Intelligence obeys

Intelligence arrives in a mind that already has a history, emotions, values and beliefs. I wonder how much of its ability goes into questioning them, and how much into defending them.

Can an army of beliefs outweigh a well-supported argument?

Sometimes something bothers, attracts or angers us. Afterwards, we find an explanation that fits what we were feeling very well, sometimes too well.

Psychology has long studied how our beliefs and motivations can influence reasoning. Reading about this, I came across a 2026 study with 238 people in Germany and Iran. After reading texts presenting opposing positions, information consistent with their existing beliefs was represented more strongly in their comprehension. ^[1]

What struck me was that what they already believed influenced even how they understood what they read. How often might this happen to us without our noticing?

Another experiment, published in 2025 with more than 1,800 people in the United States, found that reflecting on values could then change factual beliefs, depending on prior political leanings. Financial incentives to distort those beliefs did not have the same effect. ^[2]

It is an uncomfortable idea: we can build a good argument without properly examining what we are defending.

Intelligence can become an excellent lawyer. The question is whose case it is arguing.

But I do not think that thinking more is pointless either. A 2026 Cognition study with 504 participants found a small relationship between cognitive reflection and motivated reasoning. On political topics, the results pointed towards less bias among people who showed greater reflection. ^[3]

And a 2025 study with 74 students observed brain activity related to cognitive control when an existing belief conflicted with the logic of a conclusion. ^[4]

These results leave questions open. They make me think that perhaps we can revise what we believe, even when accepting an answer we dislike is difficult.

I also see a positive side. A conviction can lead us to investigate, imagine a solution or try to change something we consider unjust. We will then need to check whether our proposal holds up.

That is why I am increasingly interested in what directs everything a person knows. And in asking myself, too, whether I am trying to understand something or finding reasons to keep believing the same thing.