Why smart people can believe absurd ideas

Intelligence doesn't always protect against misinformation and absurd beliefs

an alchemist

“It’s a rare intelligent person who doesn’t hold a strange belief or two.” — Mats Andersson

It is a common assumption that intelligence acts as a shield against misinformation. After all, highly intelligent people are often well-educated, possess strong reasoning skills, and have access to vast amounts of knowledge. One might expect these qualities would make them less prone to embracing irrational ideas.

However, history and experience show that intelligence does not necessarily prevent people from falling for misinformation, pseudoscience, or even outright absurd claims. Intelligence can sometimes make people more susceptible to misinformation by giving them the tools to rationalize and defend false beliefs more effectively.

Some of the greatest intellectuals in history have been drawn to irrational or false beliefs:

• Isaac Newton – One of the most brilliant physicists in history, Newton spent much of his life studying alchemy, convinced he could transform lead into gold.

• Linus Pauling – A Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Pauling became obsessed with the idea that high doses of vitamin C could cure various diseases, despite weak scientific evidence.

• Arthur Schopenhauer – The famous philosopher believed in astrology and occultism, convinced they shaped human destiny.

• Voltaire – Despite championing reason and skepticism, Voltaire secretly consulted astrologers and supported dubious medical treatments.

• Steve Jobs – The Apple co-founder delayed conventional medical treatment for his pancreatic cancer, opting instead for alternative medicine that likely worsened his condition.

The Human Side of Intelligence

Intelligent people are just as human as everyone else, influenced by the same emotional reasoning, cognitive biases, and social pressures that shape all beliefs. All people are products of their time and culture and will unthinkingly accept some prevailing irrational and false ideas.

Intelligent people are not immune to errors in judgment and, like anyone, learn through trial and error. Benjamin Franklin, for example, once believed in astrology but later dismissed it as superstition.

As with everyone else, highly intelligent people can experience deep emotional trauma and dysfunctional upbringing that affects and disjoints their thinking.

The Limits of Specialized Intelligence

Many highly intelligent people achieve recognition for their exceptional abilities in a specific field while remaining of average—or even below-average—intelligence in other areas. A genius physicist may excel in mathematical reasoning but struggle with emotional intelligence or social judgment. A brilliant writer may produce profound literature yet have naive views about science or politics. Some people are exceptional in abstract thinking but poor at practical decision-making.

Some mental disorders, such as autism, dyslexia, and attention deficit order, involve cognitive trade-offs where the person has unusual skills in one area of thinking but deficits in other areas.

“I believe that a scientist looking at nonscientific problems is just as dumb as the next guy.”— Physics Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman

Intelligence Can Strengthen Rationalization

While intelligence can enhance critical thinking, it can also be used to rationalize misinformation more effectively. Smart people often construct sophisticated arguments to justify their preexisting beliefs, making them more resistant to changing their minds—even when faced with strong evidence.

Mental Illness and Logical Thinking Can Coexist

High intelligence and delusion-causing mental illness are not mutually exclusive. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, for instance, can involve both high intelligence and strong logical skills, yet people with these disorders may base their reasoning on delusions or hallucinations. John Nash, the brilliant mathematician, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and constructed intricate but absurd conspiracy theories. Similarly, Kurt Godel, considered one of history’s great logicans, exhibited irrational behavior and beliefs, including the belief that people were trying to poison him.

I wrote about this in the earlier below-linked post that includes an interview with a delusional yet clearly intelligent and articulate schizophrenia patient:

• Fascinating interview with a man with paranoid schizophrenia

Compartmentalization: Separating Logic from Belief

Compartmentalization is the psychological process of keeping conflicting beliefs separate to avoid cognitive dissonance. Highly intelligent people, particularly those who have experienced emotional or psychological trauma, are often skilled at compartmentalizing their thinking.

People can use critical thinking in one area of life but abandon it in another. A scientist may apply rigorous logic in their professional work yet believe in astrology or conspiracy theories in their personal life. A brilliant physicist may demand empirical evidence in research while accepting superstition in politics or religion.

The Dangers of Overconfidence

Intelligent people—especially those celebrated in one field—may develop overconfidence in their reasoning abilities and knowledge. Some assume expertise in areas where they lack experience, leading to errors in judgment. Arrogance can further prevent them from admitting when they are wrong, reinforcing misguided beliefs.

Myside Bias and Susceptibility to Fake News

Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker says that while intelligent people are less prone to certain cognitive biases, they are just as susceptible to myside bias—a form of confirmation bias where people accept information that aligns with their group’s beliefs while rejecting opposing views.

Myside bias, which evolved for social cohesion, operates unconsciously and is driven by the need for group acceptance. Humans, as inherently tribal creatures, often prioritize loyalty over objective reasoning. Pinker, in his book Rationality, highlights that intelligent progressives and conservatives are equally prone to dismissing scientific findings that contradict their ideological beliefs.

A 2013 study by Yale law professor Dan Kahan further supports this idea. Using the cognitive reflection test, Kahan found that the most analytically skilled people were often the most politically biased. Their intelligence allowed them to construct stronger defenses for their preexisting beliefs.

This means that highly intelligent and educated people are very much prone to accept misinformation and fake news and are sometimes even more prone than others to accepting and stubbornly holding onto them.

• The Guardian: “Why smart people are more likely to believe fake news”

Intelligence Is a Tool, Not a Shield

While intelligence is a powerful asset, it does not guarantee rational thinking. In some cases, it can even reinforce false beliefs through sophisticated rationalization, compartmentalization, and myside bias. This means that, like everyone, intelligent people must work to hone their critical thinking skills, including practicing intellectual humility and understanding the biases, blind spots, and knowledge limits that distort our thinking.