Abstract
This introductory chapter aims to attune the reader to the topic of planetary defense through the lens of political science. The whole volume proposes an ambitious approach - a multipurpose lunar base - but the key condition for humankind's peaceful spread to space is based on cosmopolitan global governance, which we argue will not emerge easily.
This chapter considers several problems political science reflects in relation to cosmopolitan thinking, from development aid criticism, through to perceptions of influence by individuals in global politics, to the claim that the anarchy we allegedly live in is caused by states themselves. As the authors progress through discussions of political science and theoretical concepts, several questions arise as to how we can discern moral from immoral behavior in political science theory.
Finally, as our requirements are constantly changing, cosmopolitan thinking shows that humanity faces three sets of problems: sharing the planet, sustaining life, and developing a rule book. This chapter lays the foundation for further theoretical argumentation throughout the whole volume, which considers these three sets of problems using a multidisciplinary lens.