This list distinguishes between those who explicitly advocate for hereditarianism, those who support genetic influences on intelligence without engaging in racial discussions, and those who oppose hereditarianism but have made contributions that are relevant to the debate.

This classification highlights the distinctions between:

  • Explicit hereditarians (who defend both individual and racial intelligence differences),
  • Cautious hereditarians (who acknowledge the genetic role but avoid race-based discussions),
  • Anti-hereditarians (whose work nonetheless informs the debate), and
  • Public intellectuals (who amplify or critique hereditarians in public discourse).

Category 1: Explicit Hereditarians (Race, Intelligence, and Population Differences)

These individuals openly advocate for a strong genetic role in intelligence at both the individual and group levels. Many have faced professional backlash or controversy.

  1. Richard Lynn – Pioneer in race and national IQ studies, argued for a strong genetic component in intelligence differences.
  2. James Thompson – British psychologist who writes about intelligence, behavioral genetics, and racial differences.
  3. Nathan Cofnas – Philosopher of science defending hereditarianism and critiquing environmentalist explanations.
  4. Noah Carl – Social scientist who studied intelligence and its relationship to immigration and social policy.
  5. Bo Winegard – Evolutionary psychologist, formerly in academia, now writes about race and intelligence.
  6. Emil Kirkegaard – Independent researcher on intelligence, behavioral genetics, and national IQ.
  7. John Fuerst – Researcher studying race, human biodiversity, and intelligence.
  8. Helmuth Nyborg – Danish psychologist, known for controversial work on racial and sex differences in intelligence.
  9. Gregory Cochran – Co-author of The 10,000 Year Explosion, known for evolutionary arguments about intelligence.
  10. Edward Dutton – Anthropologist focusing on intelligence, dysgenics, and human evolution.
  11. Charles Murray – Co-author of The Bell Curve, argued for a genetic basis for intelligence differences.
  12. Steve Sailer – Public commentator focusing on IQ, race, and human biodiversity.
  13. Michael Woodley of Menie – Researcher studying intelligence trends, life history theory, and dysgenics.

Category 2: Implicit or Cautious Hereditarians

These individuals strongly support the genetic basis of intelligence but generally avoid or downplay race-based arguments. They focus on individual differences rather than group disparities and are often well-respected in mainstream academia.

  1. Richard Haier – Neuroscientist, editor-in-chief of Intelligence, advocates for the neuroscience of intelligence and its genetic basis.
  2. Robert Plomin – Leading behavioral geneticist, strong advocate for polygenic scores and the heritability of intelligence.
  3. Ian Deary – Intelligence researcher emphasizing cognitive stability and lifespan studies.
  4. David Geary – Cognitive scientist studying sex differences and evolutionary influences on intelligence.
  5. Russell Warne – Psychologist defending IQ research but generally avoiding race-related discussions.
  6. Stephen Hsu – Physicist and geneticist researching cognitive ability and polygenic selection.
  7. Rex Jung – Neuroscientist studying the biological basis of intelligence.
  8. David Lubinski – Psychologist studying high-IQ individuals and intelligence as a predictor of life success.

Category 3: Intelligence Researchers Whose Work Influences the Hereditarian Debate (But Who Oppose Hereditarianism)

These figures are strongly opposed to hereditarian interpretations of racial IQ differences but have conducted research that is frequently cited in hereditarian discussions.

  1. James Flynn – Discovered the Flynn Effect (rising IQ scores over time), which he argued was an environmental phenomenon, but his work is often referenced in debates about intelligence.
  2. Leon Kamin – Behavioral geneticist, strongly opposed to twin study methodologies supporting IQ heritability.
  3. Richard Nisbett – Argued against genetic explanations for intelligence gaps in Intelligence and How to Get It.
  4. Eric Turkheimer – Behavioral geneticist, argues that while intelligence is heritable, its importance is overestimated.
  5. Claude Steele – Developed stereotype threat theory as a non-genetic explanation for racial IQ differences.
  6. William Dickens – Economist who collaborated with Flynn to argue for environmental explanations of intelligence.
  7. Robert Sternberg – Proposes alternative models of intelligence that de-emphasize general intelligence (g).
  8. Howard Gardner – Developer of multiple intelligences theory, a framework used to challenge traditional IQ models.

Category 4: Public Intellectuals and Commentators on Intelligence Research

These figures contribute to the hereditarian debate but are not necessarily academics or researchers.

  1. Steve Sailer – Journalist and blogger writing about race, intelligence, and demographics.
  2. Razib Khan – Geneticist and science writer discussing human evolution and intelligence.
  3. Fredrik deBoer – Leftist writer who defends the idea of intelligence as heritable but opposes right-wing political conclusions.
  4. Quillette contributors – A range of science-oriented journalists defending intelligence research against ideological attacks.