ABSTRACT:
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Historically, colonization has been driven by one of two motives: it
has either been the means by which small groups of strong-willed
people have sought social freedom and spiritual and political
autonomy, or it has been commercially or nationalistically motivated
by the promise of profit by exploitation of otherwise inaccessible
resources. Results have varied greatly, from famine and death to
serendipitous discovery, from bloody revolution to the birth of new
societies, cultures, and forms of government, from the exploitation
and even genocide of indigenous cultures to the extinction of unique
natural resources. Space colonization echoes with overtones of both
the promise and the horror of these historical experiences, yet
harbors tantalizing, unprecedented ramifications for the human race as
a whole.
In this course we will explore the political,
commercial, social, cultural, technical, and ethical aspects of space
colonization. We will draw from historical experience, science
fiction, futurist predictions, and the technical studies/writings of
experts working on a future with space colonization. Some of these
world experts will visit the class or give interactive webcast video-con
lectures and engage in question/answer discussions. Class research
projects and webcast debates will be organized so that the students
can focus and express their own views on the matter.
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