"Martha Adams" wrote in message
...
I was just looking at "The Future of Human Spaceflight" by David Mindell et al
at MIT, and I think it illustrates a fundamental error in how people are
thinking about space. What is space for? We can skip right over a lot of
abstract stuff by using an analogy out of Europe in the early 1500's, "What is
America for?" Our history answers that one easily: it's for people. Likewise,
space is for people, and Frederick Jackson Turner's paper (thanks, Robert
Zubrin) outlines how people and cultures will develop there.


There's a huge logical flaw with the assumption humanity is destined to
colinize space. If humanity were truly civilized and intelligent, we'd
understand nature enough to be able to find a sustainable equilibruim
with our environment. So, if we were 'civilized' we wouldn't ...need...
to colonize.

If we need to colonize, then we're not civilized enough to...successfully...
colonize space. Any colony would be a weak microcosm of what
we already have on earth. So what's the point then?

When we finally have the knowledge and wisdom to colonize
space, we won't need to anymore...catch-22.

I'm sure many people will want to live elsewhere, but as far as
needing to on a large scale? I don't see any reason we
would need to depend on colonies for survival.

The only reason it's assumed humanity must expand into the
solar system is the fact we still live in a scientific Dark Age.
And an age where humanity is not yet civilized and is still
closer to animals than not.

Oh, did you read the paper today btw? The US Navy has
decided to lead a task force to shut down the Somali
.....pirates.

Hmm...pirates running rampant on the open seas.

And you're talking about humanity colonizing the solar system
as if we're almost ready to do it or something.

What were you thinking~


Btw