This is actually a very interesting question that might take one down the rabbit hole. Acquiring knowledge (I should say 'beliefs about valid knowledge') and b

This is actually a very interesting question that might take one down the rabbit hole. Acquiring knowledge (I should say 'beliefs about valid knowledge') and brainstorming (and certainly collaboration and getting an advisor to adopt you) appear to be social activities, as much as purely logical and analytic activities. Social activities like this, for social or herd creatures, are subject to flock or swarming patterns. Maybe all the brilliant people are swarming around a locus of interest? It's certainly a good way to have the population explore the ins and outs of a, well, locus of interest. It's also a good way to have a loner get shunned by wandering off and poking at an uninteresting pile of dung. I guess my point is: why not both? (Mathematically, statistically, egotistically, I know the idea that I am the foolish one is almost certainly more likely to be the case)