The Outside Context
"An Outside Context Problem was the sort of thing most civilizations encountered just once, and which they tended to encounter rather in the same way a sentence encountered a full stop." — Iain M. Banks, Excession. This podcast discusses challenges that fall into the outside context with the innovators and visionaries who are the forefront of technological change. It considers the big picture of technology, and why this matters for the future of human civilisation.
The Outside Context
Space Invaders: The Ethics of Multiplanetary Exploration & Expansion
The Outside Context Podcast – Episode 5
Episode Summary
In this episode, we welcome astrophysicist, space ethicist, and author Erika Nesvold to discuss the ethical questions surrounding space exploration and settlement. Inspired by her book Off Earth, this conversation delves into the challenges of governance, labour rights, environmental protection, and the role of private industry in space.
Key Topics Discussed
- Erika’s Journey – From astrophysics to space ethics and video game development.
- Ethical Considerations in Space Settlement – Lessons from Earth’s colonial past and how they apply to space.
- Labour Rights & Exploitation Risks – How historical labour abuses in industries like mining could repeat in space.
- Private vs. Public Space Exploration – The shift from government-led initiatives to private-sector dominance.
- Space Governance & Regulation – The challenges of creating fair and sustainable policies for interplanetary civilisation.
- Environmental Ethics in Space – The importance of protecting space environments before irreversible damage occurs.
- Sci-Fi & Space Ethics – How works like The Expanse and Star Trek explore these topics.
Notable Quotes
“If we can’t solve ethical issues in low Earth orbit, that doesn’t bode well for environmental justice farther out in space.” – Erika Nesvold“History has shown us what happens when labor rights are ignored—space won’t be any different unless we plan for it.”
Recommended Sci-Fi Reads from Erika Nesvold
- The Expanse – Explores space politics, labour rights, and resource conflicts.
- Parable of the Sower – A near-future look at climate change and the drive for space expansion.
Further Reading & Resources
- Off Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space by Erika Nesvold
- The JustSpace Alliance (Erika’s nonprofit on space ethics)
- Previous podcast episode on Space Security & Geopolitics (Episode 2 of The Outside Context with Juliana Suess)
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