Abstract
While there are many arguments in favor of a human mission to the Moon, there are also many arguments in favor of the concept of a lunar space refuge. This chapter introduces the ethics of a space refuge. The potential benefits of a refuge on the Moon compared to a colony on Mars are discussed, with particular attention to differences in ethics and bioethics. Lunar settlement seems to be less challenging ethically and bioethically because human enhancements, which are often seen as obligatory for Mars missions, may not be required for lunar settlement. In this chapter, these issues are not considered in a traditional framework of space environmental ethics (i.e., in terms of intrinsic and instrumental values). Instead, issues are examined within a context that states humans should not colonize space because of their environmentally deleterious moral attitudes and behaviors on Earth. We also discuss an environmental ethical framework for future colonization of the Moon as a type of “prevention policy” to avoid environmental destruction and a similar existential risk for humans on the Moon.
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Acknowledgment
Konrad Szocik was supported by Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange under Bekker NAWA Programme grant number PPN/BEK/2020/1/00012/DEC/1.
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Szocik, K. (2021). Lunar Settlement, Space Refuge, and Quality of Life: A Prevention Policy for the Future of Humans on Luna. In: Rappaport, M.B., Szocik, K. (eds) The Human Factor in the Settlement of the Moon. Space and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81388-8_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81388-8_13
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