Meta-Coherence in Logic: From Halloween Candy to Apollo 13's Mailbox

In "Logic in the Wild," I delve into the intriguing ways logic seamlessly integrates into various aspects of life, linking arguments that, at first glance, appear vastly different. The distinction lies not in the logical structure, but in the content. For instance, consider the scenario of two twins trick-or-treating: one twin's costume is intact, while the other's is accidentally torn. A mean logician gives the twin with the intact costume ten candies, but only one to the other. The children protest, arguing that an accidental tear shouldn’t result in such unequal treatment. In response, the logician retracts nine candies from the first twin, addressing the inequality in a logically coherent, yet seemingly unfair manner.

This situation mirrors arguments like the defence for cannabis legalisation, which often compares its tarnished reputation to that of alcohol, arguing for equal legal treatment. Following the logician’s approach, one could argue to make alcohol illegal, thereby eliminating the perceived disparity. Both scenarios highlight an essential logical principle: coherence does not always equate to desirable outcomes.

Furthering this exploration, I propose another perspective of logic as a guardian of 'meta-coherence'. Reflecting on an incident during the COVID-19 pandemic, former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key criticised the government’s haphazard health measures, drawing an analogy to the Apollo 13 mission. He suggested that if the New Zealand government had mirrored NASA's problem-solving approach, the populace would have endured less hardship from lockdowns. However, this comparison is meta-incoherently flawed.

The New Zealand government, like NASA, was forced to devise ad hoc solutions to unprecedented challenges, prioritising immediate survival over long-term strategies. Just as NASA's ingenious 'mailbox' solution on Apollo 13 – a makeshift contraption for air filtration made from available materials which you might have spotted in Logic in the Wild's book cover – was a temporary fix, so were the government's measures. These solutions, though not ideal for long-term application, were effective in their respective emergencies.

In my book, "Logic in the Wild," I use Apollo 13 as an illustration of scientific ingenuity in crisis. However, it’s crucial to understand that such makeshift solutions, while lifesaving, are not the blueprint for future standards. This meta-coherent view recognises the similarities in both the Apollo mission and New Zealand's pandemic response: immediate, life-saving solutions, not permanent models of scientific excellence.

Post-Publication Update: Additional Context on John Key's COVID-19 Article

In my earlier discussion, I referenced an essay by former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir John Key, wherein he critiqued the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I've since located the specific article I was referring to, published in 2021 by the New Zealand Herald. For those interested in delving deeper and forming their own judgments on the matter, I encourage you to read Sir John Key's perspective. The article, titled 'Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Sir John Key – 5 ideas to transform our approach', can be found at this link: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-sir-john-key-5-ideas-to-transform-our-approach/PJH3TEOR6WEVADOOHWLKFBVK74/.

In my analysis, I discuss the meta-coherence, or lack thereof, in Key's analogy between the government's pandemic response and the Apollo 13 mission. I invite readers to consider both my arguments and Key's original article. This will provide a broader context and perhaps challenge or reinforce your views on the logical underpinnings of such analogies and their implications in real-world decision-making.

Just a reminder: this blog is a space for raw, evolving thoughts, born from my morning brainstorming sessions over coffee. What you read here is part of an ongoing journey of idea formation and exploration.