Zero is an even, not odd, number.

My thanks to Rockylightning for this debate.I admit, I initially accepted this debate because the premise is slightly abusive. Debates that argue "1=1" and "My user name is Chrysippus" are usually put out for an easy win, and thus invite smart-alecs to come out of the woodwork and twist things around with a semantical argument. That, I admit, was my initial motivation.This debate, though, admits a greater scope for argument than my first glance showed; and as long as I have Rockylighting's solemn word that he will not instant-win this debate by going to a certain online mathematics dictionary and pointing out that the definition of Zero classifies it as an even number, but instead will limit himself (as I will) to the pure exercise of logic within this debate, we can have fun. In which case, I will shelve the reams of potent arguments I have ready to prove that Zero is an odd (in the sense of "unusual") number.Ready?The burden I accept in this debate is to show that Zero is not an even number.---------------I contend Zero is not an even number----------------Pro stated several characteristics of even numbers; and I agree with all of them. All four points under "What is an even number?" but before "Now let's examine zero's properties" I readily concede to be essentially correct. The disagreement starts when he begins to examine zero itself. I will use his numbering system to keep track of the items:1. Instead of the normal rules of "even + even = even, odd + even = odd", it seems that zero has its own special rule: "Anything plus zero is itself." This holds true no matter what is added to zero, indicating we may be dealing with a special case.2. Even numbers are certainly sandwiched between two odd numbers, and zero is in between 1 and -1; but notice that zero is the only number that is between integers of positive and negative value. No other even number (if zero were an even number) has this characteristic.3. Anything times an even number IS a larger even number; but anything times zero is zero, not some larger even number. Again, zero breaks the rules for even numbers.4. Here Pro makes a mistake in his writing; the rule he gave initially for 4 is "odd times odd = odd", not "even times even = even." And zero shows again that it is not bound to the rules for even numbers, because anything(odd or even) times zero = zero. Rules 3 and 4 show that zero is neither even nor odd, because operations using zero violate the rules for either category.Now, he did mention one other very, very important rule for even numbers; but he glossed over it. Gentlemen, ladies, I present to you the noble 2.All even numbers are evenly divisible by two; or, more cogently to this debate, are able to be expressed as multiples of two. 100 can be divided evenly into two 50's, and can be expressed as 100=(2*2*25). Odd numbers cannot be divided evenly by two. 33 can be expressed as 33=(3*11), but is not expressed as (2*16.5). Odd numbers cannot be evenly divided by even numbers, and can only be evenly divided by numbers that are factorial to them.Two itself cannot be divided by odd numbers without departing from the realm of whole numbers. Ah, and one more thing.Since even numbers all have the common factor of two, large even numbers can be divided evenly by many of the even numbers lower than it on the number line. 100 can be divided by fifty, twenty, ten, four, and two. 160 can be divided by eighty, forty, thirty-two, twenty, sixteen, ten, eight, four, and two. (They can both also be divided by five, but that does not concern us at the moment.) This is all very obvious stuff, and I apologize to the kindly reader for dragging you through it; but it is all neccessary, I assure you.Let us look at how zero treats 2.Zero divided by two is zero. Zero divided by any number is zero. If zero were even, we would expect it to be evenly divisable by two, but not by every odd number as well. Zero cannot be expressed as a multiple of two: {2=(0*?)}Two cannot be divided by zero, of course; and neither can any other even number. No even number has zero as a factor. For that matter, no odd number does, either.If no even number has zero as a factor; if zero always divides zero times, no matter whether divided by even or odd integers; if zero cannot be expressed as a multiple of two, unlike any even number; and if zero acts independently of all the even numbers when the 4 rules given by my opponent are applied; we can conclude: Whatever zero is, it certainly isn't even. I postulate that zero is a special case, neither even nor odd; but as it does not follow the rules for an even number, it is absurd to argue that it is even. I return this debate to my opponent, and wish him the best of luck.-C