First Contact

Max Adeler’s story “The fortunate island” follows in the long literary tradition of travellers recounting fantastical encounters in distant lands. Today, with our deep geographical knowledge, we have few plausible settings for stories of lost worlds. Nevertheless, hundreds of uncontacted tribes exist and they present us with complex ethical dilemmas. If we remain aloof, we help them preserve their cultures and avoid disease; but we also deny them access to advancements that could improve their quality of life. Similar dilemmas will occur we explore Mars and moons such as Europa and Enceladus: if we find life we risk contaminating ecosystems that have been isolated for aeons. Similarly, SETI and METI programs involve potential interactions with beings more technologically advanced that us. We consider questions of autonomy, respect, and the potential consequences of such encounters.