Summary
David Robson: The Intelligence Trap
The Intelligence Trap presents cutting-edge research on intelligence and expertise, including "strategic ignorance," "metaforgetfulness," and "functional stupidity." David Robson talks about the surprising ways that even the most brilliant minds and talented organizations can go wrong - everything from Thomas Edison's worst ideas to the failures of the FBI, Nokia and NASA.
Why do smart people sometimes lack the common sense we'd expect from someone who is obviously intelligent? What are the reasons why greater intelligence, instead of protecting us from mistakes, can sometimes get us into even greater trouble?
Relying on behavioral research and historical examples from Socrates to Benjamin Franklin, the author considers how to use our intelligence more wisely; how to identify cognitive biases and improve our "rationality quotient"; we read and regulate our emotions; adjust our intuition; we manage ambiguity and uncertainty; and how to think about seemingly intractable problems in a more flexible way. The complex problems that the 21st century brings us require a wiser way of thinking, and Intelligence Trap offers a cognitive tool to reach our full potential.
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