An Ethic for the Age of Space

Year 1996
Pages 140

Worth buying if: You want a compact philosophical treatment of space and ethics.

Skip it if: You expect a technical, engineering, or policy manual about space missions.

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780877288541. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.

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Summary

Lawrence Leshan examines ethical questions raised by space exploration and human expansion beyond Earth, offering reflective arguments for a responsible moral framework in the space age.

Why this book now

Ongoing advances in commercial spaceflight and renewed interest in off-Earth activity make a focused ethical discussion from Leshan still relevant.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

00:00

1-sentence hook

A concise, philosophical guide to how human values might change as we venture into space.

Card 1 of 2

Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • You want a compact philosophical treatment of space and ethics.
  • You prefer focused essays over technical or historical space books.
  • If you value fast plots, the book leans on dry, observational wit.

Maybe skip if...

  • You expect a technical, engineering, or policy manual about space missions.
  • You want a long, comprehensive textbook on ethics or space law.
  • You only want something with very current references and examples.

Mood / Vibe Tags

thoughtful speculative philosophical Quick read Older edition

Decided it fits?

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780877288541

Worth buying if: You want a compact philosophical treatment of space and ethics.

Skip it if: You expect a technical, engineering, or policy manual about space missions.

Buy This Edition on Amazon

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Reader guide

Cues to help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Quick Easy to move through

At 140 pages, this is a short, reflective book suited to several focused sittings or a weekend read.

What stands out here

This Red Wheel/Weiser edition presents Leshan's concise, argument-driven essays on ethical issues tied to human activity in space.

Best way to approach it

Approach it as a set of reasoned reflections: pause to consider the ethical scenarios and compare Leshan’s positions to current space developments.

Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780877288541

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.