The bioethics of space exploration : human enhancement and gene editing in future space missions

The first book devoted to the bioethics of the space-mission environment, The Bioethics of Space Exploration explores the ethical status of possible biomedical challenges in future long-term space missions. Konrad Szocik thoroughly examines arguments favoring and opposing human enhancement, accompanied by somatic and germline gene editing, methodology of space-mission bioethics, and moral bioenhancement. In particular, the three main types of space missions―scientific missions, commercial missions, and space colonization missions―prompt different bioethical discussions and levels of human involvement. Szocik also considers whether the possibility of saving humanity through space colonization is compatible with ethics of quality of life and the philosophy of antinatalism. Presented from an issue-driven and case-driven perspective, The Bioethics of Space Exploration highlights the utility of different normative systems for philosophers, ethicists, and social scientists alike. For any reader interested in the broader humanistic and social approach to space missions, these insightful discussions provide a new perspective into the future of space missions and the potential for radical biomedical technologies. "Human exploration of space contains many ethical challenges. Future long-term space missions will generate specific problems and place new demands on humanity. One of them is the concept of human enhancement, primarily through gene editing, for the implementation of long-term space missions. In this book, I hypothesize that large-scale application of human enhancement may be necessary to enable space exploration and exploitation. The book discusses the many arguments for and against human genetic modification for space missions. It also considers the most controversial type of modification, germline gene editing. In the book I present many arguments in favor of applying even radical and considered controversial forms of human enhancements today. The book shows that the environment of future space missions is a unique and different ethical environment from Earth's and requires a modified bioethical approach. The bioethics of space missions should be syncretic, issue-driven, and highly dependent on the purpose of space missions. In the book, I point out the importance of discussing future scenarios of human development. Space bioethics is presented as part of futures studies. The book considers futures of humanity in space that are possible, probable, preferable, but also dystopian. The aim of these considerations is to prevent the development of these worst-case scenarios. The book suggests that we should look to the development of biomedicine with greater optimism and hope. Human enhancement via gene editing for space missions is presented as a pragmatic tool rooted in the principle of well-being"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 The Bioethics of Space Exploration 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 1. The Place of Space Bioethics in the Philosophy and Ethics of Space Missions 12 2. Human Health Risks in Space and the Methodology of Space Bioethics 22 3. Biomedical Human Enhancement 36 4. Germline Gene Editing and Embryo Selection for Future Long-​Term Space Missions 60 5. Justification of Human Enhancement versus Rationale for Space Missions 81 6. Is the Bioethics of Space Missions Different from Bioethics on Earth? 95 7. Moral Bioenhancement in Long-​Term Space Missions 115 8. Space Bioethics, Population Ethics, and Space Colonization 133 9. Conclusions 148 Appendix: Bioethics of Space Missions in the Light of Futures Studies 150 Notes 158 References 172 Index 188