Very interesting thoughts. Thanks

ebnelson — 12/28/2004 4:31:29 PM (archived)

I think that over time there will be significant numbers of people living out there. My bet is space development and exploitation will occur when we have the capability to act out the two driving economic motives in the space environment: Fear and greed. I don't think we are really that far away.
Either fear of stuff happening to well-to-do minorities on earth or fear of something hitting us from space. "Greed" as in profit desire for something that justifies the terrific capital costs and risks of getting out there. I wonder if other species have contemplated their eventual extinction? Your point about our culture developments out stripping our biological makes me wonder if that is even possible? I think biology is in effect manifest destiny, since everything that we do is a product of our biology. There are some excellent books talking about life and the spread of life as a manifestation of a gaia impulse that exists on a star system wide scale. There may be some good points on this.
Ed

The whole thread (51 posts)

Reasons - Raoul - 12/27/2004 9:00:11 PM
- An anti-imperialist view - louis - 12/28/2004 10:01:41 PM
  - re: An anti-imperialist view - ebnelson - 12/29/2004 5:13:36 AM
    - re: An anti-imperialist view - louis - 12/29/2004 7:16:23 PM
      - And the Mongols? (n/t) - ebnelson - 12/29/2004 10:45:08 PM
        
        Yes, and the Aztecs and the Egyptians, and the Mesopotamians, etcetera - louis - 12/29/2004 11:31:14 PM
        
        Okey dokey - ebnelson - 12/30/2004 4:40:04 PM
  - Yeah, nobody conquered anyone until Christianity showed up. - Tom Brosz - 12/29/2004 12:37:26 AM
    - re: Yeah, nobody conquered anyone until Christianity showed up. - louis - 12/29/2004 6:59:06 PM
      - I repeat the previous comment. - Tom Brosz - 12/29/2004 9:35:03 PM
        
        I repeat mine - louis - 12/29/2004 10:36:09 PM
        
        re: Labels - Tom Brosz - 12/30/2004 1:06:37 AM
        
        re: Labels - ebnelson - 12/30/2004 4:41:19 PM
  - It's A Very Old Human Trait - Mark Eby - 12/29/2004 12:02:59 AM
    - re: It's A Very Old Human Trait - louis - 12/29/2004 7:43:09 PM
      - So explain away the early Islamic empires and the later Ottoman - ebnelson - 12/30/2004 4:44:11 PM
      - No, I'm Rejecting Your Application Of Prejudice - Mark Eby - 12/30/2004 1:58:18 AM
- Our purpose to expand into space is to propogate and protect Gaia - LJK - 12/28/2004 4:43:47 PM
  - re: Gaia - Raoul - 12/28/2004 6:18:34 PM
    - Then there is Metaman... - LJK - 12/28/2004 9:55:40 PM
      - re: Perhaps (n/t) - Raoul - 12/29/2004 6:29:12 AM
- Very interesting thoughts. Thanks - ebnelson - 12/28/2004 4:31:29 PM
- I'm sure you're with me on this - Daniel - 12/28/2004 12:21:21 AM
  - re: The politacal divide - Raoul - 12/28/2004 6:50:46 PM
    - re: The politacal divide - phil - 12/28/2004 8:44:59 PM
- Not so much "manifest destiny" as biological imperative - Tom Brosz - 12/27/2004 10:58:32 PM
  - You really do suprise me - Daniel - 12/28/2004 12:31:51 AM
    - Going To Mars Does Not Require Any More Than Going To The Moon - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 1:05:01 AM
      - even so .. - Daniel - 12/28/2004 1:23:55 AM
        
        The Purpose Of Life Is Creation - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 1:28:55 AM
        
        Ok, that's true. But it's too far-future for our present purposes - Daniel - 12/28/2004 1:40:54 AM
        
        That's The Problem With Setting Your Sites On A Resource Poor Destination - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 2:00:45 AM
        
        technology for in-situ survival on Mars - Daniel - 12/28/2004 2:34:37 AM
        
        Not Quite As Reliable As You Might Expect - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 2:44:17 AM
        
        Yes, Zubrin says the ChemE is just 19th century technology - Daniel - 12/28/2004 2:49:55 AM
        
        How Much About Zubrin's Plans Have You Read? (n/t) - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 3:09:20 AM
        
        the basics: - Daniel - 12/28/2004 3:15:17 AM
        
        re: the basics: - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 3:19:33 AM
        
        fair enough, what should I consider? - Daniel - 12/28/2004 3:32:27 AM
        
        Nothing Specific - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 11:58:05 PM
        
        (sorry, the 2nd link is a .doc, not PDF) - Daniel - 12/28/2004 3:17:33 AM
    - You make a good point... - Tom Brosz - 12/28/2004 12:45:42 AM
      - I still don't think so - Daniel - 12/28/2004 1:34:48 AM
        
        Tough places - Tom Brosz - 12/28/2004 3:27:16 AM
        
        Past Explorers Risked More & It Was Routine - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 1:42:50 AM
        
        Cultural change and risk - Nick Hoffman - 12/28/2004 4:40:12 AM
        
        True & False - Mark Eby - 12/28/2004 11:56:06 PM
        
        Obviously a Better "Writer" Than Eye ;-) (n/t) - Mark Eby - 12/29/2004 12:04:21 AM
        
        Religious and ideological motivation - Louis - 12/28/2004 9:47:42 PM
        
        re: motivation - Johannes - 12/29/2004 4:37:17 AM
        
        re: motivation - louis - 12/29/2004 7:30:09 PM

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