Please look at the following:
Unlike western systems of philosophy, in India, the various branches co-existed over centuries, and sometimes evolved after intense debates among them.
Why has among themselves not been used in the above? What difference would the usage of among themselves make in the above sentence?
Best Answer
One could take among themselves to mean that the debates were held within the various branches intramurally rather than between the branches.
Consider:
I would take that to mean that each delegation was having its own debate, not that there was an open floor debate.
On the other hand, debating among them would mean there was an open debate, the delegations debating each other.