How to distinguish debate, argument and discussion?

[Magic P]

It gets confusing sometimes. And it bothers me a great deal when I tried to discuss something, some people either say I was arguing or debating.

 

[Maritxu]

Hope my experience as an admin in a political forum helps me with this, lol.
A debate is more organized and people express not only their opinion but create or use arguments to support it and when someone with a different opinion joins the debate they try to counter their arguments. Debate has to be respectful.
A discussion is more where different people just give their opinions about a topic. People should be respectful too.
And and argument can also be a discussion but when feelings get involved and probably there is more possibility for people to attack each other personally.

 

[icecuban]

arguments are dirty, the other two should be enlightening. like marit said, personal attacks, or feeling like your being personally attacked, thus sparking anger, is a crappy road to go down. nothing gets accomplished that way

 

[GraceAbounds]

I post to enjoy myself and take a break. So you will not find me 'debating' much as that requires work. I do enough debating in school. You won't find me arguing either. On occasion I may allow myself to get sucked into the darkness of an argument, but I try very hard not too. Arguing is not productive. And I am not here to be 'right'.

Discussion is where I like to hang my hat because it actually involves listening and not just talking; it involves getting to know people and caring.

 

[Sparkler]

In my opinion a debate is where two sides argue for their side in an attempt to win people over to their point of view,a discussion would be more a general chat about a subject with people expressing their views and respecting others views at the same time.Arguements are when people cant keep the respect for others opinions and attack the other for the views they hold.

 

[NightWarrior]

This is almost a comical thread because people are "debating" over this topic.