The provocative title of this post is deliberate. I am sure that most readers will be aware of the remarkable difference in incarceration rates between atheists and those who profess to have religious beliefs. Many will also be aware that over 90% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences do not believe in a "personal God" (Sam Harris actually pegged the percentage at 93% in 2006 but the precise figure doesn't matter). The upshot of statistics like these lead to a very simple but puzzling question: Why are Atheists smarter than Theists?
Now I want to be clear that I am not saying that you cannot be smart (or even a Nobel prize winner) to believe in God. What I am saying is that it appears almost certain that as you march up the IQ ladder, it becomes more and more statistically improbable that a given individual believes in God. Now folks, what does that tell you? Perhaps that religious irrationality equals stupidity? Perhaps that the lower one's IQ, the more likely that one is a gullible candidate for religious irrationality? I am not certain but I find it curious that this area has not been studied in greater detail. Political correctness in undoubtedly the answer.
By all means, please don't take my word for this blatant assertion. Idenitfy the smartest people you know (and by that I do not necessarily mean the most educated) and then go ask them whether they believe in God and the reasons for that belief/disbelief.
The reason why the photo used in this post is a copy of "The Philosophy Gym: 25 short adventures in thinking" by Stephen Law is because intelligent people like to exercise their minds and I can't think of a better way for you to do that than to read this book. My favorite chapter is entitled Why Expect the Sun to Rise Tomorrow? and it is utterly fascinating. Based on arguments first presented by philosopher David Hume (1711-1776), Law provides a cogent explanation of why it may be wholly irrational to expect the sun to appear over the horizon on any given morning. You might laugh at the suggestion at first blush but if your head is not aching at the paradox by the end of the chapter, I will buy you a beer.
Why are smart people so insecure that they have prove themselves all the time? I agree, the title for the post is perfectly worded.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of Hume and excited to read the book. Maybe it will up my IQ a few points (if that is possible). Thanks for the tip.
I hope you enjoy it softomic. By the way, 1968 was a very good year!
ReplyDeleteSmart people must prove themselves so often because it is necessary to have self worth due to our views on the after-life, however overly-inclusive that just sounded.
ReplyDeleteYou've made at least two mistakes in this blog.
ReplyDeleteFirst, you assume that membership in the NAS directly correlates with "intelligence." Certainly NAS members are intelligent. But it's not necessary that NAS members are more intelligent than other scientists, whether atheists or theists. There are many reasons that one gets elected to NAS, mostly doing really good science, but also including politics, working in the "right" area at the right time, and working very, very hard over an entire career.
Second, correlation does not imply causation. The fact that being elected to the NAS and being an atheist are correlated does not mean that one caused the other. The conclusion that "atheists are more intelligent" is fallacious. That's just Logic 101.
As I always saw it, its not that Atheists are smarter than Theists because they are Atheist, but those who have a higher intellect (as stated in this post?) usually have no need for belief at all.
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