The Intelligence Trap summary

On June 17, 1922, on the beaches of New Jersey’s Atlantic City, a seemingly supernatural occurrence tested the friendship of magician Harry Houdini and author Arthur Conan Doyle.

Jean, Doyle’s wife, was a fervent believer in spiritualism, and she hoped to contact Houdini’s deceased mother through a séance. Though Houdini was a skeptic, he was still open-minded enough to agree to the séance. During the session, Doyle was entranced by his wife’s seeming possession: the way she furiously beat the table and scribbled across sheets of paper. Houdini, however, was less than impressed and pointed out several inconsistencies. Why had his “mother” professed to be a Christian when she was actually Jewish? And how was his mother able to write in perfect English, even though she’d never learned the language?

This episode illustrates the concept of dysrationalia, which describes how even highly intelligent individuals can fall prey to irrational beliefs. Dysrationalia is evident in Doyle’s unwavering belief in spiritualism, despite his logical prowess as the creator of super-rational Sherlock Holmes. 

Dysrationalia may explain smart people’s susceptibility to paranormal beliefs and conspiracy theories. These tendencies are usually fairly innocuous. However, dysrationalia can become dangerous when people use their intelligence to justify pre-existing beliefs while ignoring objective truth. Additionally, intelligent people often have a slightly larger “bias blind spot” than less-gifted people. That is, they’re aware of their cognitive abilities and believe themselves to be unbiased –⁠ which can lead them to justify prejudiced opinions or rationalize toxic relationships. 

Dysrationalia may also be behind polarization on political issues. Intelligent people on both sides use their knowledge to marshal evidence for their positions, rather than weighing it objectively. Intellectual pride and identity further entrench biases. As such, intelligence and expertise don’t guarantee wise judgment and action.