Ethical Challenges of Humanity’s Expansion into Space: From Astrobioethics to Astrobiocentrism

The investigation of life in the universe and humanity’s expansion into it pose challenges that go beyond the natural sciences. That is, the ethical implications of astrobiology require an update to humanity’s moral debates in new scenarios. For example, what political system or values should prevail in a future space colony? Or what kind of responsibility should we assume upon discovering other forms of life? These questions involve cross-cutting issues that demand a transdisciplinary perspective. Therefore, the objective of this research is to assess the ethical challenges of humanity in space from an astrobioethical perspective, aiming toward an astrobiocentric approach.