Not so much "manifest destiny" as biological imperative

Tom Brosz — 12/27/2004 10:58:32 PM (archived)

"Manifest destiny" is more a political notion, implying that OUR nation (fill in the blank) is the one that should colonize open territory.

It is the nature of life to attempt to colonize every niche possible, an imperative that does not require conciousness or volition. But the intelligence of humanity makes it possible to colonize space in a way that only the hardiest of microscopic organisms could otherwise hope to do.

This goes far beyond politics. As a species, we would be just as successful if communist China opened self-sustaining communities on other planets or among the asteroids, as if the United States did it. A thousand years from now, Mao and Marx would probably be no more relevant to their descendants across the solar system (and beyond?) than the politics of the Roman Empire would be to us.

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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