21 JUNE 1997, Page 23

Philosopher's introduction

Sir: No one would guess from Nigel Spivey's review of my book Confessions of a Philosopher (Books, 14 June) that it is an introduction to philosophy, acquainting its readers with most of the major figures in the subject from the ancient Greeks to the 20th century. In his second sentence he says I dismiss the question of God's existence as unworthy of rational consideration, but of course I do nothing of the kind. What I say is that the question is incapable of rational decision, which is a different matter.

Bryan Magee

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