quote:
Either way, it will eventually be irrelevant as the risk of us contaminating what would at most be microbial life on earth will outweigh our needs as a species. There are no ethical questions regarding a lifeless planet/rock/whatever in space.

Respectfully, you simply aren't well informed about this issue.

Thr ethical question exists independent of the presence of Martian life.

Can you expain to us which of humanity's needs will be met by colonizing a planet that doesn't have a functioning magnetosphere? How will we deal with the lack of shielding for solar radiation in such a way that will create a living environment that is 'meeting our needs' in a manner that can't be accomplished on Earth?

This post was edited on 4/23/17 at 11:16 pm

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Posted by SundayFunday

Member since Sep 2011

9309 posts

Posted on 4/24/17 at 9:57 am to weagle99

quote:
Can you expain to us which of humanity's needs will be met by colonizing a planet that doesn't have a functioning magnetosphere? How will we deal with the lack of shielding for solar radiation in such a way that will create a living environment that is 'meeting our needs' in a manner that can't be accomplished on Earth?

Thats not an Ethical question. Thats a practicality one. What need that would be met is the same that was met by exploring the new world 500 years ago. A base for expansion and boost of moral.

And above all, a fallback for the human species in the likely even of an eventual global catastrophe

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Posted by Nuts4LSU

Washington, DC

Member since Oct 2003

25468 posts

Posted on 4/24/17 at 10:12 am to weagle99

quote:
Can you expain to us which of humanity's needs will be met by colonizing a planet that doesn't have a functioning magnetosphere? How will we deal with the lack of shielding for solar radiation in such a way that will create a living environment that is 'meeting our needs' in a manner that can't be accomplished on Earth?

How is this an ethical issue? You're saying it will be hard to terraform Mars and make it habitable for us. Yes, we know that, but it has nothing to do with whether we should do it, if we can. And why would it have to be in a manner that can't be accomplished on Earth? Adding more livable space for people would be helpful, and becoming a multi-planet species would significantly reduce our risk of being wiped out by a single calamitous event.

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