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From: whp@cbnap.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Interstellar space travel -- is it possible?
Message-ID: <130@cbnap.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Jan-84 22:38:27 EST
Article-I.D.: cbnap.130
Posted: Sat Jan  7 22:38:27 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Jan-84 21:47:02 EST
Lines: 21

The motivation for reproduction should not be defended logically.
Actually, humans (and I suppose other animals) do not select goals
in a logical or even rational manner; in this respect the image many
people have of themselves is false.  Humans are *not* rational
beings, instead they are rationalizing beings.  The difference to
me is that a ration being would chose completely logical, rational
goals and carry them out in a logical and rational way.  A rationalizing
being choses goals to satisfy biological urges, but attempts to
reach that goal through logical means.  There is not defensible,
imperitave motivation for manned exploration of the universe, but
then there is no defensible logial reason for the continued existence
of mankind either.  The urges to explore, gain territory, etc., are
similar to the urge to reproduce.  These urges are programmed into
our genes and historically seem to have been good survival traits.
So it is probably true that many years from now these "stay at home"
stick-in-the-muds will die out of the gene pool.

I am sure that interstellar will happen despite the arguments
of these people when enough people *want* it to happen.

W. H. Pollock