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From: djo@ptsfd.UUCP (Dan'l Oakes)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia
Subject: Re: Why does everyone want to leave this planet?
Message-ID: <289@ptsfd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 19:36:41 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfd.289
Posted: Tue Mar 11 19:36:41 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 06:31:52 EST
References: <671@rti-sel.UUCP> <172@jc3b21.UUCP> <441@3comvax.UUCP>
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Xref: watmath net.space:6411 net.columbia:2637
Summary: On being the caretakers

In article <441@3comvax.UUCP>, michaelm@3comvax.UUCP (Michael McNeil) writes:
> We humans are the caretakers of the results of 4 billion years of
> evolutionary history of life on Earth.  The danger to that huge
> investment of time and blood -- perhaps the only life in the
> universe -- is too great for us to depend on platitudes, and this
> extreme danger is likely to persist indefinitely into the future.  
> I'd like us to have more baskets to put our eggs in -- rather than
> depending on some magical transformation of human nature to occur.  
> (Then, and in parallel, let's work on the required transformations!)  

Very good point!  Only, what makes us humans the sole caretakers?  I think
evolution, as long as we're characterizing it as a nonrandom force (as you
implicitly do in your article -- otherwise "4 billion years of evolutionary
history" is no more intrinisically valuable than empty space), would prefer
to have more baskets than just humankind into which to put its eggs.  If
evolution == survivability has any intrinsic value, then one must question 
the value of saving the only self-exterminating species on the planet at the 
cost of every other product of evolution to date!

Sorry to those who want messages on the shuttle program, but this kind of
reasoning is so close to valid it requires some response.  

And lest there be doubt as to which side I'm on...I'd go, in a MINUTE!!

(if they'd let me...)

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes

"We'll have nothing to do with the PLAIN-bellied sort!"