Are smart people more rational?
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- Published on Friday, 23 April 2010 07:36
- Written by John Draper
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If you have a high IQ, would you make more rational decisions? It is often claimed that atheism results from rational thinking and that many smart people (scientists) are atheists so we draw the conclusion that smartness leads to rationality. But is this a logical argument? Or more precisely, is there a relationship between IQ and Rationality? Maggie Toplak of York University has done some research with some surprising results - many people with a normal or even high IQ make irrational decisions!
Steve Paikin of TVO interviewed Maggie in the following video - fascinating and somewhat disturbing. Some of the rationality tests are given in the interview and it's very easy to make the wrong, irrational, choice! Here's a hint: think before you give the first answer that comes to you!