Re: RE: starship-design: The Case for Space

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/14/99 6:42:32 PM, lparker@cacaphony.net writes:

>> It seems to me that you all think in this thread only in terms of
>
>> "what profit space operations can bring to people living on Earth".
>
>> Generally I must say it is a wrong perspective - space operations
>
>> will be mostly directed at, and bring profits (and sustenance)
>
>> to people living OFF EARTH. Because the real rationale for
>
>> going massively into space is to install a self-sustaining
>
>> populations of people living out of Earth. And it is not
>
>> the matter of profit or building a comfortable paradise
>
>> for growing amounts of people on Earth, but the matter of survival.
>
>> Because, as I wrote recently in a discussion with one
>
>> environmentalist
>
>> (specifically, a leader of an anti-cassini group):
>
>>
>
>
>
>Ahh, but that was the point of the thread, what good might space do for
>the
>
>planet, not what good it might do for space. I do not deny that it will
>do
>
>as much or more for the 3 billion humans I expect will be living off planet
>
>in the next fifty years or so. In fact, I personally would prefer to look
>at
>
>in those terms. However, the case must be made for the benefit of the meek,
>
>who shall remain behind...

3 BILLION folks off planet in 50 years!!!  Are you on any medication.




>
>> > The only chance to prevent an ultimate disaster of this kind
>
>> > is to spread humankind, and the earthly life as a whole,
>
>> > to other places except Earth - that is, to other planets,
>
>> > and colonies in space. This is indeed a very difficult,
>
>> > and a very risky business - lots of people will perish in
>
>> the course
>
>> > of conquering space, but the mankind, and the rest of earthly life,
>
>> > will get a chance to survive thanks to their noble sacrifice.
>
>> > It is our obligation, as the most conscious and able
>
>> species of life
>
>> > on Earth, to spread life elsewhere in the universe and in this way
>
>> > to prevent its extinction in some catastrophic accident that may
>
>> > happen to Earth.
>
>
>
>Ignoring the incredible hubris, I agree. There is of course an ethical
>
>question here of whether we have the right to spread (read infest) the
>rest
>
>of space with our particular form of life, but based on current evidence,
>we
>
>may be the ONLY life...

Infest!!  What's with this!!


>Lee

Kelly