Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cultural Implications of the Search and Eventual Discovery of a Second Genesis

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Genesis - In The Beginning

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 22))

  • 2036 Accesses

Abstract

The question we wish to address in this chapter concerns one of the most rewarding scientific and cultural activities that are possible at present. The frontier of science and humanities is the exciting territory we will discuss in this chapter. The fast development of technology has allowed us to address the issue of a possible “second Genesis” interpreted as the emergence of biological complexity elsewhere in the universe (McKay, 2001).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alcibar M (2008) Astrobiología, cultura popular y comunicación social de la ciencia y la tecnología. Letras de Deusto 38(118):76–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Aretxaga R (2004) Astrobiology and biocentrism. In: Seckbach J, Chela-Flores J, Owen T, Raulin F (eds) Life in the universe, vol 7, Cellular origin and life in extreme habitats and astrobiology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 345–348

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Aretxaga R (2006) La ciencia astrobiológica: Un nuevo reto para el humanismo del siglo XXI. Letras de Deusto 36(110):12–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Aretxaga R (2008) Astrobiología: entre la ciencia y la exploración. Letras de Deusto 38(118):13–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Billingham J, Heins R, Milne D, Doyle S, Klein M, Heilbron J, Ashkenazi M, Michaud M, Lutz J, Shostak S (eds) (1994) Social implications of the detection of an extraterrestrial civilization. SETI Press, SETI Institute, Mountain View

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruno G (2000) De l’infinito, universo e mondi, Venice, 1584. [English translation: On the infinite universe and innumerable worlds, Cambridge, 1650]. A more comprehensive bibliographic reference: Giordano Bruno 1548–1600, Biblioteca di Bibliografia Italiana 164, Leo S. Olschki Editore, Roma, pp 105–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2001) The new science of astrobiology from genesis of the living cell to evolution of intelligent behavior in the universe. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2003) Marco cultural de la Astrobiología. Letras de Deusto 33(98):199–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2006) La evolución del comportamiento inteligente: ¿Existe evidencia de proposito en las moleculas complejas de la química? Letras de Deusto 36(110):21–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2007) Fitness of the cosmos for the origin and evolution of life: from biochemical fine-tuning to the Anthropic principle. In: Barrow JD, Conway Morris S, Freeland SJ, Harper CL (eds) Fitness of the cosmos for life: biochemistry and fine-tuning. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 151–166

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2008) La posibilidad de la existencia de vida extraterrestre inteligente, su búsqueda científica e interés filosófico. Astrobiologia y Filosofia (III), Letras de Deusto 38(118):38–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2009) A second genesis: stepping stones towards the intelligibility of nature. World Scientific Publishers, Singapore, 248 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2010) Instrumentation for the search of habitable ecosystems in the future exploration of Europa and Ganymede. Int J Astrobiol 9(2):101–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chela-Flores J (2011) The science of astrobiology a personal point of view on learning to read the book of life, 2nd edn. Cellular origin, life in extreme habitats and astrobiology, Springer, Dordrecht, Chapters 13, 14 and 16. http://www.ictp.it/chelaf/ss220.html

  • Chela-Flores J, Owen T, Raulin F (eds) (2001) The first steps of life in the universe. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 365–374

    Google Scholar 

  • De Duve C (2002) Life evolving molecules mind and meaning. OUP, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dear P (2006) The intelligibility of nature how science makes sense of the world. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 254 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick SJ (2000) Cosmotheology. In: Dick SJ (ed) Many worlds: the new universe, extraterrestrial life, and its theological implications. Templeton Press, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick SJ (2005) Cosmotheology revisited: theological implications of extraterrestrial life. In: Cons-Ciências: actas do Fórum Internacional Ciência, Religião e Consciência. Porto, Edições Universidade Fernando Pessoa, CTEC, 2005, pp 287–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick SJ (2008) The Postbiological Universe. Acta Astronautica 62(8–9):499–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson LJ (1913) The fitness of the environment an enquiry into the biological significance of the properties of matter. Peter Smith, Gloucester, 1970, p 312

    Google Scholar 

  • Lederberg J (1963) Life beyond the earth. Stanford Today, Stanford University, California, Series 1, No 7, December 1963, 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayz-Vallenilla E (2003) Astrofísica y Meta-técnica. Letras de Deusto 33(98):217–224 [English translation: (2000) Astrophysics and Meta-technics. In: Chela-Flores et al (eds) Astrobiology: origin from the big bang to civilization. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 235–240]

    Google Scholar 

  • McKay CP (2001) The search for a second genesis in our solar system. In: Chela-Flores J, Owen T, Raulin F (eds) The first steps of life in the universe. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 269–277

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Miret-Magdalena E (2008) Ciencia astrobiológica y pensamiento cristiano. Letras de Deusto 38(118):58–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Race MS (2008) Communicating about the discovery of extraterrestrial life: different searches, different issues. Acta Astronaut 62:71–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Manfredi JA (2008) La innovación tecnológica en la astrobiología como motor de cambio en la mentalidad actual. Letras de Deusto 38(118):68–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell R (2001) Life in the universe: philosophical and theological issues. CTNS Bull Center Theol Nat Sci 21:3–9 (Spring 2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow CP (1993) The two cultures. Cambridge University Press, London/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokols D, Fuqua J, Gress J, Harvey R, Phillips K, Baezconde-Garbanati L, Unger J, Palmer P, Clark M, Colby S, Morgan G, Trochim W (2003) Evaluating transdisciplinary science. Nicotine Tob Res 5(S-1):S21–S39

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • NASA Technical Memorandum (2000) Workshop on the societal implications of astrobiology. Final report, 15 December 2000

    Google Scholar 

  • Tough A (ed) (2000) When SETI succeeds: the impact of high-information contact. Foundation for the Future, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Villegas R, Castillo C, Villegas GM (2000) The origin of the neuron: the first neuron in the phylogenetic tree of life. In: Chela-Flores J, Lemarchand GA, Oro J (eds) Astrobiology: origins from the big bang to civilization. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 195–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg S (1977) The first three minutes. Fontana/Collins, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO (1998) Consilience the unity of knowledge. Knopf, New York, p 70

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

    Roberto Aretxaga-Burgos

  2. The Abdus Salam ICTP, Strada Costiera 11, 34014, Trieste, Italy

    Julian Chela-Flores

  3. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, IDEA, Caracas, 1015A, República Bolivariana de Venezuela

    Julian Chela-Flores

Authors
  1. Roberto Aretxaga-Burgos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Julian Chela-Flores
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberto Aretxaga-Burgos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Jerusalem, Mevo Hadas 20, Efrat, 90435, Israel

    Joseph Seckbach

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Aretxaga-Burgos, R., Chela-Flores, J. (2012). Cultural Implications of the Search and Eventual Discovery of a Second Genesis. In: Seckbach, J. (eds) Genesis - In The Beginning. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2941-4_44

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation