Robert Shapiro

"Planetary Dreams, by Robert Shapiro is the broadest and, in the philosophical sense, the deepest book to examine the questions of the origins of life in the universe. Professor of chemistry at New York University, Shapiro has a wide-ranging intellect and the gentle tolerance that marks a real seeker after truth. In Planetary Dreams, Shapiro tries to look at every aspect of the problem. He writes knowingly about sciences as diverse as biochemistry and astrophysics, but he also covers other approaches to the question, such as the views of the Creationists and UFOlogists. He casts no stones, but he sheds a clear and illuminating light everywhere he probes. With droll wit, he coins the term "Sour Lemon School" to describe scientists who believe that life on Earth is a wild accident, totally unlikely to be repeated anywhere else in the universe. His own preference is for the "Life Principle," the concept that life is an integral part of the universe, as likely to occur as the formation of stars and planets. Shapiro admits that we simply do not know enough to decide which side is right, and he urges a program of space exploration to see the answers. He sees another aspect to space exploration, as well. Taking a long perspective, Shapiro recognizes that Earth may one day become uninhabitable, due to natural or man-made catastrophes. We should expand our habitat beyond the planet of our origin, he maintains, to ensure the survival of humankind. Space exploration, in his words, is a way "to prepare for an extended human future.

A wise, kindly, and beautifully written book, Planetary Dreams sets forth a vision of a truly human and humane future and a hope for a richly inhabited universe".




Excerpt:

“Such a discovery would settle one of the deepest questions that confronts us: whether the Universe is innately fertile or barren. Two groups with very different world views agree on a key point: that the Universe, by its nature, is a vast wasteland. One group attributes our existence in this desert to a Divine act of Creation, the other to blind luck operating against incredible odds.

The discovery of a second separate origin of life within a single Solar System would strongly suggest that the laws of nature include some principle (I shall call it the Life Principle) which favors the generation of life. The same laws, in other contexts, help drive biological evolution and the development of societies. The entire history of the Universe can then be interpreted in terms of a process called Cosmic Evolution. A new vision can be built around this concept that provides a sense of purpose for our own future.

The weakest point in this belief structure is our lack of understanding of the origin of life. No evidence remains that we know of to explain the steps that started life here, billions of years ago. If a broadly-based Life Principle exists, however, then some signs of its handiwork should be detectable on the other worlds of our system.

With the exception of the Viking Mission to Mars, this goal has been given short shrift in planetary exploration, and until recently has been written off by most scientists. Certainly, the regions of the Moon that the Apollo astronauts explored were utterly dead -- devoid of air, water and organic substances. They can serve as a benchmark whenever a sample of truly sterile soil is needed. But the remainder of the Solar System is another matter. Admittedly, there is not much opportunity for intelligent life there, and for most of the people with whom I have talked on this topic, alien intelligence is the most important question in outer space. But the detection of even the simplest life forms unrelated to us would define the Universe as one in which we are, in biologist Stuart Kauffman’s words ‘at home’ and ‘expected’. Furthermore, this would be a Universe that we are likely to share with intelligent companions.”