When most people need advice, they will ask more than one person in their search for answers. While they my be doing it out of instinct, or because that is what they have always done, there are actually several good reasons behind seeking multiple opinions when looking for advice. Collective intelligence, more choices, and even luck are just a few of the many reasons most people ask more than one person for advice when they need help.

Firstly, individual humans are generally less intelligent than the collective intellect of the species as a whole. This also works at a much smaller scale. For example, while a single scientist would struggle to build a spaceship, solve complicated equations, or write an advanced computer program, a team of individuals with different skills and ideas could complete each of those tasks in only a year. This same principle can also apply to seeking advice. A group of people is smarter than a single person, and it is usually the best idea to receive advice from the most intelligent being possible.

Secondly, asking only one person for advice can be risky because there is a possibility that the individual who was chosen might not be very intelligent, or they may not be extremely experienced with the problems that are being overcome. Asking more than one person for advice gives the person seeking advice better odds of finding someone who is intelligent and does have experience. This also gives the added benefit of having more options when deciding which piece of advice is the best for the current circumstances.

Finally, asking for advice can be useful for looking for opinions and viewpoints that have not been already considered. It can also be used to confirm that ideas or plans that have already been considered are the best option. However, it has already been mentioned that the ideas and viewpoints of just one person can be flawed. The ideas and viewpoints of a single individual are also usually just one set of ideas and viewpoints. Asking more than one person for advice is not only a way of receiving better advice, it also gives more complete advice. Multiple people usually have more than one set of ideas and viewpoints, and asking them gives the person asking more complete advice. As mentioned earlier, having multiple ideas and viewpoints also gives more choice between different solutions to the problem.

Overall, from a better set of choices, more collective intelligence, and even simple luck, asking more than one person is definitely a good idea when someone needs advice. A large group of people has more collective intelligence than any individual. A big group has a better chance of having someone who is experienced with the problem that is being solved. A large number of people also give more diverse viewpoints and choices for methods of solving the problem. In conclusion, one should definitely ask multiple people when they need advice.