Dark Skies: Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the Ends of Humanity

465 Pages·2020·25.908 MB·English

by  Daniel Deudney

Dark Skies

Dark Skies
Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the
Ends of Humanity
DANIEL DEUDNEY
(cid:20)
(cid:20)
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CONTENTS
List of Tables and Figures ix
Acknowledgments xi
Prologue: Machine Civilization and the Transformation of the Earth xiii
PART ONE THE EARTH, TECHNOLOGY, AND SPACE
1. The Promise of Space Revisited 3
2. Questions, Debates, and Frameworks 26
PART TWO GEOGRAPHIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL HORIZONS
3. New Heavens, New Earth 65
4. Technological Imaginaries, Feasibilities, Syndromes, and
Catastrophes 104
PART THREE SPACE EXPANSIONISM
5. Absolute Weapons, Lightning Wars, and Ultimate Positions 145
6. Limitless Frontiers, Spaceship Earths, and Higher Humanities 181
7. Superpower Restraints, Planetary Security, and Earth Identity 225
vii
viii Contents
PART FOUR ASSESSMENT
8. Geography, Geopolitics, and Geohistory 263
9. Earth Space, Planetary Geopolitics, and World Governments 301
10. Solar Space, Island Earth, and the Ends of Humanity 331
Conclusion: Space for Earth 366
Notes 383
Index 425
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1.1 Actual Space Activities 16
Table 2.1 Technopolitical Alternatives 48
Table 4.1 Basic Building Block Technologies 114
Table 4.2 Living Systems Macro- Engineering 119
Table 4.3 Radical Technology Transformers 121
Table 4.4 Geophysical, Biological, and Ecological Threats 131
Table 4.5 Technogenic Threats 134
Table 4.6 Totalitarianism, Alien Invasion, and “Monsters” 137
Table 5.1 Von Braun Military Space Expansionism 151
Table 5.2 Military Acceleration 155
Table 5.3 Military Force- Multiplier Satellites 159
Table 5.4 Military Astro- Archimedeans 175
Table 5.5 Von Braun Strategies, the Nuclear Revolution, and World
Orders 180
Table 6.1 Tsiolkovsky Habitat Space Expansionism 186
Table 7.1 Arms Control Criticisms of Von Braun Programs 236
Table 7.2 Clarke- Sagan Planetary Security/ Whole Earth Security Program 241
Table 7.3 Outer Space Treaty: Supporters, Critics, and Proposals 244
Table 7.4A Nuclear Weapons: Volumes of Violence 251
Table 7.4B Near- Earth Object Violence (Historical and Potential) 251
Table 7.5 Generating Common Planetary Identity and Consciousness 254
Table 8.1 Social Construction and Its Limits 273
Table 8.2 Violence Interdependence, Anarchy, and Government 277
Table 8.3 Geopolitics: Main Propositions 291
Table 9.1 Earth Space Geography and Closure 302
Table 9.2 Planetary Geopolitics and Earth Net 315
Table 10.1 Four Stages of Solar Space Colonization 334
Table 10.2 Solar Space Geopolitics: Main Propositions 356
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