Person in history
James Flynn (academic)
James Flynn, New Zealand intelligence researcher. (born 1934)
Life at a glance
- Died
- 2020 · December 11
Their story
Who they were
James Robert Flynn was an American-born New Zealand moral philosopher and intelligence researcher. Originally from Washington, D.C., and educated at the University of Chicago, Flynn emigrated to Dunedin in 1963, where he taught political studies at the University of Otago. He was noted for his publications about the continued year-after-year increase of IQ scores throughout the world, which is now referred to as the Flynn effect. In addition to his academic work,
Early life
Early life and education James Robert Flynn was born in an Irish-American community in Washington, D.C., on April 28, 1934. His parents were Irish-Americans from Missouri. His father, Joseph, left formal schooling at age 12 to work in a factory and later became a "hard-drinking" [ 1 ] [ 2 ] journalist and editor. Flynn described his father as a "keen reader" who took pride in completing the New York Times crossword puzzle in pen rather than pencil.
Why this date
James Flynn (academic) appears on our December 11 calendar for 2020 as a death entry.
Sources
Cite this page
“James Flynn (academic)”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/james-flynn-academic, accessed October 28, 2026.
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Questions about James Flynn (academic)
When did James Flynn (academic) die?
December 11 2020.
Who else was born on this day?
The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.
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