Depends what we mean by win or lose I suppose.
Missing the point and getting lost in semantics is not usually viewed in a positive light.
To me winning in this context means success in communicating and understanding an argument.
If we manage to communicate an idea and both parties understand the argument - thats winning. (for both parties)
Once the argument has been understood, and if you expose a flaw, show me that the argument is fallacious, that too is winning. (for both parties)
Success is also in seeing that I am believing a lie, or mistaking an error for a truth.
Whether in a dialogue of communal inquiry, or in competitive debate, understanding the argument, or listening without resistance is beneficial.
The suggestion to call it a draw was a joke, I donât think of it as a competition. But I do think we have both dug our heels in, both think we are right and the other person either is wrong or misunderstands our point. When I run into a situation like this here, I usually give it a few messages to see whether it gets resolved. When no resolution is forthcoming, I usually bow out to avoid falling into prapanca. Not everyone feels good about this, James used to get really upset when I suggested shelving the argument.
I wouldnât use âwinningâ for communicating and understanding because winning is associated with competition, which means victory for one and defeat for the other. Communicating and understanding have nothing to do with competition.
There is no winning or losing when attempting to communicate and understandâŠyou just learn to get better at it without making a contest of it.