Astrobiology and the Law: What Policies are Needed to Protect Extraterrestrial Life?

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Astrobiology and the Law: What Policies are Needed to Protect Extraterrestrial Life?

The question of whether there is life on other planets is one of the most profound and enduring mysteries. The study of life in the universe is the purview of the discipline known as astrobiology. Since the Viking Mission in the 1970s we have been searching for life on other planets like Mars or moons like Enceladus and Europa in our solar system. And we are preparing to continue those searches with both manned and unmanned missions in the near future.

But are we psychologically, sociologically, and morally prepared to find extraterrestrial life – even microbes – and behave in a way that will not violate the well-being of that life?

Our track record towards other animals on earth has been very troublesome and fraught with inconsistencies, exploitation, and abuse. It is likely we will treat any life forms on other planets in the same way. Therefore, we should be putting in place legal protections for extraterrestrials prior to finding them.

Many authors have argued for a range of protections and enforceable ethical standards, but none have been adopted. Yet there is little agreement about whether extraterrestrial life should even have rights or how we should enact a moral stance towards it.

In this webinar we will discuss these issues with astrobiologists and legal experts who have provided thought leadership in this area.

Participants:

Kathy Hessler and Lori Marino (hosts), Co-directors of the Animal Law & Science Project, George Washington UniversityAmy Wilson (moderator), animal law attorney, Co‑Founder & Executive Director of Animal Law Reform South Africa Mark Lupisella, senior NASA engineer and scientist, Goddard Space Flight CenterChelsea Haramia, philosopher and ethicist, Center for Science and Thought, University of BonnAure Allexandre, international space law expert, Futures-Oriented Governance of Outer SpaceCo-hosted by the Kimmela Center

Register for the Webinar Here

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Chelsea Haramia is a philosopher and ethicist whose research arises at the intersections of science, technology, values, and the environment. She is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Science and Thought at the University of Bonn working on the Desirable AI project, as well as co-Director of the Discovery and Futures Lab at the SETI Institute. She is also co-Editor of the journal 1000-Word Philosophy, Chair of the SETI Post-Detection Hub's Human Factors Working Group, Advisory Board member of the Cosmic Footprint Society, Management Committee member of the European COST Action grant FOGOS (Futures Oriented Governance of Outer Space), and founder and co-host of the philosophy podcast Story Phi.