Off-Earth

Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space

De: Erika Nesvold

Narrado por: April Doty

Can we do better in space than we've done here on Earth?

We've pinpointed the destination, refined the technology, designed the habitat. Are we forgetting something? A timely reminder that it's not just rocket science, this book explores the all-too-human issues raised by the prospect of settling in outer space. Accordingly, her work highlights the complex ethical challenges that accompany any other-worldly venture—questions about the environment, labor rights, and medical ethics, among others.

Any such venture, Nesvold contends, must be made on behalf of all humanity, with global input and collaboration. Off-Earth thus includes historical and contemporary examples from outside the dominant Western/US, abled, and privileged narrative of the space industry. Nesvold calls on experts in ethics, sociology, history, social justice, and law to launch a hopeful conversation about the potential ethical pitfalls of becoming a multi-planet species—and, ideally, to shed light on similar problems we presently face here on Earth.

Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Nesvold challenges us to decide.

©2023 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (P)2023 Tantor

Unique

Main idea is that with us humans, eons after eon, nothing changes. I didn’t know people were seriously contemplating how to build societies off earth. Now I have even more to contemplate in life. Creative format. Very good narration.