Quote from: Voodah on December 15, 2013, 10:44:03 PM

Quote from: byronbb on December 15, 2013, 10:26:36 PM

Quote from: adamstgBit on December 15, 2013, 10:02:40 PM

Quote from: byronbb on December 15, 2013, 09:56:34 PM

Quote from: gandhibt on December 15, 2013, 09:49:43 PM

moon $1000
mars $10000

I'm looking at this picture and all I can think is "why the F would we want to go there?"

the human race has an instinctive drive to explore and experiment
its what got us this far
its what will insure our survival
its fucking important

It's true but it won't be true forever. That's the issue. Human's can't continue on their unquenchable consumption of resources forever. And going to Mars isn't the answer for "more".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG9JkagAeRo

It all really depends on the frame of reference.

Bare with me for one second:

So far, the most unique thing we know in the universe is Intelligent Life. So far, there's only us (though highly unlikely).

BUT while we have not found another Intelligent race, we have founds lots of other planets capable of supporting such life or even us.

Therefore, Intelligent life is scarcer than the resources that fuel us (Earth).

Now this becomes an economic problem, scarcity makes Intelligent life more valuable.

If you were given this simple choice:

Save the humans or save the earth ??

The logical route is of course to save the most scarce. Humans can go on without the Earth, and even expand to hundreds of Earth-like planets, which we have already mapped.

But losing Intelligent life.... that would be a real blow not easily fixed.

Ecologists will want to murder me for my conclusion:

In this frame of thought, Humans have the moral obligation to use all possible resources in order to secure the continuation of Intelligent life.

i think planets like earth are a dime a dozen, and to think the human race is "Intelligent" is laughable!