Same Logic, Same Response: Unpacking Key's Apollo 13 and COVID-19 Analogy

Upon revisiting John Key's analogy between New Zealand's COVID-19 response and NASA's handling of the Apollo 13 mission, I've developed a more nuanced appreciation of his critique. Key points out that the New Zealand government lacked the proactive problem-solving demonstrated by NASA. He admires NASA's adeptness in responding to unforeseen challenges, suggesting that New Zealand should have emulated this approach.

Yet, Key's comparison fails to fully grasp the parallel nature of the situations. Both NASA during the Apollo 13 crisis and the New Zealand government faced sudden, unanticipated emergencies. In both instances, the need was to devise immediate, practical solutions within the unique constraints of each scenario. The New Zealand government’s strategy, much like NASA’s, involved navigating a precarious and unpredictable situation with the available resources and knowledge.

Further analysis of Key's argument reveals a somewhat impractical suggestion. It is comparable to advising NASA to send a new shuttle to the endangered Apollo 13 astronauts – a proposal that isn't fit for purpose. This aspect of his analogy seems to overlook the crucial need for responding to similar scenarios similarly. Such an approach is a key element in effectively managing both the Apollo 13 and COVID-19 scenarios.

This discussion guides us towards the broader logical concept of meta-coherence, an idea I am continuing to refine. Meta-coherence involves identifying a shared logical structure across different scenarios and responding in a manner that respects this coherence. At the heart of this concept is the principle of 'same logic, same response.' This principle suggests that when two distinct situations, such as the Apollo 13 mission and the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibit similar logical patterns – particularly in their need for swift and feasible responses – our approach should mirror this shared logical underpinning. This leads to similar responses in seemingly different contexts that share coherence.

Through this lens, Key's analogy emerges as meta-incoherent. While he rightly notes the skillful problem-solving in the Apollo 13 mission, he does not appropriately transpose this logical understanding to New Zealand's handling of the pandemic. His expectations for the government's actions did not reflect the 'same logic, same response' principle, which advocates for a logical and situation-aware evaluation across different scenarios.

While Key's analogy initially appears to offer an inspiring analogy, its success diminishes under the scrutiny of meta-coherence.