>>9685314First of all, you’re proposing 2 different mutually exclusive claims: that humans will NEVER get more than a few light years beyond Earth, and then go on to suggest that humans as a species might, but individuals will not.
Which are you advocating?
I’ll assume you’re talking about the latter. It’s possible that humans, within one lifespan, could see the farthest reaches of the galaxy (not likely beyond that) if cryogenic sleep becomes viable in the future. Additionally, if we are able to store our consciousness in advanced computers one day, this will also extend our lifespans long enough to see many places.
I’m ignoring FTL, as it’s too speculative to consider at the moment.
If none of these are viable options in the future, then you’re correct - human individuals will likely never live long enough to travel more than a short distance from Earth.
But humans AS A SPECIES will likely populate many areas throughout the galaxy. True, individuals will die before they get to the intended destination, but that doesn’t mean the mission dies with the individuals who set out in the first place.
The continued survival and evolution of a species cares very little for individuals. If we decide that it’s in our benefit to colonize worlds far from Earth, we may likely sacrifice the lives of individuals if it means that their ancestors will succeed.
