Over at The Space Review, Michael Huang proposes a new term for what many of us in the space movement believe--anthropoexpansionism.

While I appreciate the thought, it seems a little too confining (depending on how you define humanity). To me, the important goal is moving life out into the universe. We are currently the means by which that is occurring, but we may at some point (and if/when the singularity occurs, that point may not be that far off) pass on the torch to a new generation of life forms--if so, would the philosophy still apply?

We need a prefix that's more...expansive, as it were. How about vivoexpansionism? It saves a couple syllables. Or if you're sufficiently sesquipedalian to be into syllables for their own sake, and want to be more clear, consider vivoextraterrestrialism.

How about we all agree that "spacefaring" simply means the ability to conceive, bear and raise children at multiple celestial locations. Nothing more and nothing less.

If viewed from the perspective of centuries the next real "Space Race" will be to establish settlements (probably on Mars) capable of supporting human babies.

Demographics is destiny - - just look at the Israeli-Palestinian issue from a 50 year perspective.

We're going to take our pets with us too. I won't go anywhere that won't allow cats and dogs, and I'd like to see horses, hawks and other species come along with us. Not to mention the various bugs we carry around with us regardless. It would be too lonely without other Earthly creatures.
Heinlein called it the Great Diaspora and that is neither awkward or difficult to spell. :-)

I kinda like Astromigration... which may be followed by Astralmigration I suppose.

Won't be long before we're accused of Biological Imperialism, really.

It's horrifying! We're going to spread the green plague? What ever happened to the good ole days when planets were just rocky crusts and volcanic eruptions? You know, truly natural planets where you walked to school uphill both ways over molten lava, while weezing for air in the thin sulfur and methane atmosphere?

What did you mean by "if/when the singularity occurs"?

"Anthropoexpansion" seems like a synonym for "obesity". Mr. H mixes two languages, and not to any good effect. Surely some neologism expertise is required.

"Anthropoexpansion" seems like a synonym for "obesity". Mr. H mixes two languages, and not to any good effect. Surely some neologism expertise is required.

How about we all agree that "spacefaring" simply means the ability to conceive, bear and raise children at multiple celestial locations. Nothing more and nothing less.

I find that too narrow myself.

As Rand points out, a hard singularity might dramatically change that and yet it will still be nominal humans who get into space, I just don't necessarily think they will be biological.

Thanks for your comments, everyone.

If "anthropoexpansionism" is not quite right, how about "neoexpansionism"? Then we'll get called "neoexes" like the neocons.

Huang's essay reminded me of ideas much better presented in Kraft Ehricke's article "The Anthropology of Astronautics". It's not available on-line, but I did find this excerpt:

?The concept for space travel carries with it enormous impact, because it challenges man on practically all fronts of his physical and spiritual existence. The idea of traveling to other celestial bodies reflects to the highest degree the independence and agility of the human mind. It lends ultimate dignity to man?s technical and scientific endeavors. Above all, it touches on the philosophy of his very existence. As a result, the concept of space travel disregards national borders, refuses to recognize differences of historical or ethnological origin, and penetrates the fiber of one sociological or political creed as fast as that of the next.?

"How about we all agree that "spacefaring" simply means the ability to conceive, bear and raise children at multiple celestial locations. Nothing more and nothing less.

I find that too narrow myself.

As Rand points out, a hard singularity might dramatically change that and yet it will still be nominal humans who get into space, I just don't necessarily think they will be biological."

= = =

Post-human "people" will still be our children no matter what genetic or silicon based enhancements they might enjoy.

If you come up with weird or fancy labels (as perceived by the hoi polloi) you'll alienate people. That won't do anyone any good.

Diaspora sounds good to me, BTW.

Many environmental groups already complain loudly about manned space efforts, saying the money should be "spent on earth." Anthropocentric terminology would just feed that. Also, I think it is flat wrong. If we go to live permanently in space, we will take other species with us - we will spread life in space, not just our own species.

Greg Benford, in "Beyond the Fall of Night" explores this theme. He shows a future (about a billion years from now) where a vast space based ecosystem spans the solar system, and has spread to other systems as well. The scale is far beyond anything that could exist on just one planet and there are minds beyond ours as well.

In the story, it is eventually discovered that humans in (roughly) our era had started this and evolution did the rest. Just as some species moved from the ocean to land and eventually gave rise to us, some of us had moved to space, and gave rise to something greater than us.

Our goal should be to spread life where none exists, to spread it far enough to insure local disasters won't destroy all life, and develop the capability to protect against asteroid impacts and other dangers. We can't do that by staying home.

If we're going to go to SciFi writers, as I think we should, I'll just repeat what I emailed Rand.
You have to read David Brin's "Uplift Saga" series to get the true feel for the meaning of "anthropoexpansionism".
The best of the books is "Startide Rising".
Of course, there's always Frederic Pohl's great "Man Plus" if you want to stay in the homo sapiens genre.

"Astrogentrification"? It sounds like a euphemism for terraforming an already life-bearing planet, but it does roll off the tongue.

I like "galactic conquest," but that's just me.