The Intelligence Trap

“As a rule, I have found that the greater brain a man has, and the better he is educated, the easier it has been to mystify him.”—Harry Houdini to Arthur Conan Doyle An eye-opening examination of the stupid things smart people do—and how to cultivate skills to protect ourselves from error. Smart people are not only just as prone to making mistakes as everyone else, they may be even more susceptible to them. This is the “intelligence trap,” the subject of David Robson’s fascinating and provocative book. The Intelligence Trap explores cutting-edge ideas in our understanding of intelligence and expertise, including “strategic ignorance,” “meta-forgetfulness,” and “functional stupidity.” Robson reveals the surprising ways that even the brightest minds and most talented organizations can go wrong—from some of Thomas Edison’s worst ideas to failures at NASA, Nokia, and the FBI. And he offers practical advice to avoid mistakes based on the timeless lessons of Benjamin Franklin, Richard Feynman, and Daniel Kahneman. “The Intelligence Trap combines mesmerizing storytelling with groundbreaking new research about why having a high IQ can backfire. Essential reading for anyone who wants to think more clearly.”—Rolf Dobelli, author of The Art of Thinking Clearly