From: Alex F. Bokov (alexboko@umich.edu)
Date: Fri Aug 03 2001 - 11:56:54 MDT
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Those who concern themselves with immortalism to the exclusion of space
travel are missing the bigger picture. Space travel is crucial to the
immortality of our species, and the maintenance of a culture worth
surviving in.
1. One planet, one ecosystem is too fragile to sustain humanity
forever. How many centuries more do you think our lucky streak of
avoiding meteors, NBC war, and environmental disaster will continue?
2. Communications lag due to light speed will provide a natural,
semi-permeable barrier to cultural diffusion. Even interplanetary
distances within this solar system are sufficient IMO. Such barriers
are necessary to prevent the univeral locking of maladaptive but
prolific memes. In English, it will guarantee that there will never be
a global government, a global culture, or a global religion.
3. When we stop expanding, we stagnate. No futher explanation should
be necessary to this audience.
On Wed, 1 Aug 2001, Adrian Tymes wrote:
> Randy Smith wrote:
> > But as for the space flight angle...how is that going to help us become immortal? What I wonder
> > is whether this thing can provide a cheap energy source or a better form of *earthly*
> > transportation.
>
> Solar power satellites could make a great energy source - if only it
> were economical to deploy them. Being able to get stuff into space
> cheaply might make this possible. It'd also open up a lot of
> potentially cheaper material resources (asteroid/lunar mining), with
> similar benefits.
>
> If things take a turn for the much worse, we could set up a refuge in
> space with very little possibility of those who would hunt us down
> being able to touch us once we are there.
>
> It has been theorized that low gravity may retard natural aging, or at
> least make it easier to sustain life for hearts and lungs and similar
> organs that have deteriorated due to age.
>
> That's just the ones I remember off the top of my head. Anyone else
> care to list more?
>
>
- --
SOF Horiuchi Oliver North
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