Neil deGrasse Tyson: How Space Exploration Can Make America Great Again

[Skybird]

Social wellfare only for people agreeing to donate organs? Sorry, but turning human body parts into a regular currency does not sound like an acceptable idea to me.

Also, this. Organ donations miust be taken from biologically living bodies. Not dead bodies. There is a correlation to be seen between the death criterion being moved "forward" in time, and progress being made in transplantation medicine. The more progress there was, the easier a body was declared "dead".

For this, but also for other reasons, I have done two things. I have written a patient'S provision and have a note in my wallet where it is. My parents also have a copy of it. It specifies where I wish to recxeive medical treatment, and from what condition or situation on i just want to receive pain-reducing medication, but not being kept alive. Second I have a donor card that says that I do NOT donate organs - and that I do not wish to receive any organs.

The Chinese have a saying: if you save somebody's life, you are responsible for him from that time on. I think there is truth in it - and I think it has two faces.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

If space exploration will bring back our heavy industry and manufacturing sectors, reverse the trend of economic globalization, re-invigorate the dollar and change our disasterous foreign policy, then I am all for space exploration. If, as I actually suspect, we are going for hundred-trillion dollar sightseeing tour of the cosmos, then I am not for space exploration. Much of Dr. deGrasse-Tyson's rhetoric smacks of doing this because it is 'neat'. I think that this money is better spent at home, regardless of the promise of a utopian Star Trek-style future. You can't eat a fiberoptic cable.

/neo-luddite mode

Well put

There are plenty of technological needs right here on earth that need inventin'.

Space exploration is great.. when we can afford it.

No one is saying that Americans are never going back in to the space exploration business. We are just not going now. We are just taking a break to focus our resources on more terrestrial issues. I think it is a wise decision. Unexciting perhaps. but wise.

What if the US issued Space Bonds (Like victory bonds back when we actually funded our wars)? If the citizens are really hot for space exploration, let's see how much each citizen would voluntarily spend?

If space exploration is in the heart of all human souls, we should have plenty of people lining up to donate their money.. right?

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Platapus

No one is saying that Americans are never going back in to the space exploration business. We are just not going now. We are just taking a break to focus our resources on more terrestrial issues. I think it is a wise decision. Unexciting perhaps. but wise.

Mr. Tyson addresses that very point in the article.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...-again/253989/

Pretty inspiring interview. I think it's a shame that we're letting NASA wither on the vine. It's myopic and short sighted to try and save the comparatively minuscule amount of money that NASA funding entails and forego all of the innovation and advancement that goes along with space exploration.

I agree, Tyson was on Bill Maher last week I think it was, he espoused the same views, actually enjoyed hearing him speak, mostly.

[gimpy117]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

... while we are at it why not throw in the Department of State as well; we can call it:

sign me up: as long as we get to wear Wrath of Kahn Uniforms I'm down (Or at least TOS unis.... especially for the girls )

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by gimpy117

sign me up: as long as we get to wear Wrath of Kahn Uniforms I'm down (Or at least TOS unis.... especially for the girls )

TOS or TOS Mirror Universe?