why space exploration is valuable

and other things i discussed on the planetary society podcast

I really enjoyed appearing on the Planetary Society’s podcast — and the episode just came out — so I thought I’d share it with you here.

I’m grateful to the excellent Casey Dreier (the Planetary Society’s Chief of Space Policy, who hosted the episode), for inviting me on. And for a fun philosophical conversation about everything from intrinsic value, to lunar property rights, to the deep egalitarianism of classical liberalism, to the in/efficiencies of the Apollo program, to the importance of retaining a sense of wonder.

Here’s the Planetary Society’s write-up:

“Philosopher Rebecca Lowe joins us to explore how the ideas of classical liberalism can provide fresh insight into humanity’s activities in space. Our conversation explores the philosophical tensions between individual freedom and societal good, the instrumental and intrinsic value of space activities, and the uniquely accessible nature of space science and exploration. From a novel approach to lunar property rights and the opportunities to support human flourishing, Lowe offers a thought-provoking vision of how philosophical traditions can inform our cosmic ambitions.”

And here it is. I hope you might enjoy it as much as I enjoyed talking with Casey!