James R. Flynn

The Flynn Effect - James Robert Flynn (born 1934), aka Jim Flynn, Emeritus Professor of Political Studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, researches intelligence and has become widely known for his discovery of the Flynn effect, the continued year-on-year rise of IQ scores in all parts of the world. Flynn wants to define intelligence at least widely enough to be independent of the culture, pointing out that the style of thought required to deal with the problems of survival in a desert (mapping, tracking..), is very different from that required to do well in the modern West (academic achievement etc), but that both undoubtedly call for intelligence. Flynn has written six books. His research interests include humane ideals and ideological debate, classics of political philosophy, and race, class and IQ (see race and intelligence). His books combine political and moral philosophy with psychology to examine problems such as justifying humane ideals and whether it makes sense to rank races and classes by merit. He currently sits on the editorial board of Intelligence. Originally from Chicago, Flynn arrived in New Zealand in 1963. (Wikipedia)