The Pros And Cons Of The Colonization Of Mars

Recently the colonization of the planet Mars has been a popular topic, whether it is on the internet, in everyday discussions or even among politicians. On the one hand, many believe that Mars is a viable solution to the problem caused by overpopulation and pollution by serving as a habitat for humans due to its similar environment and composition. On the other hand, scientific limitations and ethical concerns make it difficult for others to believe that Mars is a possible alternative solution to Earth’s problems. Its thin atmosphere and lack of liquid water on the surface make humans living on Mars impossible with today’s limited technology. Besides some scientific limitations, there are also ethical questions that arise concerning the project

The two extremes of the perspectives are homocentrism and cosmocentrism, and most of the less established perspectives are a variation of or a compromise between the two. Mark Lupisella and John Logsdon, having studied and reported on policies on space exploration, explain these two contrasting perspectives as one placing a higher value on either the human race or having a reasonably objective value for all. Both extremes, however, have their own shortcomings. Homocentrism, for example, “tends to suggest that human exploration should take priority over the preservation of possible indigenous life forms”(Lupisella and Logsdon), however many believe that it would be unethical and selfish to pursue our curiosity at any expense. On the other hand, cosmocentrism implies that any life form found on Mars, even microbes, have rights, and that the unique environment should be preserved.(Horneck) While the former leads to many ethical challenges, the latter limits the solutions to making Mars habitable for

Before, space technology has only been used to observe and study different celestial bodies. However, as the deadline for NASA and Mars One’s plans approach, the possibility of humans landing on Mars is becoming a reality. It is crucial to establish these guidelines before their plans are realized and before we face these issues. It will be difficult to resolve these issues once the journey to Mars has begun; by then the risk will be greater, and there will be a need to act fast. Once the plans have gone through and especially when the first human settlements on Mars have been established, there will be many obstacles to bypass before a proper resolution to any of these challenges can be formed. By establishing the guidelines beforehand, we will be much more prepared for these issues, and, afterwards, the bulk of the efforts can be turned to achieving the