# FILE NAME: 00001542.soc
# TITLE: Will we ever be able to colonise the moon? [589ad4da57e9d6848c3c5a24c743f0ab]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
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# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Final consensus statement: It is not the lack of technology that is currently preventing us from colonising the moon but the lack of a need to do so. We do not need to colonise the moon in order to expand our human presence beyond this planet, and, to do so, would be an extremely costly and potentially unfruitful exercise that would do more to drain resources than they would contribute to the whole of humanity. If human beings are forced to leave this planet at some point, due to an ecological catastrophe, we do not have the technology and resources to do so. In these conditions, the moon would not be the most viable option for an alternative to the planet. An alternative life outside of the planet would be in fact a waste of resources, both in terms of the work we would have to do to settle on a moon and the work we would have to do once there to make it habitable for human beings. Discussion 3: In this discussion, a group of participants debated what they thought about the book "Walden" and the other writings of Thoreau.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - The moon is not a natural next step in the evolution of human civilisation. It is not a natural next step because of its location, its distance, its lack of resources, and its lack of atmosphere. Humans are not naturally inclined to move to the moon, and so it is very unlikely that we will ever colonise the moon. However, if the human race becomes overcrowded, we may need to colonise the moon in order to sustain the human race. If this becomes necessary, then the technology will be available for us to do so.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - We think that the technology to colonise the moon is developing rapidly, and may be available for use in the future. The most significant challenges facing the colonisation of the moon are habitability and cost. As we know, the moon is a desolate, dry, airless place, with no atmosphere. It also has only half the gravity of the earth. Both of these aspects create a less than perfect environment for human habitation and this would require significant scientific technology and innovation to overcome. With the rising costs of living and labour, colonising the moon would be significantly expensive, and the returns on the costs of colonising the moon for human habitation do not yet appear to be cost effective. It seems that at present, there is a lack of interest and drive from the government and industry to make such a move, due to it not being financially viable. There is certainly a need for people to colonise another planet, given how overcrowded the planet we are on now is, but the most likely move for such a migration is to Mars.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - We have the technology to colonise the moon, but we don't have the will to do so. The moon is a natural next step for us to take in terms of exploring our universe, but the cost of doing so is too great for us to justify doing so. The moon is also not habitable for human beings, and would require extensive terraforming in order to make it suitable for human habitation. This is not a process that we are likely to be able to do in the near future, and so the moon is not a viable option for human colonisation.
2: 1,3,2,4
1: 3,4,2,1
1: 1,4,2,3
1: 1,4,3,2