Astrotopia - by Mary-Jane Rubenstein

About the Book

"We are in the midst of a new space race that pairs billionaire space barons with governments in an effort to exploit the cosmos for human gain. While Elon Musk and SpaceX work to establish a human presence on Mars, Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin work toward mining operations on the moon, missions to asteroids to extract resources, and millions of people living in rotating near-Earth satellite dwellings. Despite the differences in their visions, these two billionaires share a core utopian project: the salvation of humanity though the colonization of space. But we have already seen the destructive effects of this frontier spirit in the centuries-long history of European colonialism. Philosopher of religion and space enthusiast Mary-Jane Rubenstein wants to pull back the curtain on the not-so-new myths these space barons are peddling. In Astrotopia, she explains why these myths are so problematic and offers a vision for how we might approach the exploration of space in ways that don't reproduce the atrocities of humanity's previous colonial endeavors"--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A revealing look at the parallel mythologies behind the colonization of Earth and space--and a bold vision for a more equitable, responsible future both on and beyond our planet.

As environmental, political, and public health crises multiply on Earth, we are also at the dawn of a new space race in which governments team up with celebrity billionaires to exploit the cosmos for human gain. The best-known of these pioneers are selling different visions of the future: while Elon Musk and SpaceX seek to establish a human presence on Mars, Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin work toward moving millions of earthlings into rotating near-Earth habitats. Despite these distinctions, these two billionaires share a core utopian project: the salvation of humanity through the exploitation of space.

In Astrotopia, philosopher of science and religion Mary-Jane Rubenstein pulls back the curtain on the not-so-new myths these space barons are peddling, like growth without limit, energy without guilt, and salvation in a brand-new world. As Rubenstein reveals, we have already seen the destructive effects of this frontier zealotry in the centuries-long history of European colonialism. Much like the imperial project on Earth, this renewed effort to conquer space is presented as a religious calling: in the face of a coming apocalypse, some very wealthy messiahs are offering an other-worldly escape to a chosen few. But Rubenstein does more than expose the values of capitalist technoscience as the product of bad mythologies. She offers a vision of exploring space without reproducing the atrocities of earthly colonialism, encouraging us to find and even make stories that put cosmic caretaking over profiteering.

Review Quotes

"Astrotopia is a skillful synthesis of how science and religion collide in corporate space colonialism."-- "American Religion"

"Astrotopia is a thoughtful and provocative piece of scholarship that incorporates a wide array of important sources. . . . this book best belongs in the hands of any reader who has never once thought about religion, space, or the relationship between the two."-- "Reading Religion"

"Dr. Mary-Jane Rubenstein is a Professor of Religion and Science and Technology Studies at Wesleyan University. Her recent book, Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, draws parallels between religious history and the new frontier of space exploration led by tech entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos."-- "Data Catalyst Institute"

"Today's episode: What Silicon Valley talks about when it talks about God." For this conversation there is only really one person I want to talk to and that person is [Rubenstein]. [Rubenstein] is a professor at Wesleyan University and she's one of those academics that other academics really admire and the reason for that, I think, is that she's that exceptionally rare academic with both excellent ideas and excellent writing. Even more importantly, [Rubenstein] seems to be able to anticipate the culture, but just as an example of this, her 2015 book on our obsession with the multiverse perfectly anticipated the explosion of stories about multiverses that we've seen in tv and movies over the last few years. Her most recent book, Astrotopia, is about the way that Elon Musk, and other people who want to explore space, talk about their work."-- "Belief in the Future"

About the Author

Mary-Jane Rubenstein is dean of the social sciences and professor of religion and science in society at Wesleyan University. She is coauthor of Image: Three Inquiries in Imagination and Technology, also published by the University of Chicago Press, and the author of Pantheologies: Gods, Worlds, Monsters; Worlds Without End: The Many Lives of the Multiverse; and Strange Wonder: The Closure of Metaphysics and the Opening of Awe.