What Makes Intelligent People Believe Things That Aren’t True?
What Makes Intelligent People Believe Things That Aren’t True? Intelligent people can believe false things because analytical ability is only one part of belief formation. Motivation, repetition, trust, social influence, and prior commitment all affect what evidence people examine and how willing they are to revise a conclusion. Intelligence usually provides an advantage. People who reason carefully are often better at distinguishing strong evidence from weak evidence and true information from false information. The mistake is assuming that reasoning ability automatically guarantees good judgment. The same mind that can dismantle a weak argument can also construct a sophisticated defense of a preferred conclusion. Intelligence is a tool, and the result depends partly on what the tool is being used to accomplish. Theranos and the Evidence Around the Claim Elizabeth Holmes built Theranos around an extraordinary promise. The company claimed that extensive blood testing could be performed ...