Space exploration, especially the recent push for the
commercialization and militarization of space, is attracting
increased attention not only from the wider public and the private
sector but also from scholars in a wide range of disciplines. At
this moment of uncertainty about the future direction of national
spaceflight programs, The Value of Science in Space Exploration
defends the idea, often overlooked, that the scientific
understanding of the Solar System is both intrinsically and
instrumentally valuable. Drawing on research from the physical
sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, James S.J. Schwartz
argues further that there is truly a compelling obligation to
improve upon our scientific understanding-including our
understanding of space environments-and that there exists a
corresponding duty to engage in the scientific exploration of the
Solar System. After outlining the underpinning epistemological
debates, Schwartz tackles how this obligation affects the way we
should approach some of the major questions of contemporary space
science and policy: Is there a need for environmental preservation
in space? Should humans try to establish settlements on the Moon,
Mars, or elsewhere in the Solar System, and if so, how? In
answering these questions, Schwartz parleys with recent work in
science policy and social philosophy of science to characterize the
instrumental value of scientific research, identifying space
research as a particularly effective generator of new knowledge.
Additionally, whereas planetary protection policies are currently
employed to prevent biological contamination only of sites of
interest in the search for extraterrestrial life, Schwartz contends
that all sites of interest to space science ought to be protected.
Meanwhile, both space resource exploitation, such as lunar or
asteroid mining, and human space settlement would result in
extensive disruption or destruction of pristine space environments.
The overall ethical value of these environments in the production
of new knowledge and understanding is greater than their value as
commercial or real commodities, and thus confirms that the
exploitation and settlement of space should be avoided until the
scientific community develops an adequate understanding of these
environments. At a time when it is particularly pertinent to
consider the ways in which space exploration might help solve some
of the world's ethical and resource-driven concerns, The Value of
Science in Space Exploration is a thought-provoking and much-needed
examination into the world of space.
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