The most important reasons for the human expansion into space are not the standard things you hear all the time from the space agencies—the jobs, wealth creation, or even new science. It has more to do with human nature and the way we will change as we move into this new frontier. Dr. Charles Laughlin, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology and Religion at Carleton University, asserts that these changes are so important that the establishment of a permanent, self-sufficient, human presence in space will become our most crucial activity over the next century.
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As I explained inSpace exploration essential for human survival, part one of this series, this is not merely a science fiction-driven fantasy. Manned space exploration satisfies a basic human drive to engage in geographic exploration in a way no other activity does in today’s world. The fact that Star Trek became a global phenomenon suggests that there is far more to the popular appeal to “boldly go where no one has gone before” than most people appreciate. We need to look to the social sciences and humanities—anthropology, history, and psychology, for example—to properly understand this phenomenon.
Contrasting societies that explored with those that did not – China, a case study
The history of geographic exploration demonstrates the huge contrast between outward-looking societies that explored and those that instead focused inward. Consider China’s early 15th century maritime expansion under the Ming dynasty, one of the most ambitious exploration projects in world history.
Zheng He established tributary relations with dozens of states, bringing envoys back to China. They gathered detailed geographic knowledge of the Indian Ocean, and they exchanged silk, porcelain, and manufactured goods for spices, exotic animals, and raw materials. These expeditions represented a confident, outward-looking China that saw itself as the center of a global network. Had the Ming emperor lived longer, China would have undoubtedly rounded the southern tip of Africa and landed on European shores well before Columbus, and world history would have been entirely different.
Instead, after the Yongle Emperor’s death, the political balance shifted. Confucian scholarofficials—who traditionally favored agriculture, internal stability, societal control, and frugality—criticized the voyages as wasteful and unnecessary. They argued that China’s resources should be focused inward, not on distant maritime adventures. With Confucian officials reasserting control over state policy, this led to:
Source: SGT Report
