Eight ethical questions about exploring outer space that [Supposedly] need answers

question #1: should we care about the universe beyond how it affects us as humans?

Question #2: the kind of life we are most likely to discover elsewhere is microbial – so how should we view this lifeform?

Question #5: what, besides biological contamination, would count as violating such an obligation to treat that planet's environment with respect? Drilling for core samples, perhaps, or leaving instruments behind, or putting tyre tracks in the dirt?

Question #7: what considerations might offset arguments in favour of behaving ethically in space?

Question #8: given that the Earth is not the only potential home for human beings, what reasons for protecting its environment would remain once we can realistically go somewhere else?

Question #1: should we care about the universe beyond how it affects us as humans?
LOL, why shouldn't we? We care about a boatload of things every day that don't affect us as humans!

Question #2: the kind of life we are most likely to discover elsewhere is microbial – so how should we view this lifeform?
Through a high powered microscope?

Question #4: is there a duty to protect the environment on other planets?
No. It's pretty harsh out there. We'll be trying to figure out how to protect ourselves from the environment.

Question #5: what, besides biological contamination, would count as violating such an obligation to treat that planet's environment with respect? Drilling for core samples, perhaps, or leaving instruments behind, or putting tyre tracks in the dirt?
This really is a pretty silly question.

Question #6: what about asteroids?
What about them?

Question #7: what considerations might offset arguments in favour of behaving ethically in space?
Is ejecting piss from a spacesuit into space unethical? What is unethical in space, things like motioning to your space companion in his spacesuit as if you were cutting the air-hose in an underwater fight in Sea Hunt?

Question #8: given that the Earth is not the only potential home for human beings, what reasons for protecting its environment would remain once we can realistically go somewhere else?
If you are the last one off, remember to flush the toilet before you leave.

Auestion #1: should we care about the universe beyond how it affects us as humans?

To quote (roughly) George Carlin, talk about hubris. WE can’t kill the planet, and we certainly can’t hurt the universe.

Question #2: the kind of life we are most likely to discover elsewhere is microbial – so how should we view this lifeform?

Yes, the most likely thing we’ll find is single celled. The “Great Filter” is probably the incredibly rare, miraculous accident that lets multi-celled life arise. The mitochondria are the powerhouse of a cell, and ALL complex life is descended from a single biological accident ... and it happened after billions of years of life on Earth through multiple biochemistries. (Carbon reducing, methane, sulfur digesting, plants, animals).

If we arrive on a planet with slime, we can choose to avoid contaminating it so we can study it better ... or terraform it accurately. If it has multi-celled life, then yes, quarantine it while studying it because it may be the only one in our galaxy that could eventually produce something other than slime molds.

Question #4: is there a duty to protect the environment on other planets?

So that we can adequately study it, sure. So that complex life, once we know how rare it is, can thrive - yes. Are we morally mandated to avoid any potentially habitable planets? Nope, not unless there is someONE obviously there.

Question #5: what, besides biological contamination, would count as violating such an obligation to treat that planet’s environment with respect? Drilling for core samples, perhaps, or leaving instruments behind, or putting tyre tracks in the dirt?

This is irrational. It takes “leave no trace” ethos and applies it to alien worlds. In theory, the Mars rover is violating a sacred and empty planet, and the rover on an asteroid is an affront to the Gods.

Liberals need to stop this Mother Earth (Father Universe?) ethos that says shut up, stay home, live in the dark eating mung bean curd or else Mad Mamma will send horrors straight out of Revelations. They’re ripping off Christianity’s hellfire and brimstone (seas will boil, oceans to acid, all plants die, famine, pestilence, death) and applying it to theoretically and likely EMPTY planets.

That we’re committing a sin if we visit even dead worlds?
Talk about human hatred.

Question #6: what about asteroids?

See last sentence to #5.

Question #7: what considerations might offset arguments in favour of behaving ethically in space?

Survival of the only intelligent species. Or multiple species, if we choose to bring dolphins along. Will environmentalists let us explore space if we promise to save the dolphins? Whales are too big ...

Question #8: given that the Earth is not the only potential home for human beings, what reasons for protecting its environment would remain once we can realistically go somewhere else?

In the Larry Niven book “Fallen Angels”, he revealed an interesting environmentalist trope ... environmentalists in favor of space development so we could move industry off world and turn the planet back into wilderness. This was even used in the Sterling novel “Drakon”. In either case, space travel becomes a MEANS for better protecting the Earth, not a reason to ruin it.

I'll try!

#1: should we care about the universe beyond how it affects us as humans?

Sure. Beyond, of course, the idiot liberal notion that caring about something makes a damn bit of difference to it. Not entirely sure the universe cares back so much.

#2: the kind of life we are most likely to discover elsewhere is microbial – so how should we view this lifeform?

With a microscope. Is this a trick question?

#3: for planets and other places not hospitable to life, what value should we place on their environment?

Any value we place will be either with respect to us and its uses as raw materials or aesthetic amusement, or to God, which is what this little essay is carefully avoiding as a source of ethics. In God's absence we owe the universe nothing. Acknowledge His existence and you'd better start acting accordingly toward His work.

#4: is there a duty to protect the environment on other planets?

Duty toward what? And in any case, it's likely to be doing its best to kill us anyway. Just like ours does.

#5: what, besides biological contamination, would count as violating such an obligation to treat that planet's environment with respect? Drilling for core samples, perhaps, or leaving instruments behind, or putting tyre tracks in the dirt?

Bad vibes generally. Beer cans, for sure. A core sample is a hole in the ground, so I'd give that one a pass. Tyre tracks don't affect other than messing with aliens' minds, but I wouldn't want them to think we drove cheap ones. But if we really want to mess with their minds, building pyramidal structures in stone and leaving without a clue ought to do it. Maybe stacking big rocks up in a circle. The possibilities are endless.

#6: what about asteroids?

I don't know, what about them? We claim them for humanity, strip-mine the hell out of them, and leave them go their merry way. If anyone sees diamonds, I got dibs.

#7: what considerations might offset arguments in favour of behaving ethically in space?

Survival, for one. As usual. The idea that we're likely to be out there as space tourists is a pretty optimistic one. That's the luxury of somebody who already has a planet of their own and is safely established in it.

#8: given that the Earth is not the only potential home for human beings, what reasons for protecting its environment would remain once we can realistically go somewhere else?

Not trashing your house just because you own a summer cabin? Not wrecking your car because you just bought a second one?

I don't mean to sound overly facetious but these are not, after all, new questions. "Do unto others" isn't limited by the fact that those others need to be in front of us or like us. But if there is no source of moral sanction, then these questions become meaningless. Just my $0.02.

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