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Ted Peters

Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, USA

Abstract

The Astroethics of Responsibility proposed here is founded on a substructure of quandary-responsibility ethics, supported by a theological notion of the common good plus a naturalistic justification for response and care. Within the sphere of the solar neighborhood, ten already articulated quandaries are addressed: (1) planetary protection; (2) intrinsic value of off-Earth biospheres; (3) application of the Precautionary Principle; (4) space debris; (5) satellite surveillance; (6) weaponization of space; (7) scientific versus commercial space exploration; (8) terraforming Mars; (9) colonizing Mars; and (10) anticipating natural space threats. Within the sphere of the Milky Way metropolis in which the “galactic common good” becomes the astroethical norm, engagement with intelligent extraterrestrials is analyzed within three categories: (1) ETI less intelligent than Earth’s Homo sapiens; (2) ETI equal in intelligence; and (3) ETI superior in intelligence. Superior ETI may come in both biological and postbiological forms. Our ethical mandate: respond with care.

Keywords: Astrobiology, astroethics, astrobioethics, quandary-responsibility ethics, intrinsic value, dignity, common good, galactic commons