Comments on: What Evidence Is There Against The World Ending In 2012?

By: Sunnysid

Sunnysid — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

The purpose of doing your debate is probably to learn how to ARGUE.
The MAIN purpose is probably not to find scientific evidence about 2012.
You are not going to find a lot of scientific evidence against the world ending in 2012 (and NOT because the world is going to end in 2012).
You can start by forming solid inductive or deductive arguments that support what scientific evidence you can find.
To tackle this debate, you need to learn the difference between a good argument (which is either deductive or inductive) and a bad argument (which will include one of several “fallacies”).
Check out the web sites I gave you below to learn about fallacies.
In your debate, I think the first fallacy you will have to deal with is the “burden of proof” fallacy. In your debate, the burden of proof needs to be on the person who claims that the world is ending in 2012. You need to shift the burden of proof onto your opponent, where it belongs. Just because there is no (or little) proof that the world will not end in 2012 does not mean that the world will end in 2012.
The second fallacy you’ll have to deal with is probably going to be the “appeal to authority” fallacy. Who says that the world is ending in 2012? A prehistoric tribe of Mayans? The anthropologists who dug up the calendar? People from a particular church?
You need to shoot down the “appeal to authority” argument by attacking the credentials of the “authorities” who claim to know that the world is going to end in 2012. A medical doctor is an educated person, but he would not be an authority when it comes to financial problems or plumbing problems. “… the fact that an unqualified person makes a claim does not provide any justification for the claim. The claim could be true, but the fact that an unqualified person made the claim does not provide any rational reason to accept the claim as true” (1).
The “appeal to fear” and the “appeal to belief” fallacies will probably come into it, too.
The key to winning this debate is (A) learning how to recognize a fallacy when it hits you in the face, and (B) learning how to shoot it down.
Compile a list of the arguments that the world IS going to end in 2012 (many of which appear as answers to your question) and practice shooting them down with one or more of the fallacies listed in the web sites below.
Good luck!
EDIT: This is a debate at a SCHOOL. As I said above, the purpose of doing this debate is probably to learn how to ARGUE at a DEBATE. The actual topic is irrelevant. I can imagine how some people might feel passionate about the topic, and I can imagine how some people might want to save “blondemander’s” soul before “the end” is here, but this is not the place. “Blondemander” just wants help with the debate, for school.

By: LindsinJ…

LindsinJ… — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

You can’t find proof that something will happen in the future. Even physics is based on probability. You know that if you drop a ball out of your hand, chances are that a second into the future it will hit something below it. However, also a space portal could open up and suck the ball into another dimension and it never reaches it’s predicted destination.
Science can’t prove or predict the future. All official scientific evidence indicate that there is no reason that the would will end in 2012. However, other studies have shown that every minute a sucker will be born.

By: Lamya

Lamya — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

There is no scientific evidence that the world will end on Dec 21, 2012. It is simply the last day of the Mayan Long Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar, which is what we use starts on January 1st and ends on December 31st. Obviously the world does not end on December 31st, just the year. The next day, we turn the calendars over to January and start the new year. A calendar is nothing more than a way to note a cycle of time. The Mayan calendar is quite a bit longer than the Gregorian Calendar (5126 Years) but it too will just start over again. The Mayans perceived the end of the Long Calendar as the beginning of a new enlightenment. We look at the new year of the Gregorian Calendar as a beginning to start better habits, which is why people make New Year’s resolutions.
This is the best way I can put it into perspective for people who are afraid that they won’t wake up on December 22, 2012. You’ll probably hear other things about Solar Storms, and Solar Magnetic Pole Reversals that are also due to happen around 2012 but it is just coincidence that an 11 year solar cycle should coincide with the Mayan Calendar hype. Anybody who was born before February 2001 (Last reversal) has already experience a Solar Magnetic Pole Reversal and probably didn’t know it. This theory is just adding fuel to the 2012 Alarmists’ fire.

By: Old school

Old school — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

It is based on the Mayan calendar and the translations of the hieroglyphics. Some see it as “the end of the world” because it’s phases end on that date. They have to remember that this was not the first calendar they had. In each cycle of years, based mostly on astrological observances and environmental changes that coin sided, the calendar was formed to reflect them. There are numerous resources of what it says and it’s interpretations, but through my studies and investigations it is nothing more than an end of an era. A changing of an earth cycle. The earth is cyclable. It has it’s times and eras of change. Earth movement – earthquakes, tectonic plate shifts, volcanic eruptions. Seasonal shifts – mini ice ages (longer harder winters), shorter growing seasons, locust swarms, droughts, longer rainy seasons – floods – meteor impacts. All these things happen usually in cycles. The mayans observed these cycles with astrological observances and sort of set up a “spiritual/religious” calendar/almanac to help predict the best time to worship deities, plant, travel, a reign of a king or pontiff, even the best time to go to war or raid. It is just a coincidence that it ends on 2012. But, on 2012, by their calendar, is when a new earth cycle is to come and it will effect the earth and the people and how they view the future, but that is about it.
Ok, you have to understand also, the Mayans were highly intelligent they even had a value of zero which no other culture had figured out until the Hindus 300 yrs after the Maya. Not even the Greeks had the concept. When you look at the calendar mathmatically and try to configure it to the Gregorian calendar (Modern Christian calendar) they are more precise on maping the year to 365.2 days, unlike the Gregorian at 365.46. People will like to make more to it than there is, but with current updated translations and understanding the numerical contexts of their writing, you will notice that it was just another “perpetual” calendar and dating system.

By: Noah K

Noah K — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

Yes i do. It has to do with the mayan calendar and the way the stars are aligning on the calender. It was also one of the very many predictions made by the late great Nostradamus (who had the very date when someone would dig up his grave enscribed on his skull after his death). He also said that there would be great wars, polictical issues, and natural disasters leading up to this. But anyway, the way the stars are aligning hasnt happened for millions of years. Last time they formed exactly like this, millions and millions of years ago. And exactly what happened? Nothing big, just wiped out almost every species. So yes i do believe that we all die in 2012. December 18th, 2012 12:07PM = Doomsday

By: Prime X

Prime X — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

just look at some source on the internet
it has to do with a mayan or aztec calender maybe?
supposedly all the planets are going to line up and crazy stuff is going to happen.
i forget where i read it but it sounded more like something you would here out of the bible. basically it is going to be a “transition” stage where we will become more advanced/intelligent or something. And your life will be judged by how good or bad you are. if you do good things you are fine, if you do bad things you’re in trouble..
…sounds a lot like people trying to persuade others into being good.
*shrugs*

By: CAITLIN

CAITLIN — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

well say that the 2012 mayan calender is going to end because maybe they ceased to write the calender? maybe They Died Out When They got to 2012 there is many explenations for the calender to end,it dosent mean the world is going to end because a calender said so?

By: Karma of the Poodle

Karma of the Poodle — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

There is no scientific evidence that this will happen. On the Aztec calendar, it says the world will end in 2012. I have one in my hallway. It makes me wonder, but I do not believe it is correct. Remember 2000? Nothing happened. I hope you find what you’re looking for!

By: hardyfre

hardyfre — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

I was scared of that.But then we have to think Again.Remember in the Bible that ~ Jesus ~ said that no was allowed to know when the end of the Earth was coming?They are making a big Sin.Read the Bible.No one is to ever know when the end of the world is coming.So if the end of the world is in 2012 then ~ Jesus ~ lied to us all.SO I’m gonna say that the end of the world is not in 2012.Because no one knows.So take my advice.It’s coming from a person that telling the truth.All ~ Jesus ~said was to be prepared.And there’s no reason for this debate.There is no evidence.There never was.It’s not true.Go with what the Bible says.Oh look.You do have Evidence.AND IT’S THE BIBLE!And you know what I say.I say that “SOmetimes it’s safer and best not to know everything.But sometimes it’s important that you know.And you sure won’t be getting any INFO from the govermeant”

By: mrspiff8

mrspiff8 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:39 +0000

There is no evidence FOR the world ending in 2012.
One of several Mayan calendars is the Long Count calendar, which is reset to day 0 every 1,872,000 days or 7057.5 years. The next reset date, by some calculations, is December 21, 2012. This is not a prediction of the end of the world.
These predictions are scare tactics, conspiracy theories, and chances to make money from books and movies.
Ever since the Y2K and 6/6/6 (June 6, 2006) End of the World scenarios did not pan out, the scare mongers, conspiracy theorists, book sellers, and television executives have been touting the 2012 End of the World scenario. When 2012 does not happen either, I am sure they will think of something else.
“But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33)
Jesus told us in no uncertain terms that we were not to know when the end of the world would come but that we were always to be ready.
The early Christian Church thought that Jesus was going to return at any moment. Only after a couple of centuries did the Church realize that it may be 2,000 or 4,000 or 8,000 years before Jesus returns.
The Catholic Church wisely follows Jesus’ advice and teaches that each of us should live as if we will meet our maker in the next ten minutes and that we need to work to make the world a better place for our 100 X great-grandchildren.
Do not worry about the end of the world. Trust God to make sure everything happens to plan. Just be ready to meet God at any time.
For more information, about what Catholics believe about the end of the world, see: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newslett…
Here is also what NASA thinks about the 2012 End of the World scenario: http://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/StarFA…
With love in Christ.