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From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU
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Date: Sun, 17 Dec 89 01:35:25 -0500 (EST)
Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #355

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 355

Today's Topics:
     Reasons for going to space, Ray Bradbury, badly paraphrased.
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Date: 17 Dec 89 05:57:09 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!samsung!caesar.cs.montana.edu!milton!maven!games@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu  (Games Wizard)
Subject: Reasons for going to space, Ray Bradbury, badly paraphrased.

I just caught a bit of McGlaughlin ( SP is bad... ) on a public station.
He had Ray Bradbury on as a guest.

I have several negative things to say about this, then some neutral
observations and then a startling revelation in viewpoint.

First off, I was apalled at the lack of scientific facts on this show.
The speed of light was 286 million miles per second, the distance to 
alpha centauri was 2 light years, and these were the most glaring.
I was suprised that Ray Bradbury would stand for the quotation of the first,
but I was truly amazed when he quoted the second himself.  There were a lot
of little other scientific things that bothered me about this show, but I
guess that I have to forgive them as they were not pretending to be scientists,
they just had the facts wrong, the interpretations that stemmed from these
facts seemed to be rational though.

Observations :  I was struck that the audience seemed to be evenly divided
pro or anti Mr. Bradbury, but Mr Mcglaughlin seemed to be treating his guest
almost as a hostile witness.

I was however impressed with the insights ( personal philosophy ) the Ray 
Bradbury professed.  When Asked about Life after death, he said, I have 4
children, and 6 grandchildren.  Someone else pointed out that his writings
made him immortal.  When asked about the SPIRIT, he replied that he didn't
know, and wouldent guess.  He said that Teaching children to READ was more
important than fighting over the creation vs evolution theories in the schools.
He was very clear that both are THEORIES, and that NEITHER is PROVEN, but that
evolution has more evidence supporting it., His point was that if kids were
taught to read, then they would figure these things out for themselfs, and we
wouldent have the problem.  He said that he is certain that there is life
somewhere in the rest of the galaxy, but it would be at least several thousand
years before we get far enough out to meet them.
He had a plan for NASA.  ( He said he wanted to run the rejuvination plan )
He wanted to put a huge theater at the cape, and replay all the emotion tied
in with the apollo launches, and after a few million people get all stirred
up, and write to their congresspeople, ( and mebee not reelect the ones that 
don't care ), then something will get done.

On to the revelation, and the reason that I am posting this.  There has been
a lot of posting recently about the Manned VS Unmanned, reasons for exploring
space, reasons for staying home, etc...  He has a view on the subject that 
I have never heard before.  They were talking about religion, and god and the 
universe, etc...  He stated that one of the ultimate questions was "What came
before the big bang" or "Who created creation"  he said that since we most 
likely would never find the answer to that, we should deal with the real issue 
at hand.  Creation ( the universe )  His definition of life (humanity as 
opposed to animals) is the difference to distinguish between good and evil.
( not a great definition, but not a bad definition either IMHO ).  In any case
he believes that humanity (life ) on the earth is an expression of the god-like
force of creation ( the universe ), and in that case, we are very special
indeed. (2 notes : he never used the word god that I recall, i take liberties
in paraphrasing, i apologize.  2 : I think that we all agree that we are
special ( I.E. we like being alive ) but few of us view our existance as an
extension of the life force of the universe. )   To this end he proposes that
we are sort of the seed of the galaxy, and it is our DUTY to grow and spread 
the seed of life to the rest of the solar system, and indeed on into the
rest of the galaxy.  I realize that this is first : Not stated as well as he
stated it, and 2 : belongs in x.religion or x.philosophy, etc... ) but it
(at least to me ) was a very lucid argument as to WHY we need to colonize 
space, and at the very least a new twist ( at least to me ).  It seems to be
a better reason for going to space than just to relieve surplus population,
or for political reasons, or just that it is our nature, and inevitable, and so
it will be done.  It is our DUTY to the universe, and we must live up to it.

Personally I like this logic, it gives meaning to the dream ( at least it is 
a more emotionally charged rational in favor than any of the others, and hence 
the most likley to draw supporters, and at the very least provide for a good
controversy with the churches.

Sorry if this is an inappropriate posting, I just saw this as a new reason
(well, at least not posted so far ) and at least as worthy of consideration
as some of the other rationals presented so far.

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End of SPACE Digest V10 #355
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