Space Policy Edition: Why humans matter — The philosophy of Artemis II

When Artemis II returned its crew safely to Earth, millions of people found themselves unexpectedly moved. The mission was a test flight, a proof-of-concept, and yet it felt like something far greater than the sum of its parts. In this episode, Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, sits down with Rebecca Lowe, philosophy senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to explore the deeper meaning of humanity's return to deep space. Drawing on philosophy of mind, aesthetics, and theories of value, they unpack why human presence in space feels fundamentally different from even the most sophisticated robotic mission, and why that difference matters. Discover more at:

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Space Policy Edition: Why humans matter — The philosophy of Artemis II is an episode from Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science by The Planetary Society.

This episode is 78:39 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

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