Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!columbia!topaz!jhardest From: jhardest@bbncct Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Why would we go in to space Message-ID: <2956@topaz.ARPA> Date: Sat, 27-Jul-85 01:13:04 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.2956 Posted: Sat Jul 27 01:13:04 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 06:15:10 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 65 From: "John f. Hardesty" TWIMC, Why would we leave this planet? The several possibilities are: 1. Exploration 2. Colonization 3. Escape 4. Invitation 5. Expansionist (Manifest Destiny) 6. Dumb Luck (My favorite) The first , exploration, is the simplest to talk about.. even though we are a violent race (by nature) we have an insatiable curiosity and the desire to know something about what we do not know. The second , colonization, although different would probally follow the exploration part because first we explore.. Colonozation might happen because the ability to procreate , unchecked is unfortuneately our biggest problem (worldwide that is) has forced us to either stay on earth or find greener pastures. As human history has shown most discoverys of new territory (ie the New World ) by early explorers other than Columbus has been because people are looking for a better place to live.. The third escape , could be a group of scientific types or a group counter to the current regime decides that instead of staying and suffering that they would explore the the galaxy searching for a better place ( similar to two but not quite) The fourth reason might be an invitation by a space faring race to become a space faring race by their assistance. The fifth reason might be that one group has conquered the earth (politically)and wants to spread its brand of philosophy across the galaxy by conquering and freeing any down trodden beings .... The last reason that i put down is dumb luck... I think this has the best reason to go.. some one will accidently figure out the way to travel greater distances in shorter time so we could explore the galaxy and by some chance it work and we get out into space and are not wiped out by other space faring races that we are imposing on their territory and find some habitable planet under another G class star that is uninhabited and theat we would bring our technology and start poluting that world as well and keep going and becoming the star slob of the galaxy... yes our race, the human race, will trash your planetary systems with garbage that you have never thought of as pollution but then again maybe we will blow ourselves up.. and a space faring race will laugh at us and declare us a nuclear hot zone. Another reason no space faring race has come here is that maybe we are the Cleveland of star systems i mean maybe we have nothing to offer a space faring race except television.... John Haredsty Jhardest@bbncct