MR KENNISH (letters September 30) well exemplifies the obscurantist approach to science.

His argument is based on non sequitur and misrepresentation.

Whereas science, however imperfectly, seeks clarity and understanding he relishes confusion and mystery so as to provide fertile ground for his own bizarre beliefs.

I doubt many believers still hold to the idea of the old man in the sky or that this is the idea of god many atheists are rejecting.

But nor would either group accept his formulation of consciousness as a substitute.

Once again he attempts to smear atheists as fundamentalists merely because we at last speak out against the true fundamentalists who want to impose their prejudices through law and violence.

Unfortunately quantum physics has been a gift to the mystery pedlars, not least because it seems so counter intuitive with its images of dead/alive cats in boxes.

Hence the absurd claims that it demolishes materialism.

Not at all, it merely shows that matter is even more complicated than we imagined and gives no support at all to spiritual claims.

Yes, it does appear that under some circumstances some subatomic particles can communicate over distance but there is still no convincing evidence that human minds do.

Yes, human consciousness is is a mystery we do not yet understand but quantum physics does not claim that it somehow reaches out and determines reality.

In the experiments to which Mr Kennish alludes it is measurement which influences the result, and this need not involve any human consciousness.

Let’s pass over the misrepresentation of Darwin and consider that of Steiner.

Yes, he did say take nothing on authority but he also said that his “insights” derived from clairvoyant insight which his followers could develop for themselves if they followed his teachings sufficiently rigorously.

So no pressure then.

As an aside, perhaps prompted by reference to the bearded and ancient man above, how nice it is to be able to agree with Richard House about Jeremy Corbyn, having disagreed with him so many times in these pages.

Jim Watson

Selsley