Principles of Life-Centered Astroethics:
Why Life? Principles of Life-Centered (Biotic) Ethics Life is unique in Nature, and for us, it is precious. Life is unique in its complex patterns, and in its purposeful self-continuation. We belong to life and share its drive for self-propagation. Belonging to life then implies a human purpose to secure, expand and propagate our family of gene/protein life. Advancing Life in Space: Panbiotic Ethics Our purpose is best achieved in space, where life has an immense future. We can start now to secure this future, by seeding with life new solar systems. New species can develop there into intelligent beings who will expand life futher. Filling the universe with life will give our human existence a cosmic purpose. Life-Centered Panbiotic Ethics: Principles and Implications Human survival, and expanding life in space, are cosmic human endeavors. They will require human cooperation on cosmic scales of space and time, based on compassion, truth, justice, peace, and a firm respect for life. They can be secured by these priciples: "Love Life; Respect Reality; and Honor Human Dignity". Life-centered biotic ethics define the human purpose: to forever safeguard and propagate life, and to elevate life into a major force in Nature. Can we in fact implement these principles? How can we assure that our family of gene/protein life survives and expands in the galaxy? What are the prospects for life in the Solar System and far beyond? What cosmological future will this new panbiotic astro-ethics secure? These questions are addressed below, and further in the e-book The basic principles are summarized also in Bioethics 2009, 23, 433-440:
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Value judgements are formed by intelligent beings. The value of Life must be self-defined by living beings. To living beings, Life itself is the highest value. From the human perspective, Life has the highest value amongst all the contents of the universe. Living systems are uniquely complex, and precisely tuned for their function. The harmony of this complex system endows Life with a unique value amongst all the creations of Nature. Biological structure would be unstable if the constants and laws of Nature were even slightly different. Life can exist only by a precise coincidence of the basic laws of matter. In this sense, the physical universe itself comes to a unique point in Life. Life has a unique value both from its own vantage-point and in the constitution of the universe. VII. Biotic Ethics, and Good and Evil From the human purpose derive the axioms of ethics: That which promotes life is good. That which destroys life is evil. These values derive from a biotic ethics that encompasses life, present and future. They commend the course of ethical behavior. Nurture the young, since they are the seed of the future. Assist Life where it falters: Help the needy, feed the hungry, cure the ill. Advance the richness of living patterns. Conserve and enhance the diversity of living species and develop ever more advanced life forms. Plant Life where it is absent. Seed with life all space and time, and encompass in Life all the resources of the universe.
The life that we plant in new worlds will fill the universe. The paths of life will diverge in multiple worlds, to explore the limitless scope of structures that Nature permits. The family of organic life will grow in quantity, complexity and diversity. Our family of organic life will be secure when our seed fills the galaxy. Life, born of the laws of Nature, will permeate the universe. Our descendants will fill all habitable space and time and seek to extend life to eternity. When life permeates the universe, our human existence will have fulfilled a cosmic purpose.
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The science
and ethics of expanding life in space are discussed in the e-book "Seeding the Universe with Life: Securing Our Cosmological Future"
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For hard-copy, click on the image below
to go
to the book at Amazon
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The basic principles are summarized also in Bioethics 2009, 23, 433-440: (free download) "Life Centered Ethics and the Human Future in Space" |
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Useful links: How could we expand life in the Universe? How much life can the galaxy support? |
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