EarthSeeds - Humanity's Ultimate Purpose in the Evolution of Life

The Ethical Issues

The idea of seeding the cosmos will not be popular with everyone. Religious opposition can be expected. "Does humanity have the moral right, to interfere, to contaminate or even pollute other cosmic environments?" will be a question that will surely be raised. Some scientists will not want their investigations of Moon or Mars contaminated with biological input from Earth. So these environments must be examined carefully before any seeding could take place. Some of these objections can be avoided by searching for target environments where the processes of life are not apparent or haven't had the opportunity to begin, such as, young or still forming solar systems (Mautner, 1995).

MacNiven has pointed out how various schools of environmental ethics - homocentric, zoocentric and biocentric would respond to terraforming Mars. Each of these could morally permit such an activity because they are all Earth-centered. However, a "cosmocentric ethic", recognition of the intrinsic value of all cosmic entities - could pose a moral problem for a program of "directed panspermia" (MacNiven, 1995). Mautner suggests that a "panbiotic ethic" must emerge in which "good" is what promotes Life and "evil" is that which destroys or endangers Life.

As it is now feasible for life on Earth to leave its home planet and to propagate in the cosmos and, as humanity has evolved in such a way to make that possible, the overriding argument may be: Does humanity have the moral right "not" to assist the spread of life beyond Earth?

This moral decision may be the most important one that humanity will ever make. Making this decision may be as important as its consequences.

• Michael N. Mautner, Directed Panspermia. 2. Technological Advances Toward Seeding Other Solar Systems and the Foundation of Panbiotic Ethics. Journal of the BIS, Vol. 48, pp. 435-440.

• 1995, D. MacNiven, Environmental Ethics and Planetary Engineering. Journal of the BIS, Vol. 48, pp. 441-445