Intelligent people can be, and often are, very stupid.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I've seen this for real, and it's always puzzled me. I rationalized it as just because they don't agree with me doesn't mean they're stupid... just wrong.

Paul Frampton has prodigious intelligence. A (former) tenured professor of physics at the University of North Carolina with more than 450 publications to his name, he undoubtedly possesses a high IQ, as well as a considerable capacity for "logic, abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, learning, emotional knowledge, memory, planning, creativity, and problem solving."

But Paul Frampton is not intelligent. After all, no smart 68-year-old man would get tricked into thinking that transporting $400,000 dollars worth of cocaine from Bolivia to Brussels would earn him the love and affection of world-renowned bikini model Denise Milani. To fall for such an obvious honey trap, one would have to completely lack skeptical reason, sound judgment, and the ability to think critically.

Frampton's case perfectly exemplifies the most important thing to know about intelligence: Intelligent people can be, and often are, very stupid.

More here.