There’s a book on my shelf at my office that usually elicits a
chuckle from visitors: Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid . I
don't remember how I came across this collection of 15 scholarly
essays on the subject of stupidity--perhaps some “smart” friend
believed I needed help--but I keep it prominent on my shelves to
remind me that even the brightest minds are capable of blunders
of breathtaking scope and magnitude.  Most of us in the world of
science and engineering esteem “brains." Indeed, many of us have
a tendency to judge others mostly on the basis of intelligence
and technical skill. Some people in the outside world have
similar tendencies; a person with a Ph.D. from a top university
is assumed to be brilliant. We know better, of course.  We know,
for one, that there's a downside to all that gray matter.
Although being smart and working hard to become an expert are
valuable and laudable, the pursuit of those skills does not
guarantee that you'll acquire the resources you need to be
effective. An overreli