Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction: Astrobiology and society / Steven J. Dick -- Part I. Motivations and approaches: how do we frame the problems of discovery and impact? -- Current approaches to finding life beyond Earth, and what happens if we do / Seth Shostak -- The philosophy of astrobiology: the Copernican and Darwinian philosophical presuppositions / Iris Fry -- History, discovery, analogy: three approaches to the impact of discovering life beyond Earth / Steven J. Dick -- A multidimensional impact model for the discovery of extraterrestrial life / Clément Vidal -- Part II. Transcending anthropocentrism: how do we move beyond our own preconceptions of life, intelligence, and culture? -- The landscape of life / Dirk Schulze-Makuch -- The landscape of intelligence / Lori Marino -- Universal biology: assessing universality from a single example / Carlos Mariscal -- Equating culture, civilization, and moral development in imagining extraterrestrial intelligence: anthropocentric assumptions? / John W. Traphagan -- Communicating with the other: infinity, geometry, and universal math and science / Douglas A. Vakoch -- Part III. Philosophical, theological, and moral impact: how do we comprehend the cultural challenges raised by discovery? -- Life, intelligence, and the pursuit of vale in cosmic evolution / Mark Lupisella -- "Klaatu barada nikto" -- or, do they really think like us? / Michael Ruse -- Alien minds / Susan Schneider -- The moral subject of astrobiology: guideposts for exploring our ethical and political responsibilities towards extraterrestrial life / Elspeth M. Wilson and Carol E. Cleland -- Astrobiology and theology / Robin W. Lovin -- Would you baptize an extraterrestrial? / Guy Consolmagno, SJ -- Part IV. Practical considerations: how should society prepare for discovery -- and non-discovery? -- Is there anything new about astrobiology and society? / Jane Maienschein -- Preparing for the discovery of extraterrestrial life: are we ready? Considering the potential risks, impacts, and plans / Margaret S. Race -- Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence: preparing for an expected paradigm break / Michael A.G. Michaud -- SETI in non-Western perspective / John W. Traphagan and Julian W. Traphagan -- The allure of alien life: public and media framings of extraterrestrial life / Linda Billings -- Internalizing null extraterrestrial "signals": an astrobiological app for a technological society / Eric J. Chaisson.