In a social species, believing authority is probably quite adaptive to the less intelligent just for getting things right. And then there is the adaptive value of going with the herd, because the herd likes that.
Epistemic rationality is really only valued by mutants with a fetish for it, and the capability to be relatively good at it. And while they get some benefits from their fetish, they pay a social cost for it too.
In a social species, believing authority is probably quite adaptive to the less intelligent just for getting things right. And then there is the adaptive value of going with the herd, because the herd likes that.
Epistemic rationality is really only valued by mutants with a fetish for it, and the capability to be relatively good at it. And while they get some benefits from their fetish, they pay a social cost for it too.