Skeptics Café

The Intelligence Trap: Why smart people do stupid things and how to make wiser decisions

By David Robson

Reviewed by John Barrett

This book presents a challenge to any person of proven high intelligence. As the author says in his introduction, “Smart people may be even more vulnerable to certain kinds of foolish thinking.” High intelligence inappropriately applied can be like a high performance car with faulty brakes. The author provides examples of foolish thinking by some famously smart people such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein. He also provides examples of smart people who avoided thinking foolishly: Socrates and Benjamin Franklin. Interestingly, the great strength of both was their preparedness to recognise the limits of their own knowledge.

The author introduces some useful concepts, including:

· Dysrationalia: a mismatch between intelligence and rationality;

· Earned Dogmatism: a perceived “right” to be closed-minded;

· Motivated reasoning: a tendency to apply our brainpower to affirming a predetermined goal.

The book deals tangentially with issues of interest to Skeptics such as astrology, extra-terrestrial visitations, séances, complementary medicines, vaccination, climate change, and evolution. Its emphasis is on clear thinking and how some highly intelligent people can come to believe some ridiculous things.

I recommend this book to all Skeptics. A useful summary is available here: https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/intelligence-trap

I also recommend this review: https://irishtechnews.ie/the-intelligence-trap-review/