Pale blue dot: a vision of the human future in space
Abstract
Author suggests that the survival of the human race depends on the exploration and settlement of other worlds.
... Beyond political and commercial dimensions, space exploration resonates with broader societal values and aspirations (Asimov et al., 1985). Achievements in space inspire collective imagination and national pride, while advancing STEM education (Lécuyer, 2006;Sagan, 1994). Efforts to inspire and educate the public, as seen in the UK Space Agency's outreach programs, exemplify the connection between space exploration and societal progress (HM Government, 2021a; HM Government, 2023). ...
... Several factors contribute to this revival, including advancements in technology, increased private sector involvement, and evolving geopolitical interests. In the last decade alone, NASA has launched major missions like Mars exploration rovers, the Juno Mission to Jupiter, Gateway Deep Space Missions, studies and data on Earth's climate, and the James Webb Space Telescope to name a few (Asimov et al., 1985;Sagan, 1994;NASA OIG, 2020 (Launius, 2014). ...
... The facilities, launch sites, roads, infrastructure, etc. are still being used up to present. The indirect impacts of NASA's missions also extend to the broader society and permeates all aspects of our modern lives; from life-saving technology, finance, business, and even entertainment (Asimov et al, 1985;Sagan, 1994). ...
This study examines the nexus between national space programmes, economic impact, and public trust using datasets of the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Quantitative analysis of economic indicators over 2010-2022 reveals steady growth in the UK space sector following the National Space Strategy launch. Regression results demonstrate significant correlations between strategic investments and increased income, enterprises, exports, and productivity. Comparative analysis shows that the UK space industry remains in earlier developmental stages versus NASA's expansive ecosystem. Further examination of policies and reports shows different viewpoints of the agencies, with NASA emphasising a mission-oriented leadership and UKSA focused more on commercial aspects and capacity building. Surveys indicate higher public trust and awareness toward NASA compared to UKSA. Key policy insights suggest sustained counter-cyclical investments, participatory engagement, and inspirational narratives can help mature the UK industry but realism is required regarding timelines and risk management. As the landscape diversifies, balancing national interests with principles of sustainability and multilateralism grows imperative. The findings affirm space strategy as a catalyst for technological capability development, economic growth, and soft power accumulation if aligned with societal interests. By fostering institutional credibility across government, industry, and citizens, national space programmes catalyses reciprocal innovation, national prestige, and broader societal gains. Further research should incorporate expanded datasets and emerging space nations to reveal new models and priorities as humanity navigates the New Space Age.
... In the spirit of Carl Sagan's view of Earth as "a pale blue dot" from the perspective of an observer on the receding Voyager 1 spacecraft (Sagan, 1994), we propose a similar, but more probing, question. Supposing that extraterrestrial observers are using similar transit techniques and are also surveying the galaxy for habitable worlds with atmospheres that are obviously altered by life: Which of them could discover Earth as a planet that supports life? ...
... In an extended model that takes into account M and F dwarfs in the rETZ, counts increase by another factor of three. We have literally adopted Sagan's vision of Earth as "a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam" (Sagan, 1994): our planet may be seen by distant observers against our Sun's light, allowing them to detect us. As an ultimate consequence, even if our species chose to remain radio-quiet to eschew interstellar contact, we cannot hide from observers located in Earth's solar transit zone, if they exist. ...
Over the past few years, astronomers have detected thousands of planets and candidate planets by observing their periodic transits in front of their host stars. Related methods might soon allow studies of the chemical imprints of life in extrasolar planetary atmospheres. Here, we address the reciprocal question, namely, from where is Earth detectable by extrasolar observers using similar methods. We explore Earth's transit zone (ETZ), the projection of a band around Earth's ecliptic onto the celestial plane, where observers can detect Earth transits across the Sun. The ETZ is between and wide due to the non-circular Earth orbit. The restricted ETZ (rETZ), where Earth transits the Sun less than 0.5 solar radii from its center, is ~ wide. We first compile a target list of 45 K and 37 G dwarf stars inside the rETZ and within 1 kiloparsec (3260 lightyears) using the Hipparcos catalog. We then greatly enlarge the number of potential targets by constructing an analytic galactic disk model and find that ~ K and G dwarf stars should reside within the rETZ. The ongoing GAIA space mission can potentially discover all G dwarfs among them (several ) within the next five years. Many more potentially habitable planets orbit dim, unknown M stars in the ETZ and other stars that traversed the ETZ long time ago. If any of these planets host intelligent observers, they could have identified Earth as a habitable, or even as a living, world, and we could be receiving their broadcasts today. The K2 mission, the Allen Telescope Array, the upcoming Square Kilometer Array, or the Green Bank Telescope might detect such deliberate extraterrestrial messages. Ultimately, the ETZ would be an ideal region to monitor by the Breakthrough Listen Initiatives, an upcoming survey that will constitute the most comprehensive search for extraterrestrial intelligence so far.
... Like other forms of submersion, scuba diving provides an underwater perspective on the planet and reminds divers that Earth is actually an ocean world. Seen from space, Earth appears to be a blue planet, or, in Carl Sagan's (1994) words, 'a pale blue dot'. Sagan's (1994) description alludes to a photograph of Earth taken by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990 just before it sped out of the solar system into interstellar space, where it has remained for the past 33 years. ...
... Seen from space, Earth appears to be a blue planet, or, in Carl Sagan's (1994) words, 'a pale blue dot'. Sagan's (1994) description alludes to a photograph of Earth taken by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990 just before it sped out of the solar system into interstellar space, where it has remained for the past 33 years. Like astronauts who report being profoundly affected by a shift in cognitive awareness as they look back at Earth during spaceflight (known as 'the overview effect'; see Raycraft 2019a), scuba divers' perceptions of the planet are similarly destabilized as they learn to see the world's ocean from below (Raycraft 2020a). ...
Theoretically informed by scholarship on post-humanism and empirically tethered to face-to-face encounters with various marine species around the world, this chapter situates recreational scuba diving in the context of the anthropological project. Scuba diving technology enables humans to temporarily dwell in the underwater lifeworlds that animate the ocean. The chapter ponders the possibilities that scuba diving presents for engaging with marine animals in situ, and the potential applications it could have in the context of multispecies ethnography. It reflects on the contributions that anthropologists can make to studies of underwater life in partnership with recreational scuba divers, Indigenous communities, and marine biologists. And going ‘deeper’, it evaluates the insights that such interactions with marine species reveal about the nature of life on Earth, and the place of humans on the blue planet. Conceptualizing scuba diving as an ethnographic process is a transformative exercise in empathy and reflexivity, and offers a reminder that land-based human societies are not the centre of the world. While acknowledging that the philosophical dimensions of being underwater are profound, the chapter also contextualizes recreational scuba diving as part of the global political economy of marine conservation and tourism, and touches on the range of local consequences that diving can engender.
... This interpretation postulates a solitary existence for humanity within the cosmos. The universe, under this paradigm, is portrayed as a vast expanse of desolation, a barren and lifeless abyss with but a flicker of existence residing on a pale blue dot (Sagan, 1997). ...
... Indeed, there is a significant chance that we might be the sole bearers of intelligence in the universe, reinforcing the importance of our continued existence (Sagan, 1997). ...
Stephen Weinberg posited in 1977 that as the universe becomes more comprehensible, it appears more meaningless owing to a strict division between facts and values. He seemingly overlooked the consideration of the purposes and values of intelligent life in examining its ability to influence the universe’s development. The scientific revolution, initiated by Copernicus’s heliocentric hypothesis and furthered by Darwin’s theory, shifted humanity’s perceived place in the cosmos, removing the sacred. However, developments in astrobiology and discoveries related to the Fermi Paradox and the Rare Earth Hypothesis are hinting at humanity’s significant role in the universe, suggesting we might be the only intelligent species. This paper argues that advancing scientific knowledge reinforces the hypothesis of human exclusivity and importance in the cosmos, making the potential sixth mass extinction cosmically significant and underscoring the imperative of human persistence in the cosmos.
... Space Exploration as a Unifying Mission: If humanity focused on interstellar progress, global unity could replace national conflicts (Sagan, 1994). The Kardashev Scale: Cooperation is necessary for a civilization to advance to interplanetary communication (Kardashev, 1964). ...
The openness or closeness of the universe has long been a topic of
discussion in both scientific and religious circles. Scientific
theories in cosmology and quantum mechanics suggest an evolving
and possibly infinite universe, while religious perspectives offer
varied interpretations, often emphasizing divine purpose,
interconnectedness, and ultimate destiny. Understanding this
debate is crucial in addressing global challenges and fostering a
more unified perspective on existence. Purpose: This study aims to
explore the implications of an open or closed universe through
scientific and religious perspectives, identifying areas of
convergence and divergence. It examines how these views shape
human consciousness, governance, and ethical responsibility
toward planetary and interstellar sustainability. A qualitative
comparative analysis was conducted using literature reviews of
scientific theories, theological texts, and historical perspectives.
Key scientific frameworks included thermodynamics, quantum
mechanics, and astrophysics, while religious interpretations were
drawn from Christianity, Islam, and other spiritual traditions.
Findings: The analysis revealed that an open-system perspective
aligns with both scientific discoveries—such as cosmic expansion
and interstellar material exchange—and religious teachings that
emphasize universal interconnectedness. A closed-system
perspective, while useful in deterministic models, may limit
broader
explorations
of
human potential, intergalactic
cooperation, and ethical governance. Conclusions: By fusing
scientific discoveries with spiritual consciousness, an open-system
paradigm promotes a transition from conflict-driven government to
collaborative
global
and
interplanetary
stewardship.
Recommendations: Policymakers, educators, and religious leaders
should foster interdisciplinary dialogue, promote ethical space
exploration, and develop frameworks for sustainable planetary and
cosmic engagement.
... To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0/. © The Author(s) 2025 1 ...
Cyanobacteria induced the great oxidation event around 2.4 billion years ago, probably triggering the rise in aerobic biodiversity. While chlorophylls are universal pigments used by all phototrophic organisms, cyanobacteria use additional pigments called phycobilins for their light-harvesting antennas—phycobilisomes—to absorb light energy at complementary wavelengths to chlorophylls. Nonetheless, an enigma persists: why did cyanobacteria need phycobilisomes? Here, we demonstrate through numerical simulations that the underwater light spectrum during the Archaean era was probably predominantly green owing to oxidized Fe(III) precipitation. The green-light environments, probably shaped by photosynthetic organisms, may have directed their own photosynthetic evolution. Genetic engineering of extant cyanobacteria, simulating past natural selection, suggests that cyanobacteria that acquired a green-specialized phycobilin called phycoerythrobilin could have flourished under green-light environments. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the common ancestor of modern cyanobacteria embraced all key components of phycobilisomes to establish an intricate energy transfer mechanism towards chlorophylls using green light and thus gained strong selective advantage under green-light conditions. Our findings highlight the co-evolutionary relationship between oxygenic phototrophs and light environments that defined the aquatic landscape of the Archaean Earth and envision the green colour as a sign of the distinct evolutionary stage of inhabited planets.
... Periodic functions can describe the cycle of tectonic movement: (2) Where represents tectonic activity, is the angular frequency, and is the phase offset. ...
This paper explores humanity's potential as a multi-planetary species, focusing on the challenges, ethical considerations, and technological advancements required for interplanetary colonization, particularly on Mars. It examines the cyclical nature of civilizations, linking human history to universal principles of complexity and resource dynamics while addressing the philosophical and theological implications of expanding into the cosmos. The discussion integrates insights from cosmology, transhumanism, and sustainability, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding humanity's long-term survival and evolution within a cosmic context.
... These are some examples of questions raised at the dawn of science, at the dawn of each revolution in collective and individual scientific thinking. Scientific popularizers such as Carl Sagan and many others have focused and continue to focus on the field of formal and non-formal scientific language, which basically consists of promoting profoundly abstract discussions and reflections on Science and Philosophy for the most diverse audiences through an accessible language to each one of them, in a way that creates cognitive conditions for knowledge (Sagan, 2006(Sagan, , 2017(Sagan, , 2019. These cognitive conditions were the object of investigation by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who proposed that it is possible to explore the cognitions intrinsic to human beings, in order to favor the understanding of the world around them. ...
One of the most attractive aspects of Theoretical Physics is that its implications are often more fascinating than fiction. Both Philosophy and Physics often use logical reasoning that involves experiments that cannot be carried out in practice, but that through imagination allow us to explore and understand non-experimental aspects of the Universe. Einstein popularized the term “thought experiment” for conceptual approaches explored only in the field of ideas. In this work, we discuss how knowledge is possible through reflections that lead the subject from a simple logic to a transcendental logic from Kantian Transcendental Idealism. Subsequently, we present an initially simple experiment to be carried out in practice, involving folding a sheet of paper. Then, after verifying the existence of an experimental limit for its continuity, we performed it through a theoretical-mental extension and proceeded in a guided way to explore the Universe.
... Кроме того, развитие ИИ в области освоения космоса и разработки космических технологий может позволить человечеству выйти за пределы Земли и создать многопланетную цивилизацию [99,100]. Став космической цивилизацией, человечество может достичь большей степени устойчивости к существующим угрозам, обеспечив выживание разумной жизни на временных масштабах, сопоставимых с эволюцией Вселенной [101,102]. ...
In this analytical review, we explore the potential impact of the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the biosphere and noosphere, suggesting that the trend may lead to a transformative event that could be termed “Human-AI integration.” We argue that this integration could give rise to novel lifeforms, associations, and hierarchies, resulting in competitive advantages and increased complexity of structural organizations within both the biosphere and noosphere. Our central premise emphasizes the importance of human-AI integration as a global adaptive response crucial for our civilization’s survival amidst a rapidly changing environment. The convergence may initially manifest itself through symbiotic, endosymbiotic, or other mutualistic relationships, such as domestication, contingent on the rate at which AI systems achieve autonomy and develop survival instincts akin to those of biological organisms. We investigate potential drivers of these scenarios, addressing the ethical and existential challenges arising from the AI-driven transformation of the biosphere and noosphere, and considering potential trade-offs. Additionally, we discuss the application of complexity and the balance between competition and cooperation to better comprehend and navigate these transformative scenarios.
... This result is similar to the case where Earth is resolved as a single point source of light or a "pale blue dot" as coined by Sagan (1994). The extremely idealized case of perimeter density resolved by a single pixel is P ⊕ = P ⊕ /A ⊕ . ...
The deterministic motions of clouds and turbulence, despite their chaotic nature, have nonetheless been shown to follow simple statistical power-law scalings: a fractal dimension D relates individual cloud perimeters p to a measurement resolution, and turbulent fluctuations scale with the air parcel separation distance through the Hurst exponent, H. However, it remains uncertain whether atmospheric turbulence is best characterized by a split isotropy that is three-dimensional (3D) with H=1/3 at small scales and two-dimensional (2D) with H=1 at large scales or by a wide-range anisotropic scaling with an intermediate value of H. Here, we introduce an “ensemble fractal dimension” De – analogous to D – that relates the total cloud perimeter per domain area P as seen from space to the measurement resolution, and we show theoretically how turbulent dimensionality and cloud edge geometry can be linked through H=De-1. Observationally and numerically, we find the scaling De∼5/3 or H∼2/3, spanning 5 orders of magnitude of scale. Remarkably, the same scaling relationship links two “limiting case” estimates of P evaluated at resolutions corresponding to the planetary scale and the Kolmogorov microscale, which span 10 orders of magnitude. Our results are nearly consistent with a previously proposed “23/9D” anisotropic turbulent scaling and suggest that the geometric characteristics of clouds and turbulence in the atmosphere can be easily tied to well-known planetary physical parameters.
... Across religious, cultural, and scientific traditions, there is a shared sense of wonder and curiosity about the mysteries of the cosmos and the potential for life beyond our planet. Whether expressed through religious myths, cultural narratives, or scientific exploration, the quest to understand our place in the universe drives us to seek answers to fundamental questions about existence (Sagan, 1994;Schimmel, 1992). ...
The search for alien life has captivated people's interest for ages, provoking scientific research, philosophical reflection, and prevalent speculation. This multidisciplinary study explores the possibility of finding life in space by integrating astronomy, astrobiology, philosophy, and theology. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges associated with searching for biosignatures, habitability, and the origins of life on Earth. The findings suggest that the galaxy has a potentially habitable exoplanet, making them motivating candidates for additional study. While spectroscopic approaches show promise in finding biosignature chemicals in exoplanet atmospheres, studies of extremophiles shed light on the conditions necessary for life to begin and flourish. It is vital to advance public engagement and education, foster international cooperation, and intensify observational activities. Interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion are crucial to understanding the societal, cultural, and ethical ramifications. The search for alien life, which is still one of humanity's continual efforts to understand the universe and our role in it, is one of the most significant and enduring issues of our day. Through collaborative efforts and persistent inquiry, we might discover evidence of life beyond Earth, fundamentally changing our understanding of the cosmos.
... A natural subset of the study of Cosmic Evolution is the multidisciplinary field of Astrobiology (e.g., Chyba and Hand 2005;Domagal-Goldman et al. 2016;Mix et al. 2006), the study of the possibilities for life in the universe, which also includes an associated subfield, SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (e.g., Ekers et al. 2002;Harrison 2009;Morrison et al. 1979;Shklovskii and Sagan 1966;Shostak 1995;Tarter 2001Tarter , 2004Tarter et al. 2010). So, one can imagine an expanding set of nested fields of study, beginning with Big Historythe history of our own small "pale blue dot" (Sagan 1995) enfolded by Astrobiology/SETI, the study of how life may arise in the universe and the search for intelligent forms of it, and encompassed by Cosmic Evolution, the study of how our universe as a whole has changed over the course of deep cosmic time. Whether there is a still-further enfoldment of our own universe within an even larger "multiverse" of other universes is a fascinating open question currently receiving some attention among cosmologists (e.g., Dick 2009;Hawking and Mlodinaw 2010). ...
... Using the analogy of the Copernican Revolution as a way to place humans at the centre of the universe appears somewhat counterintuitive because it is usually understood as a metaphor to demonstrate that '[n]o longer was humanity at the centre of the universe, about which all else revolved, but rather humanity was but one small part of a much larger system in constant movement' (Hornsby 2023). The metaphor of the Copernican Revolution has often been used to point out the flaws of anthropocentrism and the misguided placement of ourselves at the centre of the universe (Freud 2021; Kuhn 1957;Sagan & Druyan 2011). 13 However, Shneiderman uses the Copernican Revolution, which is often used as a metaphor for greater human humility and understanding of our limited place on the planet, to place humans at the centre of the (AI) universe (Shneiderman 2020). ...
The use of a ‘human-centred’ artificial intelligence approach (HCAI) has substantially increased over the past few years in academic texts (1600 +); institutions (27 Universities have HCAI labs, such as Stanford, Sydney, Berkeley, and Chicago); in tech companies (e.g., Microsoft, IBM, and Google); in politics (e.g., G7, G20, UN, EU, and EC); and major institutional bodies (e.g., World Bank, World Economic Forum, UNESCO, and OECD). Intuitively, it sounds very appealing: placing human concerns at the centre of AI development and use. However, this paper will use insights from the works of Michel Foucault (mostly The Order of Things) to argue that the HCAI approach is deeply problematic in its assumptions. In particular, this paper will criticise four main assumptions commonly found within HCAI: human–AI hybridisation is desirable and unproblematic; humans are not currently at the centre of the AI universe; we should use humans as a way to guide AI development; AI is the next step in a continuous path of human progress; and increasing human control over AI will reduce harmful bias. This paper will contribute to the field of philosophy of technology by using Foucault's analysis to examine assumptions found in HCAI [it provides a Foucauldian conceptual analysis of a current approach (human-centredness) that aims to influence the design and development of a transformative technology (AI)], it will contribute to AI ethics debates by offering a critique of human-centredness in AI (by choosing Foucault, it provides a bridge between older ideas with contemporary issues), and it will also contribute to Foucault studies (by using his work to engage in contemporary debates, such as AI).
... It would be nothing other than insanity to continue on this solipsistic path of exploitation rather than seek out an existence of reciprocity with our planet, one of the cornerstones of a regenerative, degrowth world (Kallis, 2015). Astronomer Carl Sagan (1994) once observed when looking at the famous Pale Blue Dot picture (Figure 1), an image of Earth from outer space: "There is perhaps no better a demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world" (p. 8). ...
... In Frank Herbert's book Dune (1965), the terraforming of Arrakis to make it more habitable for humans was still science fiction. Nowadays, terraforming is a serious field of scientific researchinterested in, for instance, how human interventions can help the self-regulation of the Martian biosphere to support life and make Mars a habitable planet (McKay et al., 1991), for instance by creating a greenhouse effect (Sagan, 1994). For instance, the Persephone project envisions to "prototype exovivariaclosed ecosystems inside satellites, to be maintained from Earth telebotically, and democratically governed by a global community". 1 Philosophers like Hannah Arendt conceive the promise of a space age impossible because "the earth is the very quintessence of the human condition" (Arendt, 1958: 2-3). ...
what is the ontology of planets?Our access point to this question is the ontology of planet Earth. Although the presence of life marks planet Earth as special among other planets, Earth shares a
basic commonality with them – namely, its material existence. We take this commonality as a point of departure for our reflections on the ontology of both planet Earth and other planets. In this chapter, we ask for the ontology of this materiality
of planets. We consult the ontology of planet Earth as I developed it in an earlier contribution (Blok, 2019), explore the ontology of planets as absolute boundary of the natural habitats on Earth, and reflect on the opportunities and limitations such ontology provides for future human colonies on other planets.
... This result is similar to the case where Earth is resolved as a single point source of light, or a "Pale Blue Dot," as coined by Sagan (1994). The extremely idealized case of perimeter density resolved by a single pixel is P ⊕ = P ⊕ /A ⊕ . ...
The deterministic motions of clouds and turbulence, despite their chaotic nature, nonetheless follow simple statistical power-law scalings: a fractal dimension D relates individual cloud perimeters p to measurement resolution, and turbulent fluctuations scale with separation distance through the Hurst exponent ℌ. It remains uncertain whether atmospheric turbulence is best characterized by split isotropy that is three-dimensional with ℌ = 1/3 at small scales and two-dimensional with ℌ = 1 at large scales, or by wide-range anisotropic scaling with an intermediate value of ℌ. Here, we introduce an “ensemble fractal dimension” De – analogous to D – that relates the total cloud perimeter per domain area 𝒫 as seen from space to measurement resolution, and show theoretically how turbulent dimensionality and cloud edge geometry are linked through ℌ =De − 1. Observationally, by progressively coarsening the resolution of cloud mask arrays from various global satellite platforms and a numerical simulation of a tropical domain we find the scaling De ~ 5/3, or ℌ ~ 2/3, a value nearly consistent with a previously proposed “23/9D” anisotropic turbulent scaling. Remarkably, the same scaling links two “limiting case” estimates of 𝒫 evaluated at the planetary scale and the Kolmogorov microscale, as separated by 11 orders of magnitude, suggesting that cloud and turbulent behaviors are constrained by basic planetary parameters.
... Century (2005Century ( -2006. He was a founding member (1989) and Past President (1993-1994 of the European Association for International Education (EAIE). He is the Founding Editor of the 'Journal of Studies in International Education' (JSIE) and Consulting Edi-tor of the journal Policy Reviews in Higher Education (SRHE). ...
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals set out a clear pathway and
objectives to respond to the many global challenges. Higher education institutions are responding
by emphasising the importance of intercultural education and by instilling international perspectives
in graduates as global citizens. This chapter first argues that society and those in higher education
need to reimagine the role and place of universities to better address the challenges confronting
society today and into the future. Second, it contends that Barnett’s idea of the ecological
university offers a powerful conceptual framework for re-imagining internationalisation for contemporary
society and higher education institutions. The International Business School Maastricht’s
two-year Intercultural Business learning pathway and the formation of the Aurora Alliance
university network are presented as exemplars of possible re-imaginings.
... We are living, they claim, at a time of unprecedented risk, heralded by the advent of nuclear weapons and other world-shaping technologies. Only by responding wisely to the anthropogenic risks we now face can we survive into the future and fulfil our potential as a species (Sagan 1994, Parfit 2011: 616, Ord 2020. ...
Lay Summary
Both Jago, in his 2020 article ‘A short argument for truthmaker maximalism’ and his 2021 article ‘Which Fitch?’, and Loss in his 2021 article ‘There are no fundamental facts’, employ arguments similar to that familiar from the Church–Fitch Paradox to infer some substantial metaphysical claims from their mere logical possibility. Trueman in his 2022 article ‘Truthmaking, grounding and Fitch’s paradox’ and Nyseth in his 2022 article ‘Fitch’s paradox and truthmaking’ respond by using exactly the same kind of argument to prove contrary theses. Intended as bad company objections, these counterarguments cast doubt on the original arguments, but do not actually identify their flaw. This paper aims to fill this gap.
... He was struggling to describe how radically his perspective had shifted because of his humanitarian work in China and North Korea. Earlier that same week, I had been diving down an unrelated intellectual rabbit hole trying to sort out the difference between 'the overview effect' (Canadian Space Agency 2022) and Carl Sagan's (1994) 'pale blue dot'. Thus, I suggested that his experience sounded very similar to the former-that looking back at the Earth from space profoundly alters one's perspective-to which he responded: "What a Similarly, the agronomist could not think about his rural Canadian life in the same way after he had finished his work abroad. ...
Quantum computing is poised to revolutionize science and technology, but could it also pose existential risks we barely understand? Unlike classical computers, quantum systems operate at the fundamental level of reality, leveraging superposition, entanglement, and exotic materials that may interact unpredictably with the physical world. Some theorists speculate that a sufficiently advanced quantum computation could trigger vacuum decay, collapsing the very fabric of spacetime. Others warn that AI-driven quantum modeling could unlock dangerous nuclear reactions, potentially leading to an uncontrollable energy chain reaction. A more speculative but deeply unsettling concern is whether quantum computation might pierce metaphysical boundaries, inadvertently accessing forbidden knowledge or disturbing structures beyond human comprehension. Drawing lessons from history—where scientists once feared nuclear tests might ignite the atmosphere—we must ask: Are we blindly pressing forward without understanding the risks? This article explores three catastrophic scenarios that could arise from quantum computing’s unchecked advance, questioning whether our pursuit of knowledge is leading us toward progress or oblivion.
Keywords: quantum computing, existential risk, vacuum decay, quantum catastrophe, AI-driven quantum systems, nuclear chain reaction, cold fusion, quantum tunneling, spacetime rupture, divine breach, simulation hypothesis, metaphysical computing, high-energy physics, quantum ethics, artificial intelligence, unknown unknowns, scientific hubris, quantum singularity, recursive AI, quantum recursion loop. 51 pages. A collaboration with GPT-4o. CC4.0.
The technical difficulties facing those wanting to colonise Mars are formidable, but they will be resolved because they are known. What will confound the settlement of the Red Planet are the two silent "lions in the path", because they are unseen and, hence, unknown. They are unknown because conventional science has failed to develop a realist general dynamic theory of life and human society. There is, however, a transformative new theory of life-dynamics--Snooks's dynamic-strategy theory (DST)--that has revealed the existence of these unknowns, namely: • The energy requirements of terraforming Mars are so great that it will only happen once the Solar Revolution has emerged on Earth. It will be the beginning of a new technological paradigm shift to replace the current exhausting paradigm. • Even with unlimited power from the Solar Revolution, the settlement of Mars will fail unless the nature of the hidden life-system, or strategic logos, is recognised and adopted. This dynamic theory of the life-system reveals that the strategic logos is not only the sustainer of life on Earth (it emerged from the strategic interaction between early organisms) but is also the progenitor of human settlements on Earth and potentially of new worlds in space.
Colonisation of the Red Planet will happen. It is just a matter of when and how. It will happen as part of the dynamic strategic struggle that has characterised life and human society from the very beginning, and it will continue until the very end. Mars will be just the beginning of the extension of this dynamic struggle into space. It is not a matter of whether it should happen. It is not a matter of ethics, nor a matter of ideas. It is a matter of survival and prosperity--a matter of desires. While there are many technical issues facing those who intend to establish settlements on Mars, they are the least of their problems. There are two main lions in the path that are not even being considered by the Mars lobby today. First, owing to the huge demands for energy required to transform Mars into a human-friendly environment, sustainable settlement will only be achieved once the forthcoming Solar Revolution on Earth (predicted by my dynamic-strategy theory to begin in the middle decades of the 21st century) gets underway. The Solar Revolution based on space solar-power has to be our first priority. And second, even with unlimited power, colonies on Mars will only succeed if we follow the strategic roadmap--recognising and adopting the blueprint for viable life-systems (which I call the strategic logos) outlined in this concise book. The many colonial failures on Earth testify to that. It is argued here that the strategic logos is the progenitor of new worlds.
This Chapter contains the presentation of relevance the topic of this book. In addition, it discusses the basic legal definitions and concepts of suborbital flights, including in particular those regulated in the legal regimes discussed later in the book. The purpose of this Chapter is to prepare the ground for the considerations contained in all of the following Chapters.
This chapter is dedicated to the strong metaphors and mostly alarming narratives about the Anthropocene. The ideas concerning the Anthropocene are related to conceptions of the Earth, globe, and planet, which were strongly influenced by space travel. At the center are images of the sick planet on the one hand, and immeasurably large numbers, alarming curves, and drastic diagrams on the other. There is a wide panorama of powerful narratives that simultaneously, and often implicitly, carry political ideals and moral concepts. The chapter shows how the Anthropocene is linked with certain images of humanity in the discourse, and that these metaphors represent a social fact that influences societal change.
This chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of the concept of Human-to-Human (H2H) marketing, tracing its roots back to Humanism and emphasizing its significance in contemporary society. It is fundamental to understand that the intellectual life of Kotler has been devoted to explaining the complexities of our contemporary world from different angles. In this sense, humanism, as articulated in this chapter, underscores the importance of prioritizing the welfare of all stakeholders involved in marketing endeavors, from customers to employees, owners, and the wider community. It is framed as a philosophy that seeks to improve societal conditions and enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities alike. At the heart of the discussion is the advocacy for democratic progress and the protection of common goods. Through a lens of Humanism, democratic principles are extolled as foundational for creating fair, inclusive, and responsive communities. The chapter highlights the transformative potential of democracy to foster social harmony, representation, and overall growth. Moreover, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of safeguarding democratic ideals and institutions as essential pillars for societal progress and well-being.
El documento trata sobre la historia del miedo y su evolución en diferentes contextos, desde el temor a la muerte en la antigüedad hasta los miedos contemporáneos. Se exploran los orígenes de criaturas mitológicas, el miedo cósmico de Lovecraft y cómo fenómenos modernos como las abducciones extraterrestres o el Slenderman reflejan la evolución de las leyendas y el temor en la era moderna
This thesis examines the critical role of education in societal transformation, drawing on Werner Jaeger's assertion that the state is the primary agent of education and cultural evolution. In "Paideia," Jaeger emphasizes the state's role in shaping individual development and humanity's essence through educational systems. The thesis introduces the concept of a Ministry of Generosity, a state initiative aimed at fostering a Culture of Generosity as a formal measure of societal happiness. This ministry would integrate the Pedagogy of Generosity into education, promoting prosperity and compassion across economic and educational spheres. The thesis explores the General Theory of Generosity and its practical application in social and educational technology, highlighting the pioneering work of Dr. hc Vicente Pironti, founder of Humaniza. It examines how these technologies can drive cultural transformation and set a global standard for education and societal well-being. Additionally, the thesis addresses the development of humanized algorithms within the Artificial Intelligence Universe, incorporating ethical parameters and compassion for humans, sentient beings, and the environment. These humanized algorithms are presented as a crucial element in realizing the new Culture of Generosity.
This essay explores the psychological freedom that emerges from the acceptance of death, arguing that it should not be seen as merely a one-sided freedom of death without the complementary freedom of life. While death is often met with dread and
fear, it can foster a sense of authenticity and alignment with personal values. However, this realization must also emphasize the importance of life, as the goal of psychological well-being lies in living, not just acknowledging death. This balance allows us to live fully, prioritize meaningful experiences, and discard trivial concerns. By drawing on Carl Sagan's reflections on humanity's insignificance within the cosmos, this essay encourages empowered and responsible living that embraces both life and death.
In 1977, NASA launched the twin Voyager spacecraft on an ambitious mission to explore the outer planets. Voyagers 1 and 2 took advantage of a rare planetary alignment to conduct a “grand tour” of the solar system using gravity to assist flybys in reaching Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The probes sent back stunning images of these distant worlds, revealing a wealth of new scientific data. Voyager 1’s famous “Pale Blue Dot” image depicts Earth as a tiny speck against the vastness of space—a humbling perspective. Beyond the planets, the probes entered interstellar space, crossing the boundary where the Sun’s influence ends. Even now, after more than 40 years, Voyager 1 and 2 continue to transmit data to Earth as they journey into the unknown. The Voyagers represent an unparalleled achievement in exploration and altered our understanding of the solar system. Carrying the Golden Record containing sounds and images of Earth, they voyage onward as emissaries of humanity to the stars.
This fascinating book explores the concept of slow living, offering a philosophical and psychological exploration of the need for a slower pace of life. It advocates for reclaiming and rediscovering more natural and human ways of being.
In a digital age, which is dominated by an increasingly tyrannical trinity of speed, efficiency and productivity, the author challenges the pernicious ideal of instant gratification, perpetuated by modern consumer culture. This book examines alternative ways of being through re-examining the Wisdom Traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Judaism through an ongoing and engaging dialogue with psychology and psychotherapy, including insights from environmental psychology, ecopsychology and cyberpsychology. The book argues against the trend for personal responsibility, adaptability and resilience, and the idea that stress is the ‘new normal'. Instead, it proposes a radical shift in paradigm, promoting not for collectively rising up and overthrowing this system but for communally sitting down and reimagining.
The Psychology of Slow Living is a unique exploration of the benefits of the slow living movement and taps into contemporary debates around the way we should be living our lives, making it an ideal resource for students and academics in psychology, philosophy and the social sciences, as well as individuals interested in alternative lifestyles and spirituality.
Một điều chắc chắn rằng trong thời gian tới, khoảng không vũ trụ sẽ trở thành vị trí
trung tâm trong chiến lược bảo đảm an ninh quốc gia của các nước. Tuy nhiên, đứng
trước những sự biến chuyển khó lường ấy, Việt Nam chưa có cho mình một khung pháp lý chung về hoạt động vũ trụ quốc gia để thúc đẩy nghiên cứu và phát triển các ứng dụng của khoa học công nghệ trong không gian. Vì lẽ đó, Việt Nam cần chuẩn bị tinh thần cân nhắc việc sớm đưa vấn đề khoảng không vũ trụ vào một trong năm không gian (vùng đất, vùng trời, vùng biển, không gian mạng và khoảng không vũ trụ) mà Việt Nam cần bảo vệ lợi ích quốc gia - dân tộc. Qua đó, nghiên cứu xây dựng trên tinh thần của Quyết định số 169/QĐ-TTg của Thủ tướng Chính phủ về ban hành chiến lược phát triển và ứng dụng khoa học và công nghệ vũ trụ đến năm 2030, trong đó phải nhận thức được sử dụng khoảng không vũ trụ là một lĩnh vực cần có tầm nhìn xa, cũng như cần có nguồn lực đầu tư bền bỉ và dài hạn, là động lực quan trọng đối với phát triển bền vững, nâng cao vị thế, ảnh hưởng của đất nước và bảo vệ Tổ quốc Việt Nam xã hội chủ nghĩa trong tình hình mới theo xu thế chung của thế giới.
As a civilized society, we need to become operationally aware that Homo sapiens is part of nature and that Humanity depends on the integrity and the proper functioning of our planet's natural bio-physico-chemical processes. The first module (chapters) of the three composing the book provides a basic introduction into the matter and a synthesis of what needs to be known about sustainable development, cities and eco-cities—before delving into the core method.
This chapter clarifies the purpose and intent of this volume, and gives some pointers as to how best to utilize the rich resources it provides.
Drawing from Ursula K. Le Guin’s parable of the “child in the closet,” this chapter describes how a dynamic of broadening equality and shifting extraction has played out across US history, as American conceptions of universal political rights have evolved. The “American dream,” a powerful expression of principles of equal opportunity, was only popularized in the twentieth century, yet its ideological origins can be traced to the republic’s founding documents. From the outset, bestowing rights and opportunities upon white male property owners depended on the subjugation of other groups. Over time, however, the American dream’s ideals—rooted in Jeffersonian philosophies of political equality—have provided moral leverage to push forward resistance and reform. Popular conceptions of the American dream have shifted, in turn, from desires for a freedom-loving and virtuous community to aspirations for individual material success. As the tenor of the dream has changed, so too have the moral arguments used to excuse the exploitation that permits the extending of opportunities more broadly. Racial entitlement, for instance, has been replaced by meritocratic entitlement, reflecting popular understandings of individual advancement and efficient markets as superior routes to economic growth benefitting all. Such a perspective distracts from the ongoing erosion of social mobility and the offloading of the costs of opportunity creation onto new and international groups. Recognizing these changing patterns of resource extraction and opportunity hoarding helps make sense of modern-day inequalities and the reasons they persist amid the uneven advancement of America’s founding ideals. It also offers insight into how the current system might allow for something different from a Faustian bargain of underwriting dreams of glory and self-growth for some upon the collateral suffering of an increasingly amorphous and obscure group of others. An alternative path would require not just positive liberties of economic security, but also a change in the prevailing cultural beliefs of who is deserving and undeserving of grace.
In the quest to understand the fabric of the universe, the confluence of quantum entanglement and computation emerges as a pivotal area of exploration. "Quantum Entanglement and Natural Computation: Exploring the Possibility of Cosmic Scale Information Processing" delves into the speculative yet profound hypothesis that the universe itself may operate as an intricate computational entity, driven by the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics. This paper traverses the realms of quantum physics, astrobiology, complex systems theory, and digital physics to propose models where natural systems—from the microscopic world of photosynthetic organisms to the vast cosmic web—engage in processes akin to computation. By extending the concept of computation beyond human-engineered machines to encompass the dynamic, emergent phenomena observed in the cosmos, we invite a reevaluation of what constitutes computation and its ubiquity in the natural world. This exploration not only challenges our current paradigms but also opens new avenues for understanding cosmic evolution, the emergence of life, and the potential for intelligence in the universe.
Keywords: quantum entanglement, natural computation, cosmic scale information processing, quantum physics, astrobiology, complex systems theory, digital physics, cosmic web, emergent complexity, technosignatures, pancomputationalism, dark matter, dark energy.
In this chapter the relationship between philosophy of place and bioethics is considered. After noting the recognition that scientists and philosophers have given to place over time, the relevance of place within longstanding debates in moral philosophy about impartiality, partiality, and the nature of different levels and types of moral reasoning is articulated. I briefly outline suggestions for a new Aristotelian influenced multiple- level approach to moral thinking. The approach is useful because it clarifies how and why place is intrinsic to moral deliberation in normative ethics, in bioethics and potentially in other disciplinary practices. Van Rensselaer Potter's original vision for bioethics to be a place- sensitive ecological interdisciplinary global practice is reaffirmed and strengthened.
My goal with this essay is to make the existence of a distinctive Levantine cultural paradigm a lens through which to examine long-term patterns of urbanization and cultural change in the Eastern Mediterranean—focusing especially on present-day Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. Inspired by the agenda and approach of global history, the essay is an attempt to highlight a number of salient features of societal formation processes in this region that set them apart from such processes in the heartlands of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The paradigm holds that societal formation dynamics in the Levant have been dominated more by centrifugal than by centripetal forces, thus predisposing local social order in the region towards greater local agency, resiliency, polycentrism, heterarchical social structure and societal complexity less conspicuously reflected in grand monumentality. The implications of this hypothesis for understanding urban resilience in the Late Roman and Early Islamic periods in the Eastern Mediterranean will be explored drawing, in particular, on previous research on the “cities of the Decapolis” and on findings of archaeological excavations at Tall Hisban and the wider Madaba Plains region in Jordan.
We have entered an era of perverse economic growth, at the expense of social and natural capital. As the world runs further behind on the Sustainable Development Goals, managing and mitigating the looming environmental and social crises in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world will be one of the biggest challenges, but also biggest commercial opportunities of our time. Building on earlier research on systemic change, using the WHAT-HOW-WHY framework, this Element presents actionable insights for the radical systemic reinvention of our 'critical systems' that satisfy human and societal needs, such as nutrition, mobility, infrastructure or health. The authors highlight ten emerging paradigms for future-fit systemic change, discuss how stakeholder mindsets can be developed, and present new skills for leaders and a pathway for companies to become drivers of collaborative transformation. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
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Este Trabalho de Conclusão do Curso de Pós-graduação em Direito Internacional foi escrito em 2020 e, desde então, houve mudança de posicionamento do autor quanto a viabilidade de concessão de direitos de propriedade sobre recursos espaciais. Para conhecimento do novo entendimento, acessar a sua Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada à Universidade de Sevilha em novembro de 2023: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16791.96160 .
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ABSTRACT
Desde o ano de 2017, o governo dos Estados Unidos vem publicando diretrizes e normas que buscam regulamentar uma nova incursão ao território lunar.
Entre elas estão a “Ordem Executiva de Incentivo ao Apoio Internacional à
Recuperação e Uso de Recursos Espaciais” e o “Artemis Accords”. Dispõem sobre a
volta à Lua de maneira sustentável e de forma que seja permitida a exploração
comercial por parte de cidadãos e empresas nacionais, bem como de parceiros.
Citam a extração de recursos naturais lunares como forma de incentivo à própria
economia e visam apoio privado e internacional. Em ambas as normas, reiteram o
respeito pelo Tratado do Espaço, a chamada “Carta Magna” do setor espacial,
adotada por mais de 100 países. No entanto, neste acordo mestre, a questão da
apropriação é proibida, seja na Lua ou outros corpos celestes. Considerando que as
normas norte-americanas sugerem permitir ações de venda do produto de minério
espacial, bem como instituir a possibilidade de criação de zonas de segurança onde
teriam exclusividade de uso, este trabalho pretende avaliar a legalidade de tais
operações à Luz do Tratado do Espaço, julgando se elas, caso realizadas, adentram
no conceito de apropriação, o que as tornaria irregulares perante os preceitos atuais
do Direito Espacial Internacional.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.