Earlier quoted context omitted.
The idiot there is Babbage -- the politician, more well trained in general thinking, clearly observed that thinking-things can correct mistakes against a background of common understanding. eg., "Q. Who is the king of france?", "A. France has no king, did you mean who was the last king of france?"
Calling Charles Babbage an idiot has to be peak HN.
Babbage was insulting politicians who had, in the instance of his insult, a better grasp on the nature of intelligence than he had. It is a foolish quote to repeat, and reeks of the same smug obliviousness in which it was said.
If Babbage was fit to be so smug, he is fit to be called an idiot when having been so foolishly.
"Peak HN" is presumably when you can cite an oblivious smarter-than-thou Engineer at his most inastute, but not call one an idiot.