Monday 16 June 2008

Intelligence and dumbness

Cancelled stupidity is not the same thing as intelligence.

I may be too dumb fully to comprehend my own intelligence (and, as they say, if my intelligence were simplified to the point where I could comprehend it, I would still be too dumb). On the other hand, I may be too intelligent to comprehend my dumbness--many highly intelligent people construct complex justifications for dumb beliefs (religious beliefs, say). But if both these states of affairs obtain, then there must be a tipping point halfway between them when intelligence and dumbness perfectly balance ...

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