Lastly, the fun factor can’t be excluded. In fact, arguing activates the brain and helps it to generate more ideas. Moreover, adults don’t always have to disagree; the argument can be pleasurable and joyful in the form of stimulating discussion.
What is an argument?
Sometimes people find it hard to give a proper definition to an argument. Yet, it is a claim that is made solidly with the purpose of clarifying situations, behaviors, etc. Arguments are usually supported by particular evidence. Also, it refers to words like justification and comes both in written and verbal form.
The argument can be presented as an informal conversation between two or more people. Commonly, they talk about a specific topic, and one of the opponents tries to convince the other to agree with his way of thinking. It’s also appropriate to state that the argument is a kind of dispute.
To make it easier to understand and less formal, arguments can be described as passionate or blistering disagreements. Two or more participants of the conversation have their perspectives on certain issues that they try to explain and negotiate.
Arguments usually have no consensus — they reveal consented questions. From the opposite sides, the argument works as a pressure engine, meaning it can be used for adherence purposes. At this rate, people use this form of communication to receive resolutions for their opinions.
What is a debate?
Previously we have discussed arguments and found out that they have various meanings, causes, and clarifications. Unlike the definition of the argument, the debate has only one explanation — in other words, it’s a formal discussion.
While debating, people don’t try to persist or persuade the opponent to believe and follow their point of view. Besides, it’s allowed to share all the necessary comments, including affirmative and negative ones. Needless to say that everything said must be strictly on topic, and personal boundaries should not be violated.
The debate also requires a winner’s side. So, how to define a better team? A lot depends on the issues discussed and the options each team offers. In addition to factual accuracy and logical consistency, participants have to provide more precise context or a superior solution to the problem.
Main Differences Between Argument and Debate
To use both words correctly according to their meanings, adults should distinguish their specifics. Researchers emphasize three main differences:
- Debates are formal all the time. In comparison to the argument, it’s an unaltered fact. They are held in the form of a verbal contest between two or more individuals.
- Arguments are not regulated by any rules and have no consensus, while debates have strict requirements — both sides must be heard and try their best to provide the best evidence.
- The character of these words is also different. Arguments are more persuasive; the speaker wants to make his opponent follow his opinions and make him adhere. Debate, on the other hand, is used as a formal discussion, as a verb, and only for the scope.
If the distinction between these two notions is still a bit vague, a good idea is to pay attention to special websites that help to understand the difference between Debate and Argument via essay writing. Some of them are more theoretical, others — practical. Luckily, professional writers from these resources can also write an argumentative essay for you if needed. The main advantage of such services is speedy and high-quality work.
Bottom line
The question of the difference between debate and discussion, or argument, is essential. Many people don’t know how to distinguish them, so they use those words interchangeably. Many researchers confirm that the meanings differ and have to be used accordingly to the situation. While debates are formal discussions and can’t violate any personal boundaries, an argument has no rules to follow. Also, it has many purposes — expressing beliefs or defending one’s point of view, etc. On the other hand, debates are used to provide particular evidence and come up with a consensus.
