Is it morally correct for people to polute the atmosphere with rockets?

Discussion in 'Ethics, Morality, & Justice' started by Cybercop, Nov 29, 2021.

  1. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    Is it morally correct for people to polute the atmosphere with rockets?

    Elon musk and space x launch lots of rockets as do other countries , is this morally correct because of pollution to the atmosphere ?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. origin Heading towards oblivion Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,888
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Seattle Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    8,849
    Is it morally correct for people waste time posting on obscure forums?
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    You think it is ok for people to pollute the atmosphere , why ?

    Perhaps there should be a world wide pollution tax put on these people that pollute the atmosphere without morals for other life . Not only does atmospheric pollution affect our own health but it also affects plant life and animal life .
     
  8. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    No idea , that isn't my question .
     
  9. billvon Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    21,634
    Does the good outweigh the bad? If so, then yes, it is moral to do so.

    (It will become even more moral once the Starship starts flying, since its exhaust is only water and CO2.)
     
    Cybercop likes this.
  10. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Have you heard of the expression "penny wise; pound foolish"?

    The worst polluters - by orders of magnitude - are automobiles and trucks.
    There are almost 1.5 billion vehicles on the world's roads.
    And they run every single day, not once in a blue moon.

    Here's a bit of homework:
    Figure out how much pollutant all the rocket launches in the world produce, over, say a year.
    Figure out how much pollutant all the cars and trucks in the world produce during all 365 days of a year.


    And let's not even get started on commercial airlines...
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2021
  11. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    What good is there to outweigh the bad ?
     
  12. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Not putting all of the human race's eggs in one very fragile basket?

    The inevitable consequence of not achieving practical space colonization is extinction.
     
  13. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    Thank you , you made a strong point I understood .

    Morally then road users and even people who have gas central heating blazing away are morally selfish in regards to considering future generations and the Earths atmosphere ?
     
  14. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    You again make a good argument and I see your point but what is the use of going to Mars ?

    Is this just the next hurdle because we already travelled to the moon ?
     
  15. billvon Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    21,634
    Scientific research.
    Navigation satellites.
    Weather forecasting satellites.
    Climate change research satellites.
     
  16. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    By that logic, anyone consuming anything that could be used by future generations is being selfish: food, water, heat, etc.

    Should we all just off ourselves so we save the planet for our children?

    What will the planet look like in 20 or 40 years if we all just stopped driving cars and trucks and flying?

    The world economy would grind to a halt because nobody could work, or feed themselves, and we'd all die, leaving a graveyard of a planet full of dead plants, livestock and rotting food for our children.
     
  17. billvon Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    21,634
    If they have a better choice that they are not using - yes. Most people don't (yet.)
     
  18. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    I didn't mention Mars.
    Earth has limited resources. If we do not expand and make it off the planet, civilization will collapse and most of us will die.
     
  19. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    In fact, most rockets, historically, only produced CO2 and water.

    Still, the attention on rockets is pointless. It's like telling someone to put out that match because it's polluting ... while standing next to a raging bonfire.
     
    Cybercop likes this.
  20. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    true .

    Will rockets truly ever be a way to collonise other planets though , they are limited in size and fuel capacity ?

    How much oxygen and supplies would the rocket need to carry to reach somewhere useful ?

    When they get there , how long before Oxgen and supplies ran out ?

    Would it even be morally correct to send or allow humans on such an adventure that may have no return ticket ?
     
  21. Seattle Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    8,849
    Who decides what is "right" or "wrong"?

    It's odd to focus on space exploration as being "wrong" while not worrying about airline flights.

    I don't consider airlines flights to be "morally wrong" but they do pollute more than a few rocket flights.
     
    Cybercop likes this.
  22. Cybercop Banned Banned

    Messages:
    19
    Thank you for the great point , we can consider ships too and locomotives ?
     
  23. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    No. In the same way hot air balloons were not a good way to achieve intercontinental travel, but they paved the way for airplanes. We have to walk before we can run.

    You ask this like there's a better option.
    It will take as much resources as it takes - to preserve the human race.

    You don't colonize a planet where you cannot replenish your oxygen and supplies.

    Yes.
     

Share This Page