Encountering Life in the Universe
eBook - ePub

Encountering Life in the Universe

Ethical Foundations and Social Implications of Astrobiology

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Encountering Life in the Universe

Ethical Foundations and Social Implications of Astrobiology

About this book

Are we alone in the universe? Are the planets our playground to treat as we will, or do we have a responsibility to other creatures who may inhabit or use them? Do we have a right to dump trash in space or leave vehicles on Mars or the moon?  How should we interact with other life forms?

Encountering Life in the Universe examines the intersection of scientific research and society to further explore the ethics of how to behave in a universe where much is unknown. Taking contributions from notable experts in several fields, the editors skillfully introduce and develop a broad look at the moral questions facing humans on Earth and beyond.

Major advances in biology, biotechnology, and medicine create an urgency to ethical considerations in those fields. Astrobiology goes on to debate how we might behave as we explore new worlds, or create new life in the laboratory, or interact with extraterrestrial life forms. Stimulated by new technologies for scientific exploration on and off the Earth, astrobiology is establishing itself as a distinct scientific endeavor.

In what way can established philosophies provide guidance for the new frontiers opened by astrobiology research? Can the foundations of ethics and moral philosophy help answer questions about modifying other planets? Or about how to conduct experiments to create life in the lab or about? How to interact with organisms we might discover on another world?

While we wait for the first echo that might indicate life beyond Earth, astobiologists, along with philosophers, theologians, artists, and the general public, are exploring how we might behave—even before we know for sure they are there. Encountering Life in the Universe is a remarkable resource for such philosophical challenges.

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Yes, you can access Encountering Life in the Universe by Chris Impey,Anna H. Spitz,William Stoeger in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Biological Sciences & Astronomy & Astrophysics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Table of Contents
  5. List of Illustrations
  6. Preface
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. 1. Astrobiology, Ethics, and Philosophy
  9. 2. Lessons from Earth: Toward an Ethics of Astrobiology
  10. 3. Astrobiology and Beyond: From Science to Philosophy and Ethics
  11. 4. Beyond Horatio's Philosophy: Biological Evolution and the “Plurality of Worlds” Concept
  12. 5. The Wonder Called Cosmic Oneness: Toward Astroethics from Hindu and Buddhist Wisdom and Worldviews
  13. 6. Social and Ethical Implications of Creating Artificial Cells
  14. 7. Space Exploration and Searches for Extraterrestrial Life: Decision Making and Societal Issues
  15. 8. Astrobiology and Society: The Long View
  16. 9. Planetocentric Ethics: Principles for Exploring a Solar System That May Contain Extraterrestrial Microbial Life
  17. 10. Contact: Who Will Speak for Earth and Should They?
  18. 11. Astroethics: Engaging Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life-Forms
  19. 12. A Scientifically Minded Citizenry: The Ethical Responsibility of All Scientists
  20. 13. Survival Ethics and Astrobiology
  21. Appendix: Astrobiological Risk: A Dialogue
  22. Further Reading
  23. Contributors
  24. Index