Humans Before a Hypothetic Encounter with Extraterrestrials

Lluis Oviedo is full professor for Theological Anthropology at the Pontifical University Antonianum of Rome, and Fundamental Theology at the Theological Institute of Murcia (Spain). His research activities focus on the dialogue between theology and sciences, and on new scientific study of religion. He is also the Editor of the book series “New approaches to the scientific study of religion” (Springer).Konrad Szocik is a philosopher, bioethicist, and professor at the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland. From 2021 to 2022, he was a visiting fellow at the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics. His research interests include philosophy, the ethics and bioethics of space exploration, human enhancement, feminism, selected issues at the intersection of futures studies and technology, as well as climate change, population ethics, procreative ethics, and the philosophy of antinatalism. His most recent books include Feminist Bioethics in Space (2024) and The Bioethics of Space Exploration (2023), published by Oxford University Press, as well as numerous articles published in journals such as Bioethics, American Journal of Bioethics, npj microgravity, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and others. He is the co-editor of the Springer book series “New approaches to the scientific study of religion”.

• Part 1. Natural and Cognitive Constraints.- Chapter 1. Will cosmic rays kill the aliens? Radiation as a limiting factor on physical contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence.- Chapter 2.- Embodied Cognition, the Role of Environment, and Challenges of Communicating with an Extraterrestrial Organism.- Chapter 3.- Basic Instinct: The role of Direct and Indirect Reciprocity in Human Collaboration with Extra-terrestrial Intelligence.- Part 2. Philosophical and Ethical Frameworks.- Chapter 4.- One Among Many: Ambivalence towards Extraterrestrial Contact.- Chapter 5.- Would you pull the lever? The trolley problem under the surface of the Moon and Mars.- Chapter 6. The Contact Paradox and its Analogues – or how to deal with Existential Risks.- Chapter 7. Sexual ethics for the human encounter with extra-terrestrial intelligence.- Chapter 8. Who Speaks for Earth? A Feminist Protocol for First Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence.- Part 3. First-Contact Scenarios and Governance.- Chapter 9.- Artificial Visitors, Real Consequences: The Philosophical and Ethical Challenges of an Extraterrestrial AI (ETAI) Encounter.- Chapter 10. Extraterrestrial Encounters: The Impact of Intelligent vs. Non-Intelligent Life.- Chapter 11. Preparing to Meet Extraterrestrial Intelligences.- Chapter 12. The Establishment of an International Task Force assisted by Artificial Intelligence to Determine the Appropriate Response to Extraterrestrial Contact.- Chapter 13. Legal proposal for an encounter with extraterrestrials, an unexplored challenge for law.- Part 4. Culture, Religion, and the Public.- Chapter 14. The Epistemological and Cultural Landscape for Encountering Extraterrestrials.- Chapter 15. Christian Faith after Contact with an Extraterrestrial Civilization: A Thought Experiment.- Chapter 16. What has theology to do with extraterrestrials? An account on current debates and insights.