Who Owns the Moon?: In Defence of Humanity's Common Interests in Space

by A.C. Grayling

A Defence of Our Intergalactic Common Interests

Silicon for microchips; manganese for batteries; titanium for missiles.

The moon contains a wealth of natural resources. So, as the Earth’s supplies have begun to dwindle, it is no surprise that the world’s superpowers and wealthiest corporations have turned their eyes to the stars. As this new Space Race begins, A.C. Grayling who, if anyone, owns the moon? Or Mars? Or other bodies in near space? And what do those superpowers and corporations owe to Planet Earth and its inhabitants as a whole?

From feudal common land, through the rules of the sea, to the vast, nationless expanse of Antarctica, Grayling explores the history of the places which no one, and therefore everyone, owns. Examining the many ways this so-called terra nullius has fallen victim to ‘the tragedy of the commons’ – the tendency for communal resources to be exploited by a few individuals for personal gain at the expense of everyone else – Who Owns the Moon? puts forward a compelling argument for a bold new global consensus, one which recognises and defends the rights of everyone who lives on this planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Philosophy, Science, Space, Technology, Society

224 pages, Hardcover

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Anthony Clifford "A. C." Grayling is a British philosopher. In 2011 he founded and became the first Master of New College of the Humanities, an independent undergraduate college in London. Until June 2011, he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, where he taught from 1991. He is also a supernumerary fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford.

He is a director and contributor at Prospect Magazine, as well as a Vice President of the British Humanist Association. His main academic interests lie in epistemology, metaphysics and philosophical logic. He has described himself as "a man of the left" and is associated in Britain with the new atheism movement, and is sometimes described as the 'Fifth Horseman of New Atheism'. He appears in the British media discussing philosophy.

Reviews

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fear this was better suited to a extended essay. While the arguments had good bones I feel it failed to deliver on the promises of the premise. That being said a readable interpretation of international treaties if done well is always worth commending.

[katie meddins (maresh) · Rating 3 out of 5]

more of a collection of essays about the global commons and the concept of a ‘space commons’ than a book about claims and threats to the moon. this was not a bad book by any means, but i imagine it’s different to what most people expect, covering topics like the Antarctic Treaty (i can vouch for this being very accurately written as the Antarctic is my own field of work), the High Seas (note this was written prior to the ratification of the High Seas treaty in Jan 2026), the scramble for africa and a final chapter on moon claims.
if you’re after a book that looks at the practicalities of claims and settling in space i’d recommend ‘A city on Mars’ by Kelly and Zack Weinersmith, but this was overall a good insight into the legal precedent for space claims and the issues surrounding it

[Wole Talabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book that serves as a good introduction to space law - highlighting its limits against the push of current technological and political developments. The book uses parallels from recent history to make a case for change and issue a warning. In fact the history makes up the bulk of it, making it a book less about the moon or space and more about history. Which is fine, I liked it well enough. But the main point was made very early on and so a lot of the latter parts of the book came across as a bit repetitive, and in the end it lacked depth in exploring or speculating what those changes to space law could/should be and how they could come about. Still, a good starting point for anyone curious about the history behind, and the current state, of space law.

[Robert Wechsler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grayling looks at a fascinating topic in his new book. The book’s not just about the moon, but also about outer space in general, and the seas and Antarctica as examples earthlings have already entered into treaties about. At a different level, it’s about commons, places shared by all that can easily be depleted or otherwise destroyed (and, in some situations, battles fought over) if mutually beneficial agreements aren’t reached. A short book that's inexplicably being offered for next to nothing as an e-book (at least as I write).

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it provides an interesting introduction to Space law and recent developments, drawing on historical parallels, it feels too cursory. I was hoping for a more substantive treatment of the topic. About 117 pages of written text and with a sizable appendix consisting of publicly available documents, it might have been better as an extended essay.

Lets not even talk about -as of the writing of this review- the constant use of hedging language to ensure that the readers -as of 2024- are aware that geopolitical treaties, conventions, and agreements may have -possibly- changed after the writing of the text.

[Akos Haasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone working in engineering, law or finance needs to read this.

[Francesco Doda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting topic, but could be more divulgative.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't expect philosophical consideration of what humanity's common interests in space might be, or any practical examination of how they could be safeguarded. An undergraduate level survey of the shortcomings of international law on Earth, concluding that current space law is inadequate, something that should shock no-one.

[Helen Varley · Rating 4 out of 5]

technological developments and corporate speculation and investment are contributing to a renewal of interest in accessing the moon and its resources - both as a stepping stone to Mars and as a potential source of rare minerals that we are busily depleting on Earth. in this timely book, A. C. Grayling compares the race for the moon to three historical examples: antarctica and its 1961 treaty; the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) and the late 19th century "scramble" for and colonisation Africa. his book is a call for urgent action and regulation, before the tragedy of the commons plays itself out all over again in outer space - but it's also a rather depressing reminder that humans are greedy and forgetful, and history tends to repeat itself, even when it's all to obvious that there will be unintended, negative, consequences. exactly what those consequences might be and just how bad is up to us and how much we do now to mitigate them.

[Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short but engaging introduction to the frameworks governing areas like Antarctica, the high seas, and the Moon. This book is basically a history of the Antarctic treaty system, UNCLOS, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, and more modern (but failed) attempts to update the latter.

I would have loved a longer book that went more into depth on each of these topics (and delved into a broader range of related topics).

I was a bit disappointed that the author ignored questions around the intrinsic worth of the space environments and therefore glossed over questions around if and how these environments should be protected.

[Carol Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if it is true to say that I liked this book - rather I really admired the rational and clear way Grayling describes the world's predicament in dealing with protecting Antarctica, the oceans - and the moon. The book includes transcripts of the relevant treaties which are interesting but frightenly outdated and unenforceable.

[Malcolm · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book covers earth based treaties (think Antartica) for the vast majority of its short length. The moon hardly gets a look in. And with lengthy extracts of treaties with little analysis, reads more like a compilation of extracts by a new research assistant.

[Elmwoodblues · Rating 3 out of 5]

More earth law then lunar, which makes sense: we are using what we know, and, at least in the case of places like Arctic, what has worked. So far, anyway. An interesting read in spots, dry in others.

[Julia Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly asks a big question. Uses historical examples of how power and control have gone wrong - colonisation and exploitation, and why we can't leave it up to the world's superpowers and corporations to take control of space.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In examining the laws of the seas, the treaty of Antarctica and the colonial scramble for Africa, Grayling seeks to set some precedent for the development of international space law.

[Zackarias Blad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trodde den skulle vara lite mer populärvetenskaplig men detta var straight up folkrättslig doktrin

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I commend A. C. Grayling’s attention to detail, but there is shockingly little in this book that is actually about humanity’s common interests in space.

[Brk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Take an interesting topic and make it realllly boring.

[Nora Nora · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
Did I learn something about the topic? Very little.
Did I enjoy it? No.
Do not recommend the audiobook.

[Steven Beningo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent look at legal issues pertaining to space, though a better job of covering these issues can be found in “A City on Mars.”

[Caroline B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this one, but unfortunately I found the author's style and the lack of information pertaining to actual space law to be disappointing (to me).

[Benjamin Priday · Rating 1 out of 5]

This should’ve been a newspaper or magazine article instead of a book, and would’ve benefitted from an honest editor who knows how to cut irrelevant information.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 3.5. Would have made a much better 40-page journal article

[Ola · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun topic but really dense and loads of technical language