Morality altered by brain stimulation

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

So what's the pratical calculated benefits of being on the moon?

Testing of technologies we can use to get out of the solar system and thence save our species. Also, better missiles to blow up the Ruskies. ;-)

This seems to me like the Pascal's Wager line of reasoning - that if the consequences of a line of action would be "infinitely" bad, then we should never do it no matter how unlikely they are.

As a Christian I never understood Pascal's Wager, but I think I see your point. My problem, however, is this: Who decides to take that Wager for everyone, rather than just themselves. As an historian I can tell you with cast iron certainty that the past is littered with scientists, philosophers, etc. who claimed they knew what they were doing. I don't trust experts when the fate of the planet may be at stake. I'm not saying no to the LHC, but I still think the way the project has been handled is hubristic.

This is a problem I have with much of mdern Science, "because we want to know" is not a valid moral argument for doing something, and I believe Science should be as governed by moral philosophy as any other endeavor, if not more so.

It seems to me a big leap to suggest that the fact we haven't seen any other life-supporting planets yet implies there aren't any to find, considering both the limits of our observational techniques, and the droves of exoplanets we discover every time someone refines those techniques. Of course, I have no problem with the idea that research funding councils shouldn't draw much of a distinction between a Universe-destroying disaster and one which will "only" destroy the Earth.

It is also a big leap to assume there are other inhabited planets when the only evidence we have is our own little rock. I suspect there are other planets that are inhabited, but I'm not placing any bets on it.

[HoreTore]

I don't trust experts when the fate of the planet may be at stake.

IT ISN'T!!!

You may have had a point if it was. But what the LHC is doing isn't any more dangerous than starting your car.

There are a lot of dangerous stuff in the world; the LHC isn't one of them.