The Edge asked scientists and other prominent intellectuals “What have you changed your mind about? Why?” – only to discover that when they do change their mind about lofty matters, their new outlook often is more lugubrious.

For example, Simon Baron-Cohen, an autism researcher at Cambridge University no longer views absolute equality among people as a leading concept. Classicist James O’Donnell lost faith in ancient Romans when he learned more about the foibles of emperors. (Wall Street Journal)

I won’t find myself among those who, perhaps feeling pangs of pity for these disillusioned intellectuals, respond, “so sorry for your loss.” Instead, these survey results strike me as showing that intellectuals are not exempted from having to grow up and face facts like everyone else.