That's not wrong so much as it is a disingenous way of looking at the problem. It's like saying the Titanic only sank because there was no system that prevented them from sailing it into an iceberg; I mean, alright, sort-of true, but sort of a "missing the forest for the trees" sort of take, isn't it?
Not really. We understand a lot more about human error now than we ever have, and we design for it. A design which allows for human failure and fails safe is less good than one which does not. It would have been possible at the time to design out those failure modes. Does that not make it reasonable to talk about a flawed design?
I don't know if this bit is true, but specific reference is made in the show to the displacer rods being made of graphite because it was cheaper than an alternative material, which caused a problem because they acted as an accelerant rather than a moderator when the cooling rods were partially inserted. Fine as long as the control rods don't get stuck, or get pushed out by evaporating steam. Again (if true) that's a design choice which made the situation worse than it might otherwise have been. Is that not a flaw?
