Re: starship-design: What is safest?

[TLG.van.der.Linden@tip.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

Hello Zenon,

>> Euthanasia is ending your life prematurely when all that is left is an
>> unworthy way of living (ie. with pain, or without a mind).
>> Going on a one-way mission means that you likely have to die 
>> (or even want to die) before your life becomes unworthy of living.
>
>I rather see that differently, but it would be too much off topic
>to discuss it here, I am afraid. Only two remarks:
>
>- I am not against suicide as such (i.e., I can be against it
>  as a way of solving the problem [or from, say, religious reasons], 
>  but I grant the right of a person to choose such a solution), 
>  but I am against suicide assisted by others, for whatever reasons.

While a one-way mission is not pure suicide, the World does assist the crew
to go on a mission that may cause them to die prematurely.

>- If going on a one-way mission assumes "wanting to die",
>  thet it is a suicide mission, not a one-way mission.
>  Did the settlers of other continets went there because 
>  they wanted to die?

I wonder if settlers can be compared with explorers.
Settlers likely expect to die of old age with their family (offspring) to
take care of them the few last years.
Depending on the ability to repair the ship, the crew may die due to
equipment failure. And while the first of the crew will die while others are
around to take care of them, the last members alive may hope to just not
wake up the next morning.

Timothy