I can't help thinking the paper referred to is basically an effort to create a sinecure for philosophy professors. Would we be cautious if some random but obviously artificial space probe appeared? Of course. It's reasonable to expect the same of any other space-capable civilization.<p>Conversely, I also think the undertaking broad scale bio-colonization with dumb planetary infection probes is going to be way more expensive and difficult than most people imagine. We would have a better prospect by sending out mycelia with human DNA comehow encoded as passengers on some cosmic equivalent of a taking our retirement funds to Las Vegas.
life expands to fit the space it's given. pretty much every habitable niche on Earth has something living there, extending even well down into the planet. we probably should be helping things along by sending craft filled with various single-celled organisms (& some tardigrades for good measure) to places where life isn't found (do the research first; no need to overwrite what could already be there) but might be able to get a toehold.
<i>> So should we attempt such a thing, and if so, what would be our motivation?</i><p>The thing is, this question needs not be answered satisfactorily before a single individual accrues enough means to make it possible.<p>Apart from non-proliferation "we" seem to be very bad at keeping technology in check.
I think we should definitely expand life into the cosmos. Eventually we will likely find other life and hopefully it doesn't lead to conflict.<p>I have recently been listening to the "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)" sci-fi series. It is about a Von Neumann probe [1] that aids humanity in expanding past Earth. I find a lot of it is thought provoking.<p>[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_spacecraft" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_spacecraft</a>
The same questions posed by “astronomical suffering” in this essay are posed of terrestrial suffering in the debates around anti-natalism.<p>The infamous (amongst academic philosophers) book <i>Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence</i> [0] by David Benatar, takes the stance that no it is not ethical to bring a human into this world.<p>[<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been" rel="nofollow">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been</a>]
Simple ethical filter - were you or any of your descendants ever a full time resident of Jersey City. If yes, then please don't step onto the spaceship.