Our Place in the Cosmos

But Who are We?

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In the model presented in this class, a connected pathway of events (schematically illustrated above) have lead to the situation where the Universe can ask itself a question.

The fate of question marks on this planet is unclear.

Can we preserve the question mark through the colonization of other worlds? Is this even an appropriate way to do that? (morality vs. economics again).

What about Colonization of Space ?

Why would we colonize other worlds?:

• Too many people on the earth
• Earth has become unliveable
• No more resources left for N billion year people
• Manifest Destiny (growth of the Red Dot)

The above reasons would all exist if your species is unable to engage in multi-generational thinking and planning. Colonization requires this.

To move several (hundred) thousand individuals off this planet towards another world is a serious effort and a serious use of planetary resources.

Such large scale colonization requires a 50-200 year planning and implementation effort. Our technological culture has repeatedly demonstrated an inability to do this kind of long range planning.

This might be a form of self-censoring. Non-equilibrium cultures can't colonize because, when they feel the need, it will be too late (resources will be gone).

Why would equilibrium cultures colonize then when they would have no reason to?

• CURIOSITY what's out there. That's a powerful stimulus for space exploration

• Planetary Instability For instance, the earth has periodic ice ages which may be a severe threat 10,000 years from now.

• Avoiding the next asteroid impact that causes mass extinctions?

• Global warming? a threat 2-300 years from now? (of course, this wouldn't be a problem for equilibrium cultures)

A colonization scheme: The argument why N must be one:

Implications of the above argument:

• We are it we are suppose to colonize
• Multi-generational committment to this scheme is impossible and therefore it is always doomed to failure
• Why would equilibrium cultures choose to colonize?