Question 11.
Which of the following statements BEST explains why stupidity for a smart person is“perfectly compatible with intelligence”?
A
Intelligence is poorly defined, and is usually a perception, making it compatible with stupidity.
B
A new phenomenon creates fear, rushing intelligent people to explain it to put others at ease.
C
Past successes make us believe that we are intelligent and capable of explaining any new phenomenon.
D
Intelligent people are scared to admit their lack of knowledge, and therefore, try to explain everything, including things they do not understand.
Question Explanation
Text ExplanationVideo Explanation
"...they were hampered, beyond the shortage of material resources, by a kind of ‘conceptual obsolescence’, a failure to update their cognitive tools to fit the task in hand. In at least some cases, intelligence actively abets stupidity by allowing pernicious rationalisation..."
The author underscores how using past/obsolete models to fit novel situations qualifies as stupidity; he adds that intelligence furthers such stupidity by providing "pernicious rationalisation" - in a way, conveying how we justify the usage of past models to fit the current situation [as is the case with Haig]. Hence, our success with past models makes us presume that they'll function in new situations. Option C comes closest to presenting the author's intention when he correlates intelligence and stupidity.
Options A, B and D, can be easily eliminated since they do not relate to the discussion [are not implied]. Option E, while closer to the idea in C, focuses on the idea around 'rationalisation' rather than the application of past models to new problems. Furthermore, we cannot discern what is meant by "rationalization...acceptable."
Hence, the correct answer is Option C.
The author underscores how using past/obsolete models to fit novel situations qualifies as stupidity; he adds that intelligence furthers such stupidity by providing "pernicious rationalisation" - in a way, conveying how we justify the usage of past models to fit the current situation [as is the case with Haig]. Hence, our success with past models makes us presume that they'll function in new situations. Option C comes closest to presenting the author's intention when he correlates intelligence and stupidity.
Options A, B and D, can be easily eliminated since they do not relate to the discussion [are not implied]. Option E, while closer to the idea in C, focuses on the idea around 'rationalisation' rather than the application of past models to new problems. Furthermore, we cannot discern what is meant by "rationalization...acceptable."
Hence, the correct answer is Option C.
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