Hardships of exploration

John Creighton · 2002-08-15 16:24:50

In another thread it has been pointed out that conditions that humans have lived in on marine vessels are very similar to conditions on mars. It is just hard for me to imagine why people will spend so much money so a few colonists can go live in hardship. It is hard for me to imagine the society that will result.

John Creighton · 2002-08-15 16:36:08

Okay an example:
Consider a society that lives in an Oneal Coloney, that is kind of like an ant colony. It has it's ruling class and working class. The population of both classes in controlled. All activities are monitored and decent is crushed. Children are trained to build and repair the colony as soon as possible and when a new colony is created the crew is halved and the birth rate temporally goes up. When workers are not needed they are put in to hibernation. People are genetically engineered to be the best suited in mind and body to there role in the colony.

Now consider the politics of earth, what human rights is this colony trampling. Is it acceptable for this colony to trample on these rights if it is necessary for the ultimate survival of the species. Are things ethically bad because philologically we perceive them as bad or are they inherently ethically bad. For instance is it wrong to whip someone who feels no pain. Is it wrong to kill someone who doesn't value their life.

Phobos · 2002-08-15 21:05:54

In another thread it has been pointed out that conditions that humans have lived in on marine vessels are very similar to conditions on mars. It is just hard for me to imagine why people will spend so much money so a few colonists can go live in hardship. It is hard for me to imagine the society that will result.

Since when is Mars doomed to eternal hardship? Sure the first people who setup camp there won't be living in exactly spartan conditions but I don't think that will necessarily prove fatal. There's no reason why a Mars colony won't eventually have the engineering ability and resources to make a colony a safe and comfortable place. Anyhow, I think you'll find people who are drawn to Mars. One only has to look into our past to find analogous situations of people flocking to places of extreme hardship. The Vikings settled Greenland for instance, which is basically just a big iceberg. But if Mars is going to attract people it will have to be a land of opportunity. If Mars just turns into some third rate dictatorship than any Mars colony will certainly die.

Palomar · 2002-10-05 14:18:23

One only has to look into our past to find analogous situations of people flocking to places of extreme hardship.

*Really! Look at how many people "crossed the pond" to settle in the Americas. It wasn't a great prospect for the Native Americans or the African slaves, of course; however, the immigrants were certainly equal to the task of building roads, establishing towns, trade, commerce, industry, agriculture, institutions of higher learning, etc.

I think humans tend to be at the top of their game and in best form when they are meeting a challenge head-on, whether thrust upon them or taken upon by their own will.

When I was a kid I would read some of my father's stories of survival against all odds, and usually these were the articles I'd first pick out of "Reader's Digest." I recall a book entitled _In the Presence of Mine Enemies_, regarding Howard Rutledge, who was shot down over Vietnam and a POW for years; when confined to a tiny room, alone, for weeks on end, he devised mental games and activities to fill the long lonely hours and preserve his sanity, such as by imagining himself building home after home...nail by nail, screw by screw, board by board. He'd "decorate" the house, imaging in precise detail EVERY action required to build it, then move on. He'd also work on remembering word-for-word any and every scrap of reading material that'd ever come into his hands. He'd grown up in a Christian home, and he was able to recall dozens of complete chapters of the Bible. It was amazing.

I got a bit side tracked, but anyway...I agree with what Phobos said. As you can probably tell, I'm combing through some "old" posts...

--Cindy

RobS · 2002-10-05 23:21:22

I'm not sure the O'Neal colony described in the posting above will ever come about. There is no need to treat people like worker bees or worker ants.

As for the ethics of the situation, an important ethical principle to consider is that people must be treated as ends, not as means. When you treat people as means, then they become pawns and their rights are stripped away. But if they are ends, then they have to be given freedom to achieve their potential.

All significant ethical systems on Earth treat people as ends, not means. I suppose the biggest exception is the military, but even there the goal is to minimize the loss of humanity. I do not see how exploration of space will cause the elininatin of this basic ethical principle.

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#1 2002-08-15 16:24:50

Re: Hardships of exploration

#2 2002-08-15 16:36:08

Re: Hardships of exploration

#3 2002-08-15 21:05:54

Re: Hardships of exploration

#4 2002-10-05 14:18:23

Re: Hardships of exploration

#5 2002-10-05 23:21:22

Re: Hardships of exploration

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