Interesting discussion … I'll be frank in saying that I'm not sure about it all myself ..
I mean, the Earth will get eaten up by the Sun (or collision with Andromeda, etc), so we have to find ways of leaving the place, eventually. So, we have to fund that exercise. Otherwise, following the "do nothing/don't spend" path logically results in us never escaping !
However, when you look at the unbelievable diversity of environments within our own Solar System planets/moons, it seems to me that the chances of finding another "goldilocks zone" are very slight. (Ie: extrapolating from our own earth-bound perspective, that is).
This then, is counter to the
cosmological principal. So, how can one make the quantum leap from our own Solar System observations/empircial evidence to the guiding Cosmological Principle without a little 'faith' ?
Now there's a real question for a Cosmologist/Astro Physicist!!
Cheers
PS: The 'zone' I'm referring to includes the variables needed to support life .. not just the locale.