I FEAR Richard House (letters, July 29) is using Kuhn as a drunk uses a lamppost – yes that’s right, for support not illumination.

Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shift in science, which is by no means universally accepted, argues that sometimes the steady accumulation of scientific knowledge is interrupted by a period of revolution.

The idea is that new evidence and insights arise which do not fit into the current understanding of science and these create a tension.

This tension is then resolved by the emergence of a new theory or set of theories which can accommodate these ideas and provide a new understanding of previous knowledge.

Importantly this new theory, or paradigm, arises from the evidence and typically provides a scientific insight which enables new testable predictions to be made.

So on this basis, Einstein could fairly be said to have introduced a new paradigm – he overturned the prevailing model, gave a new understanding of existing science and made predictions which have proved correct.

In contrast, Dr House’s spiritual paradigm arises from no evidence, offers no understanding of anything and makes no predictions.

It’s not even new, it’s just the age-old magical thinking, borrowing the language of science and philosophy.

Of course evidence can be misused – quacks of all sorts do it all the time and regrettably, from time to time, so do real scientists.

I referred previously to Andrew Wakefield, the ex doctor in the MMR scandal still cited by those opposed to vaccination.

I do urge Dr House to read Kuhn and then perhaps intelligent debate might be possible.

Jim Watson

Selsley