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Space Use and Ethics
Wolfgang Bender, Regina Hagen 
, Martin Kalinowski, Jürgen Scheffran (eds.), Space Use and Ethics, Volume I: Paper; agenda, 2001, ISBN 3-89688-134-5; Euro 21.-
Practical everyday life has been vastly changed by space technolgy. Whether they are aware of it or not, every TV viewer, every Internet surfer, every telephone user, as well as every consumer of weather forecasts benefits from this modern technology. We also need space technology in order to better recognize, assess, and more accurately amend problems like ozone layer damage, desert growth, and soil erosion - problems that we have created ourselves with our natural science progress. Space technology has become a vital part of life.
This is one of its sides. On the other side, it contributes to more efficient military actions, often using the same technology and equipment that serve civilian life. This dual-use potential raises questions of conscience for many people. In addition, new space-based defense and attack systems are being developed - at high financial stakes and with little public debate. Further, as space activity grows, the question of related risks gains in importance, ranging from space junk to plutonium-based energy systems.
Finally, how should we view the visions of some genetic researchers and space experts wo want to create new, permanent living space for future human generations on space stations, planets, and asteroids? At least in connection with this last picture of the future, the question emerges of how we really want to live and what future we want to preserve or provide for our descendants. The questions of what we want cannot be separated from the ones of what we should do or what we can responsibly do.
