Yes caliber debates will continue on, but largely due to people relying on emotion and anecdotes rather than real world experience, physics, and physiology. Such is why the ammunition manufacturers have all spent millions trying to get folks to buy their brand of $2 boutique cartridge versus the one sitting next to it on the shelf.
The reality is that there actually isnt that much to debate in terms of self defense:
-Shooting accurately trumps all else
-Accuracy is only trumped by shooting accurately quickly
-Capacity compensates for inaccuracy only if the other guy is inaccurate
As for caliber selection, bullet and cartridge type, I think if more folks hunted in general (but especially with handguns) they would realize that there really isn't much difference in practical center fire handguns...they all kind of suck. Even better would be if they could spend some time involved with emergency medicine, their notions of debate points would quickly fly out the window.
The same can be said for relying on YouTube videos of jello-shots to make conclusions as to 'which is best' (hint: I've yet to see a gunshot wound that looked anything like the results seen in YT ballistic gel 'tests')
But back to the point, the increase in noise, blast, flash, and recoil from a $2 boutique 357 cartridge fired out of a 2" or less revolver does not provide any practical gains over the humble 148gr wadcutter. In fact, the wadcutter IME produces at least equal results all while producing fewer negative effects for the shooter to deal with.
-But 357 produces more ft/lbs so it simply MUST be better
-But 357 makes a huge boom so it simply MUST be better
-But 357 makes big 'stretch cavities' in YT videos so it MUST be better
-But 357 HP expands to 0.693729761592" so it MUST be better
-But the modern 357 I just bought cost $1.97 per round and came in a fancy box so it has to be better than your century old lowly 15 cent cartridge...the ammo company told me so.
Yes the debate will continue......for some