Astrobioethics Considerations Regarding Space Exploration

Abstract

“Astrobioethics Considerations Regarding Space Exploration” discusses a number of questions about space exploration that begin to emerge in the context of astrobioethics, the area of study that examines the moral implications of astrobiological research. Thus, this chapter will address the following questions: (1) Are we the guardians of life in the universe? (2) Can we be morally empathetic to possible extraterrestrial life forms? (3) Is the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe a key factor in the improvement of the human condition? (4) Can becoming multi- or interplanetary beings mean that we finally unite as humanity? (5) Should we avoid at all costs any possible attempt to communicate with other possible civilizations in the universe?