This document compares the key differences between dialogue and debate. It provides a chart that outlines the goals, listening styles, impacts on perspectives, treatment of assumptions, focuses, stances taken, and conclusions associated with each. Dialogue is described as collaborative and aimed at understanding different viewpoints and finding common ground, while debate is oppositional and intended to prove one side right and the other wrong.

1. A Comparison of Dialogue and Debate
Our goal in a dialogue circle is to betterunderstand the issue and each other. We will look at different viewpoints
and encourage a wide range of perspectives; we don’t have to agree. How we talk to one anotheris as important as
what we say. The chart below will help you understand how the process of dialogue differs from debate.
Dialogue Debate
Dialogue is collaborative:two ormore sides worktogether
toward common understanding.
Debate is oppositional:two sides opposeeachotherandattempt to prove
each otherwrong.
In dialogue,finding common groundis the goal. In debate,winning is thegoal.
In dialogue,one listenstothe otherside(s)in orderto
understand,find meaning,andfind agreement.
In debate,one listens to theothersidein orderto find flaws and tocounter
its arguments.
Dialogue enlargesandpossibly changesa participant’spoint of
view.
Debate affirms a participant’s own point
ofview.
Dialogue reveals assumptionsforreevaluation. Debate defends assumptions as truth.
Dialogue causesintrospectionon one’s
own position.
Debate causes critique oftheotherposition.
Dialogue opensthe possibility ofreaching a
bettersolution thanany oftheoriginalsolutions.
Debate defends one’s own positions as the bestsolution and excludesother
solutions.
Dialogue createsan open-minded attitude:
an opennessto beingwrongand tochange.
Debate creates a closed-mindedattitude,a determinationto be right.
In dialogue,one submitsone’sbest thinking,knowing thatother
peoples’reflectionswill help improve it ratherthan destroy it.
In debate,one submits one’s bestthinking
and defends it against challenge toshowthat
it is right.
Dialogue calls fortemporarily suspending
one’s beliefs.
Debate calls forinvestingwholeheartedly in
one’s beliefs.
In dialogue,one searchesforbasic agreements. In debate,one searches forglaring differences.
In dialogue,one searchesforstrengthsin the otherpositions. In debate,one searches forflaws and weaknesses in the otherposition.
Dialogue involvesa realconcern forthe otherpersonandseeks
to not alienate oroffend.
Debate involves a countering oftheotherpositionwithout focusingon
feelings orrelationship andoftenbelittles ordeprecates the otherperson.
Dialogue assumesthatmany people have piecesofthe answer
and togethertheycancreatea workable solution.
Debate assumes that there is a right answerandthat someone hasit.

2. Dialogue remains open-ended. Debate implies a conclusion.
Adapted from a paper prepared by Shelley Berman, which was based on discussions of the Dialogue Group of
the Boston Chapter of Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR). Other members included Lucile Burt, Dick Mayo-
Smith, Lally Stowell, and Gene Thompson.