The Impact of Discovering Life beyond Earth
eBook - PDF

The Impact of Discovering Life beyond Earth

  1. English
  2. PDF
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

The Impact of Discovering Life beyond Earth

About this book

The search for life in the Universe, once the domain of science fiction, is now a robust research program with a well-defined roadmap, from studying the extremes of life on Earth to exploring the possible niches for life in the Solar System and discovering thousands of planets far beyond it. In addition to constituting a major scientific endeavor, astrobiology is one of the most popular topics in astronomy, and is of growing interest to a broad community of thinkers from across the academic spectrum. In this volume, distinguished philosophers, theologians, anthropologists, historians and scientists discuss the big questions about how the discovery of extraterrestrial life, whether intelligent or microbial, would impact society. Their remarkable and often surprising findings challenge our foundational concepts of what the discovery of alien life may hold for humankind. Written in easily accessible language, this thought-provoking collection engages a wide audience of readers from all backgrounds.

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Yes, you can access The Impact of Discovering Life beyond Earth by Steven J. Dick in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Physical Sciences & Astronomy & Astrophysics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half-title page
  3. Title page
  4. Copyright page
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Contributors
  8. Introduction Astrobiology and society
  9. Part I Motivations and approaches: How do we frame the problems of discovery and impact?
  10. Part II Transcending anthropocentrism: How do we move beyond our own preconceptions of life, intelligence, and culture?
  11. Part III Philosophical, theological, and moral impact: How do we comprehend the cultural challenges raised by discovery?
  12. Part IV Practical considerations: How should society prepare for discovery – and non-discovery?
  13. Contributor biographies
  14. Index