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Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space
Can we do better in space than we’ve done here on Earth?
We’ve pinpointed the destination, refined the technology, designed the habitat, outfitted our space residents. Are we forgetting something? A timely reminder that it’s not just rocket science, this thought-provoking book explores the all-too-human issues raised by the prospect of settling in outer space. It’s worth remembering, Erika Nesvold suggests, that in making new worlds, we don’t necessarily leave our earthly problems behind. Accordingly, her work highlights the complex ethical challenges that accompany any other-worldly venture—questions about the environment, labor rights, and medical ethics, among others.
Any such venture, Nesvold contends, must be made on behalf of all humanity, with global input and collaboration. Off-Earth thus includes historical and contemporary examples from outside the dominant Western/US, abled, and privileged narrative of the space industry. Nesvold calls on experts in ethics, sociology, history, social justice, and law to launch a hopeful conversation about the potential ethical pitfalls of becoming a multi-planet species—and, ideally, to shed light on similar problems we presently face here on Earth.
Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Nesvold challenges us to decide.
We’ve pinpointed the destination, refined the technology, designed the habitat, outfitted our space residents. Are we forgetting something? A timely reminder that it’s not just rocket science, this thought-provoking book explores the all-too-human issues raised by the prospect of settling in outer space. It’s worth remembering, Erika Nesvold suggests, that in making new worlds, we don’t necessarily leave our earthly problems behind. Accordingly, her work highlights the complex ethical challenges that accompany any other-worldly venture—questions about the environment, labor rights, and medical ethics, among others.
Any such venture, Nesvold contends, must be made on behalf of all humanity, with global input and collaboration. Off-Earth thus includes historical and contemporary examples from outside the dominant Western/US, abled, and privileged narrative of the space industry. Nesvold calls on experts in ethics, sociology, history, social justice, and law to launch a hopeful conversation about the potential ethical pitfalls of becoming a multi-planet species—and, ideally, to shed light on similar problems we presently face here on Earth.
Space settlement is rapidly becoming ever more likely. Will it look like the utopian vision of Star Trek? Or the dark future of Star Wars? Nesvold challenges us to decide.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 20, 2024
3.5 stars
Took me a while to get through this because it’s so dense. It’s really not a long a read but the author covers a lot of ground here relating to space-settling ethics. 4 sections phrased as questions with 3-4 chapters (also phrased as questions) per question: how do we begin, how will we live with the land, how will we live with each other, and how can we live well. In each chapter, there are a few different approaches to the central question the chapter poses, like historical basis, cultural norms for different cultures on Earth, and moral and ethical stances. Should be noted that the author doesn’t provide any answers, which is probably why the title only claims to offer “questions and quandaries.” These questions can’t be answered by a single person honestly, considering how monumental they are.
Overall, it was good and well-researched. I was impressed with how objective (while still being compassionate) the author appeared to be on the subject. If you can’t get your hands on this book and you are interested in what the author and her many interviewees have to say, check out her Making New Worlds podcast, which I found on Apple and Google podcasts. I am looking forward to supplementing the book at some point by listening to the podcast.
Took me a while to get through this because it’s so dense. It’s really not a long a read but the author covers a lot of ground here relating to space-settling ethics. 4 sections phrased as questions with 3-4 chapters (also phrased as questions) per question: how do we begin, how will we live with the land, how will we live with each other, and how can we live well. In each chapter, there are a few different approaches to the central question the chapter poses, like historical basis, cultural norms for different cultures on Earth, and moral and ethical stances. Should be noted that the author doesn’t provide any answers, which is probably why the title only claims to offer “questions and quandaries.” These questions can’t be answered by a single person honestly, considering how monumental they are.
Overall, it was good and well-researched. I was impressed with how objective (while still being compassionate) the author appeared to be on the subject. If you can’t get your hands on this book and you are interested in what the author and her many interviewees have to say, check out her Making New Worlds podcast, which I found on Apple and Google podcasts. I am looking forward to supplementing the book at some point by listening to the podcast.
May 6, 2023
What an outstanding book. Concise, well researched, with ideas discussed logically and without any hidden agenda. The author asks many questions - why settle space, how do we settle space? What form of government should colonists adopt? What about the economy? And civil rights? How do we ensure the health and well-being of future generations living off Earth?
Covering anything from reproductive rights to freedom of religion, this book takes a pragmatic approach to asking these very important questions. To be sure, it doesn't offer a whole lot of answers, but I believe its value lies in opening up the floor to tackle some of these key issues which we must tackle well before the first rocket leaves the planet.
Covering anything from reproductive rights to freedom of religion, this book takes a pragmatic approach to asking these very important questions. To be sure, it doesn't offer a whole lot of answers, but I believe its value lies in opening up the floor to tackle some of these key issues which we must tackle well before the first rocket leaves the planet.
March 11, 2023
I enjoyed reading Erika Nesvold's book, which poses lots of fascinating and important questions. I had the opportunity to ask her questions too, in an interview that we published in WIRED magazine. You're welcome to read it here.
https://www.wired.com/story/erika-nes...
https://www.wired.com/story/erika-nes...
April 17, 2024
Off-World
11/2024.
Nesvold hosted a podcast called “Making New Worlds” on the ethics of space develop. This is an extension of that. Here, she’s concerned with uncritical belief in the goodness of space exploration without dedicated ethical review. Much of her criticism (which I share) amounts to “the technology is there, so why not do it?” - the human impulse behind Jurassic Park and the abuse of power outlined by Snowden’s revelations.
Does your space business plan have an ethical review? Maybe it should. But even more fundamental than that is a common understanding of what we collectively don’t want done with our space.
There are chapters on key areas requiring ethical, not just technical, solutions. Property/mining rights, the space environment, etc. Obviously, equitable access to *all* space resources is worth thinking through. This starts at spectrum and orbits around earth, but plainly extends far beyond that.
I was originally exposed to Nesvold’s writing in “Reclaiming Space”. This is a less intense, but farther ranging exploration. In both, she makes a strong argument for evaluating non-dominant, and non-western views, especially including indigenous views, in how we deal with the opportunities and risks presented by resources in space.
The sections on space law and environment are familiar terrain. But what about labor ethics and criminal law in space? Should we agree to a space economy that makes billionaires into trillionaires if little benefit accumulates for the rest of humanity?
After reading this, and several other books on the subject, it’s clear that humanity isn’t ready for a life in the stars. There’s too many unknowns about the medical conditions that we will face, especially around reproduction and child rearing. And expecting a heterogeneous crew to avoid the biological urge for reproduction is laughable. Without a solution to this fundamental biological problem of humanity, it’s reckless to proceed into space. We’d be risking peoples lives in an unsupportable way.
#astroethics #spacepolicy #spacecolonization #spaceethics
11/2024.
Nesvold hosted a podcast called “Making New Worlds” on the ethics of space develop. This is an extension of that. Here, she’s concerned with uncritical belief in the goodness of space exploration without dedicated ethical review. Much of her criticism (which I share) amounts to “the technology is there, so why not do it?” - the human impulse behind Jurassic Park and the abuse of power outlined by Snowden’s revelations.
Does your space business plan have an ethical review? Maybe it should. But even more fundamental than that is a common understanding of what we collectively don’t want done with our space.
There are chapters on key areas requiring ethical, not just technical, solutions. Property/mining rights, the space environment, etc. Obviously, equitable access to *all* space resources is worth thinking through. This starts at spectrum and orbits around earth, but plainly extends far beyond that.
I was originally exposed to Nesvold’s writing in “Reclaiming Space”. This is a less intense, but farther ranging exploration. In both, she makes a strong argument for evaluating non-dominant, and non-western views, especially including indigenous views, in how we deal with the opportunities and risks presented by resources in space.
The sections on space law and environment are familiar terrain. But what about labor ethics and criminal law in space? Should we agree to a space economy that makes billionaires into trillionaires if little benefit accumulates for the rest of humanity?
After reading this, and several other books on the subject, it’s clear that humanity isn’t ready for a life in the stars. There’s too many unknowns about the medical conditions that we will face, especially around reproduction and child rearing. And expecting a heterogeneous crew to avoid the biological urge for reproduction is laughable. Without a solution to this fundamental biological problem of humanity, it’s reckless to proceed into space. We’d be risking peoples lives in an unsupportable way.
#astroethics #spacepolicy #spacecolonization #spaceethics
November 8, 2023
Off-Earth is a thought-provoking introduction to some of the ethical conundrums that humans will likely be forced to confront in the (relatively) near future of space travel and off-world settlement.
Despite the academic complexity and nuance of the topics covered in the book—not to mention the politically-charged nature of many of the issues (e.g., reproductive rights)—the author’s writing is both accessible and open-minded. Indeed, Nesvold makes an effort to explicitly acknowledge where her background or personal preferences (political or otherwise) may have biased the presentation of a particular topic.
This book is a welcome addition to the nascent but growing corpus of literature on the ethics of space exploration. Moreover, it is also a much-needed counterweight to the bulk of writing on space which tends to emphasize the (admittedly cool) aspects of space travel while wantonly disregarding the darker aspects of its own behavior that humanity might unwittingly take with itself into space.
Despite the academic complexity and nuance of the topics covered in the book—not to mention the politically-charged nature of many of the issues (e.g., reproductive rights)—the author’s writing is both accessible and open-minded. Indeed, Nesvold makes an effort to explicitly acknowledge where her background or personal preferences (political or otherwise) may have biased the presentation of a particular topic.
This book is a welcome addition to the nascent but growing corpus of literature on the ethics of space exploration. Moreover, it is also a much-needed counterweight to the bulk of writing on space which tends to emphasize the (admittedly cool) aspects of space travel while wantonly disregarding the darker aspects of its own behavior that humanity might unwittingly take with itself into space.
August 18, 2024
Broad overview of many ethical aspects of long term space travel or habitation. I especially liked the fictional snippets of hisorical situations combined with a similar scifi situation to demonstrate how these questions are not as new as we might think, and cannot be rationalized or answered by some tech CEOs. I am now thoroughly convinced that there are not only technological challenges to overcome, but also many ethical challenges that need to be solved or at least considered before embarking on long term extraterrestrial living.
June 17, 2025
A fascinating insight into the ethics surrounding our future in space - how does the outer space environment interact with the freedom of movement, unemployment, oppression? The book takes the time to engage with historical comparisons, but fortunately does not drown in them.
A must-read for anyone interested or working in space, because raising these questions at this stage in our space development is crucial.
A must-read for anyone interested or working in space, because raising these questions at this stage in our space development is crucial.
May 14, 2023
I love learning about space exploration. In fact, I literally get paid to do so. So that’s nice. This book asks all the big ethical questions that those seeking to explore the heavens, be they public entities or private corporations, should be asking themselves. How will we ensure that laborers in space civilizations won’t be exploited? How will we ensure that scarce resources, including the very air that we breathe, isn’t controlled for profit? How will we treat the disabled? The author even explores questions like how will we approach contraception and reproduction? Nesvold doesn’t offer many definitive answers at all, but she does provide thought-provoking discussions and a great perspective. I will definitely not be volunteering for any space settlement even if such a thing would be an option in my lifetime. I’m way too risk-averse, but I do hope that those seeking to expand humanity further into the final frontier think about these questions before they venture out and consider what type of society they want to build and then intentionally do so.
March 21, 2025
“After Elon Musk gave interviews describing his plans for a luxury spaceliner to transport settlers and his hopes for ‘everything from iron refiners to the first pizza joint’ on Mars, author Nicole Dieker pointed out that all those dreams require a working class, one that Musk has yet to mention.”
This book will give you a million and one things to think about. Nesvold raises questions about why should we go to space, who gets to go, who owns space, how will we share space environments and how will we take care of those environments, how would we make a living in space, what rights would we have as workers, what laws and what justice applies and who applies it, can you have children, what happens if you do have children, who decides who gets to have children, how do we raise children in space, what happens if you are sick or disabled in space, and so on. Keep this book accessible for reference the next time Musk and Trump make grandiose announcements about the rich moving to Planet B.
By default, we are headed toward the prospect of permanent space settlements defined by plutocrats like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk – an unhealthy and unjust prospect, to put it mildly. The corporatocracy treats the space race as purely a technological and economic matter. Raising any so-called ‘softer’ issue is greeted with a response of “We’ll worry about that when we get there.” By which time, for many of these issues, it will be way too late. See also Nesvold’s podcast site: https://makingnewworlds.com/
This book will give you a million and one things to think about. Nesvold raises questions about why should we go to space, who gets to go, who owns space, how will we share space environments and how will we take care of those environments, how would we make a living in space, what rights would we have as workers, what laws and what justice applies and who applies it, can you have children, what happens if you do have children, who decides who gets to have children, how do we raise children in space, what happens if you are sick or disabled in space, and so on. Keep this book accessible for reference the next time Musk and Trump make grandiose announcements about the rich moving to Planet B.
By default, we are headed toward the prospect of permanent space settlements defined by plutocrats like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk – an unhealthy and unjust prospect, to put it mildly. The corporatocracy treats the space race as purely a technological and economic matter. Raising any so-called ‘softer’ issue is greeted with a response of “We’ll worry about that when we get there.” By which time, for many of these issues, it will be way too late. See also Nesvold’s podcast site: https://makingnewworlds.com/
May 5, 2023
One step further into the ethics rabbit hole.
Lots of excellent questions and answers about things you never asked yourselves about space exploration. And yet, those questions are so important they should be answered right now.
Should we allow handicapped people to go to space?
What about gay people on a Mars colony who requires a steady flow of births?
Is it ok to totally transform a planet with no life?
Death in space: can we simply dispose of dead bodies in an environment where proteins are so scarse?
And how to be sure that we won't reproduce all the inequalities of Earth colonization when colonizing another planet?
A great book to think about how to make life better in space colonies, but also right here on earth.
Lots of excellent questions and answers about things you never asked yourselves about space exploration. And yet, those questions are so important they should be answered right now.
Should we allow handicapped people to go to space?
What about gay people on a Mars colony who requires a steady flow of births?
Is it ok to totally transform a planet with no life?
Death in space: can we simply dispose of dead bodies in an environment where proteins are so scarse?
And how to be sure that we won't reproduce all the inequalities of Earth colonization when colonizing another planet?
A great book to think about how to make life better in space colonies, but also right here on earth.
November 18, 2024
Although I respect Dr. Nesvold's efforts to think through the more salient social issues relating to creating long-term communities off-planet, the reality is that the drive to get off-planet is being driven by people who are largely indifferent to consequences; people who have been empowered by the results of the last election. Besides that I suspect that "A City on Mars" by Kelly & Zach Weinersmith is probably the better book, at least it seems more analytically critical of the whole enterprise.
Actual rating: 3.5.
Actual rating: 3.5.
August 4, 2025
*kinda read for work*
Really well researched, thought provoking, and well rounded (covers economics, environment, socialization, reproductive rights, health, etc)- much to consider as we expand into space. Loved the use of historical examples to consider how we can avoid mistakes of the past, the appreciation of cultural/religious diversity in establishing a strong set of morals for these future settlements. From working with the commercial companies, its interesting to see how they should approach these ethical quandaries with their goals of making life multi-planetary
Really well researched, thought provoking, and well rounded (covers economics, environment, socialization, reproductive rights, health, etc)- much to consider as we expand into space. Loved the use of historical examples to consider how we can avoid mistakes of the past, the appreciation of cultural/religious diversity in establishing a strong set of morals for these future settlements. From working with the commercial companies, its interesting to see how they should approach these ethical quandaries with their goals of making life multi-planetary
November 2, 2023
a great book for anybody who is interested in space traveling
Please read it till the end and then judge - there is no rush. I see other people draw conclusions after a few chapters and it’s counterproductive. Erika is great in putting together in this book expertises from multiple disciplines. Well done.
Please read it till the end and then judge - there is no rush. I see other people draw conclusions after a few chapters and it’s counterproductive. Erika is great in putting together in this book expertises from multiple disciplines. Well done.
March 14, 2024
This book is definitely a departure from my typical reads but it was fascinating and insightful and I very much enjoyed, or rather, learned from the perspectives shared. I had the pleasure of hearing the author speak at a local event, which is why I was drawn to the book in the first place. I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in space and/or ethics.
March 19, 2024
With Musk making plans to settle Mars, it is now time to think about the ethics of living in space.
A great overview of some of the things we should be thinking about, like should we even settle other planets? Who is going to? Laws? Equity? Customs and rules? So many things, big and small, to consider.
A great overview of some of the things we should be thinking about, like should we even settle other planets? Who is going to? Laws? Equity? Customs and rules? So many things, big and small, to consider.
May 30, 2023
Fun programmatic look at stuff you'd have to think about if you were actually building a community in space. Like KSR's Mars books but with all of the "why is THIS happening?" parts edited out (this doesn't really make it better or worse than the KSR Mars books).
January 7, 2024
Fascinating dive into non-technical considerations about travel and settlement in space. Gives a good idea of the complexity of the social and cultural implications of living off and indeed on Earth. Good range of topics. I would have enjoyed a more robust conclusion. 4.5 stars.
March 14, 2024
A call by the author to start planning now ensuring we are having the hard conversations before it is too late. Humans do not have a very good track record exploring and colonizing without a little bit of social upheaval so it would benefit us to start now.
August 8, 2024
This book gave me so much to think about!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews