The end of the world? - Fact of Fiction?

On the 15th of November 2013 a Viking horn had sounded in York, signifying exactly 100 days until the end of the world, thus making February 22^nd 2014 the coming of the Viking apocalypse, also known as ‘Ragnarok’, translated into ‘Doom of the Gods’. This apocalypse will consist of fights breaking out and the Gods devouring the sun and moon; causing the universe to crumble and earth being thrown into eternal darkness. But is this just another fairy tale, or is it real this time?

The end of the world has been predicted many times before; the Mayans in 2012 is a prime example. The judgement day that never happened, where the heavens and earth would open up to us making the planet a real life purgatory. Or even the idea that the sun would burn out on 50 years’ time, causing all life to stop on earth. But why do so many people believe these theories? Why do we believe that the world does have an end? Why can’t the world carry on being forever?

In terms of philosophy, the theory of the Cosmological Argument suggests a beginning and an end of earth; that God was the primary causer and mover and he is the one who began and will end the world. The cosmological argument rejects the idea of the world being infinite, as everything on earth has a start and a finish, therefore the universe must too. This theory must be a reason as to why we humans believe these conspiracy theories, due to our belief that the end of the world will happen.

A philosopher named Aquinas wrote ‘Summa Teleologica’ describing his 5 ways. Aquinas’ 1^st and 2^nd way links to the cosmological argument in terms of the theory of causation and motion. Aquinas proposed that everything has a cause; all things have a sensible cause to make effect. Therefore without cause, no effect would be present, and no effect means there were no cause initially. However, there must have been a primary cause which started the chain of smaller causes to happen, and it must have been made by a primary causer, this causer being God. His other theory, the theory of motion; where everything that has moved must have been moved by something else, which itself must have been moved also, causing an endless cycle. But again, there must have been an initial mover – God. By looking at these points, it makes more sense to some that God did in fact create the earth, and if so, he himself could easily destroy it.

But even after many incorrect theories in the past, some still believe any idea of the end of the world that comes into the news, but why? In terms of the cosmological argument, the world is not infinite; it has a beginning and an end. Everything on earth does, so it must be so for the universe too?

David Hume argues that the theory is illogical; people use the examples of earthly things having a beginning and an end and comparing this to the universe. However, how can humans make such a huge jump from in-earth to out of earth things such as the universe? One must jump out of the universe to observe in order to know if these theories are sensible. And this being impossible, these theories remain illogical.  Another criticism is that humans have no knowledge that the universe definitely has a start and an end; no one alive today was present for the beginning of the earth so how can they know for sure that there even was a start? Why can’t the universe be infinite? There’s no real evidence proving it isn’t.

Looking back at the ‘Viking Apocalypse’, is this really a true indication of the end of the world, or just another fairy tale? Is there even an end to the world, or is it in fact infinite? It is always going to be a controversial topic, but next time you hear something like ‘We’re going to die! Judgement day is among us!’ think, is this logical? How do you know? We don’t.

V.S