Thursday, July 3, 2008
Opinion Fest 1: Space Exploration
Anybody who is reading this blog, please comment. State your oppinion. Respond to other people's oppinions. Do you think space exploration is worth the money? What's the most important reason for space exploration? Tell anything you can think of! I won't comment until at least three other people do.
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5 comments:
Space Travel is just an excuse to spend a lot of money and get people excited. Let's face the facts: humans are not going to colonize other planets. Learning more about our universe is fine, and sending our rovers to answer questions is good - I completely support that. But actually trying to build a moonbase on the moon? Not worth it. At all.
First of all, I disagree that space exploration is a waste of money, because in the long run, our own safety depends on having well-developed space technology. If an asteroid or comet threatens to hit the Earth, it would be useful to know how to deflect it. However, that doesn't mean that we should limit our money to asteroid-deflecting technology; who knows what fields will lead to what ideas and inventions that will turn out to be important? Moreover, if the population on Earth continues to grow, it might be useful someday to try colonizing other planets, or at least mining them for resources. Plus, who says that getting people excited is a waste of money? One of the worst things that can happen to a stable, peaceful society is that people stop feeling a sense of urgency to come up with new ideas. If this is the case, our society grows complacent and rusty, we lose innovation, investment, and new ideas. In addition, people tend to become pessimistic and gloomy. What better way to stimulate a lethargic people and help the economy, than to get people excited about the new frontier of space? The possibilities that would be sparked by this initiative are unlimited, and what, we can only begin to imagine. In the long run, that is no waste of money.
Convincing argument overall, but there are some problems with your ideas. Studying asteroids and comets is something I don't mind. It's learning about our universe. It's supporting our knowlage. I'm not going to be the one who causes the earth to explode. Try colinizing other planets? We are on earth for a reason, and humans are not fit for any other planet. Also, people become pessemistic, lethargic, and gloomy from problems like a stock market crash. Spending a lot of money isn't going to help the economy, and because of that is going to get people more pessimistic and gloomy. I'm sorry to say it, but some of your logic is highly flawed.
Mr. Boone, I see your point. However, I disagree with your claim that a space program would cause economic problems. Quite the contrary. It may put the government into a debt for a while, but that is nothing new. And embarking on an ambitious space program will expand the economy, hastening economic growth as new companies are started in the commercial space field, people spend money for trips to space hotels, innovation prospers, and new opportunities open up all over the place. People will invest--always good for a healthy economy. And what's more, they'll be investing in something new, keeping our society young and aspiring. As for the colonizing other planets, that is not one of my immediate goals. I agree that the prospect does not seem so promising at the present, but I do not wish to rule out the possibility as of yet.
Very good debate, Darryl Boone and William Marshall! Your oppinions are both very convincing.
I personally believe that space exploration is good in moderation. We live in a world where people strive for thrills and sometimes for danger. Because of this, if there was a good, cheap way to bring people into space, say to a space hotel in orbit, it would succeed and satisfy people. But some things are just to far. A moonbase is a bit risky, and a bit nonsensical. Everybody on the Earth was put on the Earth, and that's how it should stay.
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