Have any of these debates and arguments changed any ideologies or opinions? Ever?

Absolutely. Unless by "these," you mean the exact debates and discussions in this relatively small forum. That, not so much. But overall, I witness individual people being persuaded by rational arguments and newly discovered facts all the time.

I doubt it..unless they can prove facts...

All of my strongly-held beliefs and POV are carefully researched, read about, and considered.
I am too much of a skeptic to take *anything* at face value anymore..

If someone chooses to believe something diffferent/ hold a different POV than *I* do..that's fine...I may not agree with it..may not understand it..but they are free to have it...

Someone's opinion without much to back it up is just that - their opinion. When they present a logical point of view with facts to back it, then that is worth listening to and giving some thought to - they may have figured out something I haven't yet.

All of you seem reasonable in a neutral setting. It's encouraging.

Sometimes it's very sad, and other times it's hilarious. Mostly it's just boring to see people expose their ignorance of, and obvious bigotry about, both sides of the equation on a public forum.

Something I've noticed about "Hoomin Beens," as critters in this respect.

They all seem to have an innate urge to hide that they are thinking things through.

That is why it's extremely rare to see someone openly post that someone's reasoning has caused them to change their entire point of view. But since I have occasionally had the opportunity to watch people on a day to day basis, and directly witnessed them talking about things and debating them, and evolving in their thinking, I do know absolutely, that people DO change their minds.

You know what is probably the number ONE reason why so many people refuse to admit to changing their minds? It's the egotism of the people who suggested the change. The people who insist on crowing about every tiny admission that they knew something that the other person didn't; their personal celebratory dancing on the faces and writings of the people who did change; the one-upmanship and insulting disrespect that the changed people have shoved at them for admitting to have thought things through.

This tends to happen more to males than females, but I've seen it with every kind of person I've observed.

This is why I have myself decided to NOT observe and celebrate others' changes. Simply let them come to a new (and hopefully better) conclusion about whatever, and then carry on.

That to me makes absolutely NO sense..
Not that you said it..just the premise..
I am all *about* thinking things through...much to the consternation of guys on dating sites and people elsewhere...who apparently don't do the same...

Sorry, I was referring to people who have been challenged about something, readily admitting to reconsidering. Not to people not thinking things through in advance.

I'm just talking about a very common discussion dynamic. About why it's easy to THINK that discussion and debate doesn't "work," even though it actually often does. It APPEARS that no one ever changes their minds, because so many people hide the fact that they are reconsidering, due to the nature of human competition.