The Case for Mars Quotes

“If the human mind can understand the universe, it means the human mind is fundamentally of the same order as the divine mind. If the human mind is of the same order as the divine mind, then everything that appeared rational to God as he constructed the universe, it's “geometry,” can also be made to appear rational to the human understanding, and so if we search and think hard enough, we can find a rational explanation and underpinning for everything. This is the fundamental proposition of science.”
― Robert Zubrin, The Case For Mars

“Currently we see around us an ever more apparent loss of vigor of our society: increasing fixity of the power structure and bureaucratization of all levels of life; impotence of political institutions to carry off great projects; the proliferation of regulations affecting all aspects of public, private, and commercial life; the spread of irrationalism; the banalization of opular culture; the loss of willingness by individuals to take risks, to fend for themselves or think for themselves; economic stagnation and decline, the decleration of the rate of technological innovation...Everywhere you look, the writing is on the wall.”
― Robert Zubrin, The Case for Mars

“Mapping the trajectory of a spacecraft is a relatively straightforward business, bounded only by the laws of physics. Mapping the trajectory of an idea through a political system, on the other hand, can be a dicey business.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“If we’re going to get to Mars, we’re going to have to clear the maps. The dragons, cyclops, and other monsters of the mind must be killed, and the siren exposed for the fraud she is.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“Perhaps the question was premature in Turner’s time, but not now. Currently we see around us an ever more apparent loss of vigor of our society: increasing fixity of the power structure and bureaucratization of all levels of life; impotence of political institutions to carry off great projects; the proliferation of regulations affecting all aspects of public, private, and commercial life; the spread of irrationalism; the banalization of popular culture; the loss of willingness by individuals to take risks, to fend for themselves or think for themselves; economic stagnation and decline; the deceleration of the rate of technological innovation. . . . Everywhere you look, the writing is on the wall.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“Perhaps the question was premature in Turner’s time, but not now. Currently we see around us an ever more apparent loss of vigor of our society: increasing fixity of the power structure and bureaucratization of all levels of life; impotence of political institutions to carry off great projects; the proliferation of regulations affecting all aspects of public, private, and commercial life; the spread of irrationalism; the banalization of popular culture; the loss of willingness by individuals to take risks, to fend for themselves or think for themselves; economic stagnation and decline; the deceleration of the rate of technological innovation. . . . Everywhere you look, the writing is on the wall. Without”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“What was it the old salts use to say about who and what conquered the seven seas? Iron men and wooden ships, not wooden men and iron ships.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“Thus, the central objection raised against the human settlement and terraforming of Mars: Such projects may be technologically feasible, but there is no possible way that they can be paid for. On the surface, the arguments given supporting this position appear cogent, for Mars is a distant place, difficult to access, and possesses a hostile environment that holds no apparent resources of economic value. These arguments appear ironclad, yet it must be pointed out that they were also presented in the past as convincing reasons for the utter impracticality of the European settlement of North America and Australia.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must

“Miners operating among the asteroids will be unable to produce most of their necessary supplies locally. There will thus be a need to import food and other necessary goods either from Earth or Mars.”
― Robert Zubrin, Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must