One on One Debate Option

[inomcoke]

I’m putting this in Apologetic because that’s where I felt it fit best, but if it should be somewhere else, please move it.

I was wondering if there is anything, either here on Catholic.com or elsewhere, which allows for good one-on-one written debates.

I LOVE reading through charitable debates here when two educated people with differing viewpoints go back and forth, but in almost all cases, dozens more people are jumping in giving their $.02. Of course, that is what forums are for, but it would be nice to have a separate area (or another site) where two people can start a thread which is only available to them. Others could read it, but not post in it.

I think it would be excellent for both participating in the occasional debate, and reading through what other people have to say about specific topics. I believe it would also allow the debate to stay more on topic since the parties wouldn’t be side tracked with other comments. lol

Am I the only one that would like this option?

 

[dshix]

Interesting idea. I share you frustration, when a debate or conversation gets cluttered with dozens of people posting, and it feels impossible to have step-by-step progress from one point to another, without having to rewind to accommodate the new people who have just joined the conversation, say, halfway through.

I don’t think, however, that this function is exactly… proper for a public forum. The nature of a forum is that everyone can weigh in with their opinions on any subject in the forum, and to make an area where threads are exclusive to two people would be somewhat directed away from this original purpose.

If you have particular debates in mind, perhaps you can conduct them over private chat.

 

[po18guy]

If you want to be a participant, you do this through private messaging with another. If you want to spectate, you check the CA website for debate DVDs.

 

[inomcoke]

Yeah. I just thought it would be a nice feature so everyone could enjoy the friendly debates.

The idea came from the fact that I’ve read a debate between two people on here (I forget the names) concerning Catholic Vs Orthodox on the Fileoque. The thread had hundreds of posts, so it got off track and confusing. I started skipping through and only reading the two ‘main’ posters in the thread and it was extremely informative (and cut the number of posts I had to read down to 40 or 50, which is much more manageable).

Debating via PM doesn’t help others. I love the debate DVDs (and I find more on YouTube) but there are only so many available. Having a feature like this here (or elsewhere) would eventually lead to an endless number of debates for people to enjoy.

Oh well. Just a thought.

 

[po18guy]

Yeah. I just thought it would be a nice feature so everyone could enjoy the friendly debates.

The idea came from the fact that I’ve read a debate between two people on here (I forget the names) concerning Catholic Vs Orthodox on the Fileoque. The thread had hundreds of posts, so it got off track and confusing. I started skipping through and only reading the two ‘main’ posters in the thread and it was extremely informative (and cut the number of posts I had to read down to 40 or 50, which is much more manageable).

Debating via PM doesn’t help others. I love the debate DVDs (and I find more on YouTube) but there are only so many available. Having a feature like this here (or elsewhere) would eventually lead to an endless number of debates for people to enjoy.

Oh well. Just a thought.

Suggest a one-on-one forum to the mods and administrators. The risk of this is an over or under match that no one else can contribute to. We do not want a poorly catechized Catholic debating a protestant apologist, for example.

 

[Della]

The problems are that firstly, that’s not what CAF was intended to be–it’s open to all for discussion. Secondly, it would be too difficult to set up for our tech guy. And thirdly, how would it be moderated? Our mods have a lot on their plates as it is. I’m pretty sure this idea has been proposed before, but it wasn’t thought viable for this particular forum for the reasons cited.

 

[inomcoke]

Suggest a one-on-one forum to the mods and administrators. The risk of this is an over or under match that no one else can contribute to. We do not want a poorly catechized Catholic debating a protestant apologist, for example.

Yeah. That could be a concern. I suppose a disclaimer on each thread could say that the views are of those in the debate or whatever. And each ‘debate’ could require an approval before beginning or something.

The problems are that firstly, that’s not what CAF was intended to be–it’s open to all for discussion. Secondly, it would be too difficult to set up for our tech guy. And thirdly, how would it be moderated? Our mods have a lot on their plates as it is. I’m pretty sure this idea has been proposed before, but it wasn’t thought viable for this particular forum for the reasons cited.

Yeah. I agree that the vast majority of CAF should be open for everyone. I would just like to see a small section for this type of thing so people could actually get to the bottom of debates rather than constantly getting side tracked so the debate never ends.

I’ve run forums before, it isn’t too hard to create a thread for two people. Granted, it is a manual process, but I’m sure someone would volunteer to moderate it (heck, I’ll do it).

It might not be right for CAF though. I was also kind of asking if anyone knew of a site that had this feature already.

Thanks!

Michael

 

[Della]

Yeah. I agree that the vast majority of CAF should be open for everyone. I would just like to see a small section for this type of thing so people could actually get to the bottom of debates rather than constantly getting side tracked so the debate never ends.

It’s hard when everyone feels they have something to contribute, I know. I have been bowing out of threads when I feel I am not helping or I see the questioner responding to someone’s answers who is helping him/her. I wish others would do that so that threads wouldn’t be clogged up, but it’s strictly voluntary.

I’ve run forums before, it isn’t too hard to create a thread for two people. Granted, it is a manual process, but I’m sure someone would volunteer to moderate it (heck, I’ll do it).

The tech guy is pretty busy as it is. CAF is a HUGE forum that takes a lot of effort to keep up. We are short of moderators as it is. It’s like the plan one of our military strategists came up with just prior to WWII to guard the Pacific Ocean from the Japanese. On paper it was easy, but making all the planes and getting all the personal needed for such a project simply made it unworkable. IOW, the reality is often harder to bring about than it seems. Once you’ve got boots on the ground all plans are subject to change.

It might not be right for CAF though. I was also kind of asking if anyone knew of a site that had this feature already.

Thanks!

Michael

I wish I could help you, but I’ve never heard of a site that has this feature.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The problems are that firstly, that’s not what CAF was intended to be–it’s open to all for discussion. Secondly, it would be too difficult to set up for our tech guy. And thirdly, how would it be moderated? Our mods have a lot on their plates as it is. I’m pretty sure this idea has been proposed before, but it wasn’t thought viable for this particular forum for the reasons cited.

I’m not sure this forum is intended to be a spectator sport. I have occasionally been in debates on here where it ends up with just me and another person, or at least for a long time. I think peoples’ eyes glaze over when it goes on and on and on. I think peoples’ interest is better retained when they can join in, or at least realize they can if they want.

I also have observed that sometimes in what seem to be one-on-one debates, somebody will chime in with something neither of the two main debaters had thought of. I think there’s value in that.

 

[po18guy]

I’m not sure this forum is intended to be a spectator sport. I have occasionally been in debates on here where it ends up with just me and another person, or at least for a long time. I think peoples’ eyes glaze over when it goes on and on and on. I think peoples’ interest is better retained when they can join in, or at least realize they can if they want.

I also have observed that sometimes in what seem to be one-on-one debates, somebody will chime in with something neither of the two main debaters had thought of. I think there’s value in that.

CAF sells the Staples/White debate for those so inclined, if my brain is working. And, without our participation in threads, how can they be derailed? What would the mods do with their aerosol can of troll spray?

 

[Della]

I’m not sure this forum is intended to be a spectator sport. I have occasionally been in debates on here where it ends up with just me and another person, or at least for a long time. I think peoples’ eyes glaze over when it goes on and on and on. I think peoples’ interest is better retained when they can join in, or at least realize they can if they want.

I also have observed that sometimes in what seem to be one-on-one debates, somebody will chime in with something neither of the two main debaters had thought of. I think there’s value in that.

I agree. It’s only when I can see that my stepping in would be more of a hindrance that a help that I refrain from posting.

po18guy:

And, without our participation in threads, how can they be derailed? What would the mods do with their aerosol can of troll spray?

I’m sure they’d love having such cans handy.