Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-r6qrq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T04:24:31.668Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Frontiers of astrobiology and the humanities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2023

Julian Chela-Flores*
Affiliation:
Visiting Scientist, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (an IAEA/UNESCO Institute), Trieste, Italy
*
Author for correspondence: Julian Chela-Flores, E-mail: chelaf@ictp.it, http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/index.html

Abstract

One of the main objectives of astrobiology is to understand the distribution of life in the universe, for microbial life, as well as for the search of extra-terrestrial intelligence, both of which would force upon us new problems in philosophy, including ethics and theology. The question of astrobiology and the humanities being such a broad topic, in the present paper we have limited our discussion of the Frontiers of Astrobiology and the Humanities to the single topic: ‘Independence of science (astrobiology) from philosophy and theology’. We have argued along the lines of this narrower thesis, but restricting our theological discussion strictly to a Judeo-Christian perspective.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aretxaga-Burgos, R and Chela-Flores, J (2012) Cultural implications of the search and eventual discovery of a second genesis. In Seckbach, J (ed.), Genesis – In the Beginning Precursors of Life, Chemical Models and Early Biological Evolution. Cellular Origin and Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, Vol. 22. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, pp. 873890.Google Scholar
Ayala, FJ, Cicerone, RJ, Clegg, MT, Brernt Dalrymple, G, Dickerson, RE, Gould, SJ, Herschbach, DR, Kennedy, D, McInnery, JD, Moore, JA, Ostriker, JP, Rupp, G, Scott, E, Schulz, B and Stanley, SM (1999) Science and Creationism. A View from the National Academy of Science, 2nd Edn. Washington, DC: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, National Academy Press, p. 35.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (1998) The phenomenon of the eukaryotic cell. In Russell, RJ, Stoeger, WR and Ayala, FJ (eds), Evolutionary and Molecular Biology: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action. Vatican City State/Berkeley, CA: Vatican Observatory and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, pp. 7999.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2005) Fitness of the universe for a second genesis is it compatible with science and Christianity? Science and Christian Belief 17, 187197.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2009) A Second Genesis: Stepping Stones Towards the Intelligibility of Nature. Singapore: World Scientific Publishers, p. 181. Available at http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/ss220.html.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2011) The Science of Astrobiology a Personal Point of View on Learning to Read the Book of Life, 2nd Edn. Book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, pp. 247256. ISBN: 978-94-007-1626-1. Available at http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/ss220.html.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2019) Astrobiology and Humanism: Conversations on the Frontiers of Science, Philosophy and Theology. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN (10): 1-5275-3436-7; ISBN (13): 978-1-5275-3436-0. Available at http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/ss220.html.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2021 a) Foreword. In Chon Torres, OA, Peters, T, Seckbach, J and Gordon, R (eds). Astrobiology: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Beverly, MA, USA: Scrivener Publishing, Wiley, pp. xvxviii.Google Scholar
Chela-Flores, J (2021 b) Miniaturised instrumentation for the detection of biosignatures in ocean worlds of the solar system. Frontiers in Space Technologies 2, id. 703809. DOI: 10.3389/frspt.2021.703809CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chon-Torres, OA (2018) Astrobioethics. International Journal of Astrobiology 17, 5156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chon-Torres, OA (2021) Disciplinary nature of astrobiology and astrobioethic's epistemic foundations. International Journal of Astrobiology 20, 186193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chon-Torres, OA and Szocik, K (2021) A brief epistemological discussion of astrotheology in the light of astrobiology. International Journal of Astrobiology 21, 18. doi:10.1017/S1473550421000367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ćirković, MM (2012) The Astrobiological Landscape: Philosophical Foundations of the Study of Cosmic Life. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cockell, C (2008) Essay on extraterrestrial liberty. Journal of the British Interplanetary Society 61, 255275.Google Scholar
Coyne, GV (1998) The concept of matter and materialism in the origin and evolution of life. In Chela-Flores, J and Raulin, F (eds), Exobiology: Matter, Energy, and Information in the Origin and Evolution of Life in the Universe. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 7180.Google Scholar
Coyne, GV (2006) Destiny of life and religious attitudes. In Seckbach, J (ed). Life As We Know It. Dordrecht: Springer Science, pp. 519535.Google Scholar
Dawkins, R (2007) The God Delusion. London, UK: Black Swan. ISBN 978-0-552-77429-1.Google Scholar
Dear, P (2006) The Intelligibility of Nature How Science Makes Sense of the World. Chicago, USA: The University of Chicago Press, 254p.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dennett, D (2007) Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon. London: Penguin, p. 464. ISBN 978-0141017778.Google Scholar
Dick, SJ (2012) Critical issues in the history, philosophy and sociology of astrobiology. Astrobiology 12, 906927.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drake, F and Sobel, D (1992) Is Anyone Out There? The Scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. New York: Dalacorte Pres, p. xiii.Google Scholar
Duner, D (2012) Introduction: the history of philosophy and astrobiology. Astrobiology 12, 901905.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elliott, JO, Lipinski, RJ and Poston, DI (2003) Mission concept for a nuclear reactor-powered Mars Cryobot lander. AIP Conference Proceedings 654, 353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenberg, R (2005) Europa – The Ocean Moon Search for An Alien Biosphere. New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Harris, S (2004) The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. New York, USA: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-7432-6809-7.Google Scholar
Haught, JF (1998) Darwin's gift to theology. In Russell, RJ, Stoeger, WR and Ayala, FJ (eds), Evolutionary and Molecular Biology: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action. Vatican City State/Berkeley, CA: Vatican Observatory and The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, pp. 393418.Google Scholar
Haught, JF (2001) Theology after contact: religion and extraterrestrial intelligent life. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 950, 296308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haught, JF (2005) The Boyle Lecture 2003: Darwin, design and the promise of nature. Science & Christian Belief 17, 520.Google Scholar
Horvath, J, Carsey, F, Cutts, J, Jones, J, Johnson, E, Landry, B, Lane, L, Lynch, G, Chela-Flores, J, Jeng, T-W and Bradley, A (1997) Searching for ice and ocean biogenic activity on Europa and Earth. In Hoover, RB (ed). Instruments, Methods and Missions for Investigation of Extraterrestrial Microorganisms. Proc. SPIE 3111. Bellingham, Washington, USA: Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), pp. 490500. Available at http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/searching_for_ice.html.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martini, CM and Chela-Flores, J (1999 a) Dialogo Carlo Maria Martini e Julian Chela-Flores. In Carlo Maria Martini Orizzonti e limiti della scienza Decima Cattedra di non credenti, Sindoni, E and Sinigaglia, C (eds). In ‘Scienze e Idee’, Directed by Giulio Giorello. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore, pp. 6568. Available at http://www.ictp.it/~chelaf/martinijcf.html.Google Scholar
Martini, CM and Coyne, G (1999 b) Dialogo. In Sindoni, E and Sinigaglia, C (eds). Carlo Maria Martini Orizzonti e limiti della scienza Decima Cattedra di non credenti. In the series Scienze e Idee, Directed by G. Giorello. Milan: Raffaello Cortina Editore, pp. 3740.Google Scholar
McKay, CP (2001) The search for a second genesis in the solar system. In Chela-Flores, J, Owen, T and Raulin, F (eds), The First Steps of Life in the Universe. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 269277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMullin, E (2007) Tuning fine-tuning. In Barrow, J, Conway Morris, S, Freeland, S and Harper, CL Jr. (eds). Fitness of the Cosmos for Life: Biochemistry and Fine-Tuning. Cambridge: Cambridge Astrobiology. Cambridge University Press, pp. 7094.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mix, LJ (2016) Life-value narratives and the impact of astrobiology on Christian ethics. Zygon 51, 520535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mix, LJ (2018) Philosophy and data in astrobiology. International Journal of Astrobiology 17, 189200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newton, I (1692) Original Letter from Isaac Newton to Richard Bentley, Dated 10 December 1692. 189.R.4.47, ff. 7-8. Cambridge, UK: Trinity College Library. (The Newton Project). Published online: October 2007). Available at http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk/view/texts/normalized/THEM00258.Google Scholar
Peacocke, A (1998) Biological evolution – a positive theological appraisal. In Russell, RJ, Stoeger, WR and Ayala, FJ (eds), Evolutionary and Molecular Biology: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action. Vatican City State/Berkeley, CA: Vatican Observatory and the Center for Theology and The Natural Sciences, pp. 357376.Google Scholar
Peters, T (ed.) (2018) Astrotheology: Science and Theology Meet Extraterrestrial Life. Eugene, Oregon, USA: Cascade Books.Google Scholar
Polkinghorne, J (1996) Scientists as Theologians a Comparison of the Writings of Ian Barbur, Arthur Peacocke and John Polkinghorne. London: SPCK Publishing.Google Scholar
Pryor, A (2020) Living with tiny aliens: The Image of God for the Anthropocene. New York: Fordham University Press.Google Scholar
Ratzinger, J (2009) Progetto di Dio Meditazioni sulla creazione e la Chiesa. Venice, Italy: Marcianum Press, 2012. Translation of: Gottes Projekt. Nachdenken über Schöpfung und Kirche. Mit einem geleitwort von egon Kapellari. herausgegebn von Michael Langer und Karl-Heinz Kronawetter. in zusammenarbeit mit georg schmuttermayr. © 2009, Vlg Friedrich pustet, Regensburg.Google Scholar
Riedo, A, Grimaudo, V, Aerts, JW, Lukmanov, R, Tulej, M, Broekmann, P, Lindner, R, Wurz, P and Ehrenfreund, P (2021) Laser ablation ionization mass spectrometry: a space prototype system for In situ sulphur isotope fractionation analysis on planetary surfaces. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8, 726373. doi: 10.3389/fspas.2021.726373CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rummel, JD, Race, MS and Horneck, G and the Princeton Workshop Participants (2012) Ethical considerations for planetary protection in space exploration: a workshop. Astrobiology 12, 10171023.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russell, B (1991) History of Western Philosophy and its Connection with Political and Social Circumstances from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 2nd Edn. London: George Allen & Unwin, p. 13.Google Scholar
Russell, RJ (2001) Life in the universe: philosophical and theological issues. In Chela-Flores, J, Owen, T and Raulin, F (eds), The First Steps of Life in the Universe. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 365374.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tänczer, JDR, Ketskeméty, L and Lévai, G (1989) Planetary protection policy overview and application to future missions. Advances in Space Research 9, 181184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Traphagan, JW (2016) Science, Culture and the Search for Life on Other Worlds. Berlin: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trowell, S, Wild, J, Horvath, J, Jones, J, Johnson, E and Cutts, J (1996) Through the Europan ice: advanced lander mission options. In Nash, D (ed). The Europa Ocean Conference, San Juan Capistrano Research Institute. San Juan Capistrano, CA: San Juan Capistrano Research Institute, pp. 76.Google Scholar
Ulamec, S, Biele, J, Funke, O and Engelhardt, M (2007) Access to glacial and subglacial environments in the solar system by melting probe technology. Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology 6, 7194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vainio, OP (2018) Cosmology in Theological Perspective. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.Google Scholar
Weinberg, S (1977) The First Three Minutes. A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe. Glasgow, UK: Fontana/Collins, pp. 148149.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, W, Bryant, S, Zitzelberger, J and Nesmith, B (2001) A radioisotope powered cryobot for penetrating the Europan ice shell. AIP Conference Proceedings 552, 707715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar