On the space program and on science fiction: an exchange

Gary Westfahl's essay on 'The Case Against Space' suggests that space travel should be encouraged to give humans a chance to explore distant and unknown regions. Westfahl also suggests that humanity should also establish themselves in outer space to prevent planetary disasters. However, critics argue that there are 'inherent human drives' that would interfere with the effectivity of space exploration. However, Westfahl suggests that with science fiction, his proposal can be realized partially.