Against the background of breakthrough progress in the fields of life sciences, aerospace technology and artificial intelligence, space travel and Mars immigration have moved from theoretical conception to practical exploration. Behind this blueprint is not only accompanied by practical technical and economic considerations, but also touches on important humanistic issues such as human identity and social structural transformation.
Recently, the 28th issue of the Bogurui Lecture Series "Planetary Pluralism: A People-to-People Dialogue on Immigrants to Mars" was held at CITIC Bookstore in Sanlitun, Beijing. This lecture was in the form of a dialogue. Jiang Yunpeng, a scholar from 2023-2024 Bo Gurui and professor appointed by the Department of Philosophy at Tsinghua University, served as the convener to preside over and participated in the dialogue. The other three guests were science fiction writer Hao Jingfang, professor of the Department of History of Science at Tsinghua University Liu Bing, and professor of the School of Law of Nanjing University Miao Yinzhi.
From an interdisciplinary perspective, the lecture comprehensively examined the diverse aspects of Martian immigrants, focusing on the group construction and social structure of Martian immigrants, the new order of planetary governance and the political pattern of earth and fire, the cultural impact of technological innovation and the ensuing ethical dilemmas were discussed.
Pioneering the Universe: The Purpose, Cost and Motivation of Interstellar Immigrants
At the beginning of the lecture, Liu Bing analyzed the possible motivations and potential challenges of interstellar migration from the dual dimensions of fiction and reality, emphasizing the tension between resource utilization and future exploration under the limitations of realistic conditions. In science fiction narratives, interstellar immigrants are often portrayed as helpless actions taken by humans to continue the fire of civilization during the doomsday crisis, which therefore involves ethical problems such as "survivor choice". However, the actual Mars immigration plan is not an urgent response to "rescue". It is more reflected in mankind's ambition to expand its development territory and carry expectations for the future. However, bottlenecks in earth's resources, the huge investment required for interstellar expansion, technological investment and uncertainty of results constitute factors that cannot be ignored when assessing the need for Mars immigration. Therefore, from a utilitarian perspective, whether Mars immigration can become a must at the current stage and whether it can realize its stated ideal of promoting human well-being is worthy of further discussion.
Jiang Yunpeng believes that pioneer and immigration are basic elements in the process of human history and affirms Elon Musk's vision of transforming mankind into a multi-planetary species. Musk's concept is reasonable from the perspective of civilization evolution and macro-strategic levels, but the conceptual appeal of grand goals cannot be directly transformed into a source of motivation for public recognition and implementation in actual operations. In addition, for those elites who have the ability to survive on Mars, they can also enjoy superior living conditions on Earth. Therefore, the psychological motivation for Mars immigration presents certain complexity.
lecture site
Miao Yinzhi focused on the dimensions of law and justice, pointing out that the current activities of private enterprises are based on the principle of voluntariness and do not use public funds, so there is no need to obtain public support as the basis for legitimacy. The first interplanetary immigrants were similar to pioneers in North America and Australia. Their actions were driven by a spirit of adventure and desire for exploration, rather than directly related to the well-being of all mankind or the maximization of individual interests. In legal discussions at the actual level, focus should be placed on the actual needs and real motives of immigrant groups. Utilitarian reasons are not the entire basis for their actions. He believes that under the wave of the second "Great Navigation Era", individuals 'freedom of migration should be respected. If the participation and intervention of governments from various countries are involved in the future, it will inevitably lead to more extensive and in-depth discussions on social ethics. The key to the current law is whether companies can be allowed to exercise quasi-government functions and how the corresponding rights and obligations should be defined. This foreshadows unprecedented types of cases and requires timely adjustment and innovation of existing legal rules.
Hao Jingfang approached from an economic perspective and pointed out that the government is limited by fiscal constraints and tends to adopt a cautious attitude in the decision-making process. The promotion of Martian immigration will be highly dependent on the participation of commercial and private forces. She explained the non-traditional motivations that may be contained in the Martian immigration process by analogy with the historical motivations of North American immigrants to escape the rule of the British king, and relied on the cases of early supporters of blockchain technology pursuing "decentralization" and freedom and equal rights. These motivations transcend the scope of basic survival needs and reflect human desire for a wider space and interest in transcending existing social models.
Mars Governance: The Composition and Social Attributes of Immigrants
The construction of a Martian immigrant society marks the arrival of the post-Anthropocene and also means a new set of institutional practices and philosophical ethics. People must examine its social structure in stages, and the composition of the first immigrants will have a direct impact on the overall cultural landscape of Martian society.
Jiang Yunpeng believes that the Mars migration model is different from the historical model of voyages to the Americas and the operation of modern scientific research stations. On the one hand, the fault tolerance rate of the living environment in the Americas is relatively high, and the harsh environment of Mars will determine that immigrants must have professional skills and psychological resilience; on the other hand, unlike the permanent staff of the space station, the journey to Mars may appear in the early stages. One-way journey and irreversible characteristics, and once set off, returning to Earth will become extremely difficult. Therefore, the implementation of the Mars immigration plan will be subject to the dual constraints of technical thresholds and rooted in Mars, which puts forward extremely high requirements on the comprehensive quality of the immigrant group and may also be accompanied by difficult qualification assessment and selection.
Hao Jingfang, with his keen perspective of science fiction creation, predicted the cultural form nurtured by a scientific research-led community. Martian society will show characteristics that are very different from farming and marine civilizations in Earth's history, and its core operating mechanisms may be closer to a precise automated production system. First of all, in extreme environments, a clear rule system and strict compliance by rational people are necessary conditions to ensure social stability and survival. Secondly, intelligence and automation will become prominent features of Martian society. The limit of resources and the closed space determined that the model of free trade and distribution according to power that prevailed in the early days of human civilization may be unsustainable. For a long time, Martian society will adopt public ownership, combined with artificial intelligence to accurately explore and dispatch resources, aiming to Reduce the uncertainty of human factors and achieve the dual pursuit of fairness and efficiency. This governance method based on rationing and smart technology will profoundly change the power relations and interaction patterns between people.
Liu Bing believes that Mars, a seemingly neutral space, is actually based on idealized assumptions about the composition of funds and personnel, and there are paradoxical traps of utopia and dystopia hidden behind it. In the space field where resources are scarce and emergencies occur frequently, pre-established principles of reason and laws may encounter unprecedented challenges. The Mars immigration plan not only means the development of resources and culture, but also carries potential conflicts and conflicts.
Planetary Order: A New Era of Mars Autonomy and the Shaping of Interstellar Identity
"Solaris" writes: "We don't want other worlds. All we want is a mirror." Interstellar expansion is not only a physical act that expands in the structure of space-time, but also provides an opportunity for humans to review its meaning of existence, placing the space-time mark that the human body on earth has long relied on to locate itself on the cosmic scale for measurement.
Miao Yinzhi pointed out that in the dispute over the sovereignty and ownership of Mars, there are two opposing views: "pre-emptive, first-served" and "pre-negotiation".
The former follows the unwritten principle of "preoccupation is king" in history, while the latter advocates continuing the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty (1961) and the Convention on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (1984) to ensure resource sharing and international cooperation. Differences in attitudes among countries raise a key question: Do people on Earth have the right to claim that stars, including Mars, are common property? Does this view imply a kind of earth-centered approach? The expression of "Martian rebellion" in popular culture contains similar historical prejudices and reveals the inertia of colonial rule. Taking Canada's responsible government's self-governance case as a reference, Mars independence will also be the destiny of human development: when Mars can be self-sufficient and get rid of its dependence on the earth's material support, it will develop a unique political logic based on actual conditions, naturally The land tends to an autonomous destiny rather than a vassal of the earth. Humanity may have to reposition itself in the relative relationship between Mars and Earth.
Mars ecology will also give rise to a post-human identity based on new geological connections. Jiang Yunpeng added that low-gravity environment and aerospace pressure will force human bodies and cognitive structures to adapt and change. Over time, Mars will evolve into a larger comprehensive society with a more detailed division of labor, and the early generations of immigrants will also evolve into a more diverse group of native Martian residents. These changes are not only reflected in physiology, such as stronger physical fitness and higher intellectual levels, but may also affect the sense of cultural belonging of Martians, because second and third generations of Martian immigrants will have sufficient physiological reasons to firmly refuse to identify with Earth people.
Hao Jingfang admitted that Martians will develop significantly different physical functions and appearance characteristics, but considering that physiological structure is still the criterion for defining species, as long as there is a deep genetic connection between Martians and Earthlings, it is possible to trigger an identification based on common origin or potential kinship. Liu Bing drew lessons from the intertwined history of struggle and harmony among nation-states and compared the complex relationship that may exist in the future between Earth and Mars. Miao Yinzhi further pointed out that countries of the same race (such as Britain and the United States) often have special emotional bonds and a relatively friendly diplomatic atmosphere, which also provides inspiration for the future political relationship between Mars and Earth.
lecture site
During the discussion session, the audience showed their longing for immigrating to Mars and curiosity about the unknown, and raised issues to the guests such as the abilities needed for immigrating, situations that cannot be predicted by history, and the impact of Martian immigration on the earth.
Regarding the continuity and rupture between the past and the future, the known and the unknown, the guests emphasized that predicting the future is not the task of historians. The unknown is unknown precisely because it transcends the scope of existing knowledge and experience. Once predictable, it is no longer unknown. The guests expressed neutral and cautious views on whether Mars would become a "Beautiful New World" in the future. Even based on currently known scientific principles and social development laws, the future direction of Martian society is still full of unforeseen variables.
Autocracy or democracy, peace or conflict, will depend on the interaction of adaptability and environmental conditions and will be influenced by multiple factors. Martian society will have its own logic of destiny, and we do not need to worry too much or attempt to forcibly control it. In the final analysis, humans cannot exclude contingency and unpredictability from the world. Faced with the new human exploration activity of Mars immigration, humans should remain humble and open, and give them enough patience and generosity.