The anti-space exploration crowd

I have a friend who is studying Sociology right now - incidentally, one of the few people I can have decent conversations with.

However, there is something that she and I are continually at odds about. When I talk with excitement about current developments in Astronomy and Space Exploration, she will usually respond with utter indifference and sometimes, argue the point that we don't even need to be spending so much money on these fields in the first place. In her opinion, the efforts that are put into carrying out these various missions could be put to better use here on this Planet.

I'm not really surprised because she is studying Sociology afterall, but I do find it hard to convince her sometimes. Of course I tell her about the importance of advancing science and our general knowledge of the Universe, but she always responds with the argument that these achievements are null if we aren't taking care of our own matters here on Earth, and to a point she *is* right I suppose.

In the end, I just tell her that space exploration is the natural progression for such an inquisitive species as ours and it is futile to argue against it (just as it would be to tell the first sea-faring peoples that there was no point in going out to explore the Ocean and the lands beyond).

Anyone come across this type of person before?

 

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Yeah.
ME.

I agree with her completely.

Not only do I agree with her that we would be much better off spending the time, money and other resources here, but I don't see any real point to it.
I am just as curious as teh next person, and have always been ineterested in Science, but Science, solely for the sake of Science is hardly a noble endeavor.
What have we actually gotten out of space travel?
The scientific "progress" people claim we have made because of the space program, did not require the space program at all, so could have been done for billions less, with less loss of life and with less effort.
What "advnacement" came out of space travel that could not been done without space travel (other then "advancements" that serve space travel)?
We landed on the moon for no other reason than to prove to the Russians that we have bigger dicks.

Knowledge is a good thing.
Science for the sole sake of science is impotent at best dreadfully dangerous at worst (see Nuclear Weapons).
NASA is a flagrant waste of tax-payer's money and should be disbanded.

 

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I agree.

 

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Space travel and exploration is the proper goal of the human race. We are too busy trying to solve problems caused by greed and ignorance, but someday we will wake up and get on with the task at hand.

 

Scientific endeavor is all very well, but when we are willing to spend more money to go to the moon than to make sure every one gets three square meals a day, we need to reconsider our thinking. Everything looks different on a full stomach.

 

Nah lets starve and kill people and exploit resources so if we run out of them (oppressed people and nonrenewable resources), we can maybe kinda someday perhaps go somewhere else and do it all over again. And lets spend LOTS AND LOTS of money on the weapons and technology to do it really well.

 

You mean why don't I look 100 years into the future and ignore whats happening around me? Thats waaay too deep for me.

 

Irrelevant argument.

I'm not the one working for the DoD.

 

For one thing, there should be an international space program, but people are too idiotic, they think our proper place is grovelling to the Gods until they bless us with their holy presense and tuck us into bed with milk and cookies.

The exploration of space isn't a scientific endeavor, it's our destiny.

 

Don't give a rats ass.

 

No I think scientists have an obligation to ethics. Science doesn't.

 

More irrelevance.

Making life better for people is completely different from space exploration.

 

I wouldn't say that.

But they are selfish bastards, many of them.

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:crazy:

:sleep:

 

If you read more carefully, you will realise that I am not damning all scientific endeavor, nor am I saying it should be halted or never undertaken. Just that we seem to have skewed our priorities.

 

I think an international space program is a good idea. We should get rid of all the nuclear weapons and collaborate. Scientists should take a stand against arms.

 

Yeah, it's OK, but it's budget pales in comparison to the Pentagon. There is no reason we can't build a fair society AND explore space.

 

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/801/1:yawn:

 

I'm one of those anti space exploration types too. I love the thought of exploring space, I dig the National Geographic photos as much as the next schlemeil, but it isn't space exploration that is gobbling billions of dollars, it's the militarization of space. We aren't spending the big bucks for science! Or discovery. It's a vast moneypit for defense contractors, again, to bathe themselves in wealth while militarizing science.
Is it all for the cool rocks we come back with? The groovy photos?
Spend the money here on our own rock. As a species we haven't earned the luxury of space militarization. We are only as successful as our poorest. Abort NASA, bring the money HOME.

 

I'm not. I pretty much always disagree with Sam. I believe strongly in the space program, so I would naturally expect Sam to oppose it.

Home is a sewer down which all the money you throw at it will flow. Space is the future. It is the only real hope for mankind to survive over the long term.