Speaker
Description
As humanity sets its sights on long-term space exploration and potential colonization of other planets, profound anthropological and moral questions arise regarding the kind of human beings we may need—or wish—to design for life beyond Earth. In environments drastically different from those of our home planet, human survival may depend on advanced technological interventions, including genome editing, synthetic biology, and other forms of human enhancement. These possibilities challenge fundamental assumptions about human nature, dignity, and moral status, and call for careful ethical reflection.
The workshop “Space Bioethics: Rethinking the Human for Life Beyond Earth” will focus on the bioethical, philosophical, and anthropological implications of human adaptation to extraterrestrial environments. Central to our discussion will be the question: What kind of human should inhabit space, and what ethical boundaries should govern our interventions in human biology?
The workshop aims to create a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together up to four leading international speakers from fields such as bioethics, biology, philosophy of technology and anthropology. While maintaining a strong interdisciplinary perspective, the workshop will particularly emphasize ethical and normative questions: How far can or should we modify the human genome for space survival? What are the limits of human enhancement in the context of space missions? How might the experience of space life reshape our notions of personhood, human rights, and moral obligations?
Topics may include but are not limited to:
• Ethical implications of genome editing for space colonization
• The concept of “post-human” or “astro-human” identities
• The impact of extreme environments on human psychology and social organization
• Justice and inequality in access to space-enhancement technologies
• The redefinition of human dignity and moral status beyond Earth
By addressing these emerging challenges, the workshop seeks not only to explore a relatively new area of applied ethics but also to anticipate future debates about humanity’s role and responsibilities as we venture beyond our planet. The discussions will contribute to shaping an ethical framework for human life in space, ensuring that technological innovation proceeds in harmony with respect for fundamental human values.