Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!noao!asuvax!enuxha!kluksdah
From: kluksdah@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (Norman C. Kluksdahl)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Space travel and the human spirit
Summary: Why do anything??
Message-ID: <27@enuxha.eas.asu.edu>
Date: 7 Feb 89 22:47:44 GMT
References: <4246@drivax.DRI>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Arizona State Univ, Tempe
Lines: 55

In article <4246@drivax.DRI>, macleod@drivax.DRI (MacLeod) writes:
> Paul Dietz and I discuss manned space flight:
> 
> :>I do believe that it is 
> :>spiritual, of the *human* spirit, in the most sublime sense: it is something
> :>no animal would ever do, nor could it want to.
> :
> :  It is consistent for me to
> :believe that people will eventually live in space and yet still think
> :that it would be pointless for me, personally, to travel there.
> 
> My purpose in my posting was
> only secondarily to say that men >should< go into space because men >want< to 
> go into space....
> 
I couldn't resist any longer.  From the standpoint of pure feasibility,
Paul Dietz is of course correct.  From the standpoint of mankind's innate
spirit of adventure [ok, innate for SOME of us  :-) ], arguements FOR
manned spaceflight are valid.

No, I don't believe I have just presented conflicting views.  Look at some
examples:  Columbus' voyage could be argued as one of as much adventure as
economics.  Why do people climb mountains? Especially Mt. Everest?  After
all, it's been conquered in just about every conceivable way, but still
people make the attempt.  Is there new knowledge gained?  No.  Some people
are merely driven to new experiences.  But not all people.  I, for one,
have no desire to experience the thrill of skydiving.  After all, why 
voluntarily leap from an airplane that is still flying?  Nor do I wish to
take up bullfighting.  Nor would I climb Everest.  But there are some who
want to do those things, and more.  I am no more justified in saying that
they shouldn't do these things as someone is in condemning a desire to travel
in space, so long as these adventures don't cost me anything.  (In fact, one
could argue that the general public is willing to pay so long as the 
entertainment value holds out.)

I cannot condemn Paul for making his arguements.  Economically, they are
correct, and the US Constitution guarantees him the right to say what he
thinks.  I do have one thing to say, however:

Paul, (and others against manned spaceflight);
Please use a little discretion in your arguements; try not to come across
with the attitude of "it's not economical; therefore it's a waste of time
to even think about doing."  Such thinking is a sure way to kill dreams,
and if we have no dreams, we are little more than human automata.  It is 
the people who hold the dreams that will find a way to eventually refute
the objections to them.  They know, from examining the cold hard facts, that
your arguements are correct.  Still, they cling to a dream.  Let's not
take that dream away.



Norman Kluksdahl              Arizona State University
            ..ncar!noao!asuvax!enuxha!kluksdah

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