14 JUNE 2003, Page 38

Not so enlightened

From Professor Peter Geach

Sir: According to Harry Mount (Books, 31 May), Anthony Grayling thinks that science always wins as it did in the days of the Enlightenment. Among the victories won then was the production of a widespread and lasting disbelief in meteorites and witches. Meteorites have fallen throughout human history, and have often been placed in temples; to enlightened minds, this was no doubt proof that the belief in their having fallen from the sky was superstition. And to this day philosophers like Grayling standardly use 'witch' as an example of an empty term, despite anthropology and at a time when

practitioners of 'wicca' are allowed to give broadcasts.

Peter Geach Cambridge