As David Gerrold wrote of Kirk: “How IBM must hate that man!”
Not all of those were about an entire computer-controlled civilization that Kirk single-handedly took down, though. “Archons” and “Apple” are the two that fit the description best.
Yes, but BigT separated “computer civilization” from “American Way,” so we are both technically correct.
The best kind of correct.
Obi-Wan always thought so. 
That one they had to do something about because the asteroid/spaceship was on a collision course with something else. So it was either interfere or let everyone die.
Anyway, they basically left the computer in charge once they’d corrected the navigational error. They just made sure it didn’t zap people any more.
Which still violated the Prime Directive. Not like anyone followed it anyway, but still…
Picard would have left them alone and let them crash into Daran V. “Well, if that’s the way it’s meant to be…”
He would have tried, but someone like Data or Worf’s brother would force his hand.
“To be faiiiirrrr”…
Kirks right. This wasnt a situation whereas theyd been killing each other so long, no one stopped to say “Wait, why are we doing this?” (Like in that TNG episode with Winchester)
Even though things have gone smoothly forever…Vendikar immediatly starts going apeshit the second disintegrations fall behind. These peoples hatred for each other must run white hot. Kirks given them a small chance (dont forget theres an ambassador there too with the backing of the Federation)
All Ambassador Dumbass has to say is, “Look if it doesnt work just repair your shit and you can go right back to killing yourselves”
But I also get how no matter how high-minded Kirk is, its a ridiculous violation of the PD. Kirk probably got away with it because of all the extenuating circumstances.
If I recall, the Prime Directive was only supposed to apply to pre-warp capable civilizations. Once folks got interstellar travel it no longer applied.
Still…STILL the stupidest tenet of the PD ever. They shit in one hand and then try and wipe with it.
And when discussing it, they immediatly fall into some fucking theological discussion??? The fuh?
“The Federation, letting little girls wander into traffic since 2260”
I’ll bet Kirks actually to blame. Given all the trouble he caused in “Paradise Syndrome”, “The Apple”, “Return of the Archons”, “A Taste of Armageddon” and bloody “Friday’s Child”…the Feds probably just instituted some no-tolerance PD policy.
The are different aspects of the PD. You can’t just go around applying your personal beliefs on civilizations just because they are warp-capable…also Picard invokes the PD in not getting involved in the Klingon Civil War (a cowardly application at that. Given Gowrons legitimacy and the problems in letting a Romulan backed Duras win. Picard managed to find a way around it though)
They could have came up with a better reason Picard/the Federation couldn’t (or at least wouldn’t) interfere in the Klingon CW (a clause in some treaty, or a general tendency to not to get involved in Klingon politics)
Brian
“Circumstances” ? You mean, like the Enterprise being declared a casualty of war and the whole crew was expected to attend the suicide booths? No, I think in this case, the Prime Directive is irrelevant. You do not allow 430 people to be killed just so you are not offending the natives. And the real reason for ending the war was the same reason you fill in that pit with the pointy sticks in it rather than steadfastly laying the false ground cover back over it.
There absolutely was no violation here.
I caught a random episode of the series on a background TV, and it was yet another episode where Kirk and Spock talked a computer into killing itself (or otherwise disabling it or escaping it). How many times did the show go back to that “tell a computer to do impossible/illogical things” solution to problems?
Probably fewer times than it asked me to do impossible things (like suspend my disbelief).
That said, I just finished “The Way to Eden”. I kinda wish it had been The Road to Eden, and had Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour as guest stars. They would have been less annoying than Space Hippies, and the music would have been better.
Three that I immediately think of: “Return of the Archons,” “The Changeling,” and “I, Mudd.”
Herbert!