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Peter Brophy uses the recent US court case on the teaching of intelligent design in schools to bolster his suggestion that The Times Higher stop discussing this issue (Letters, January 13).

The Catholic Church used to be the main hindrance to new ideas. Now, we find evolutionists gloating that a US judge, presumably not a practising scientist, has declared intelligent design "unscientific". This introduction of the courts as an arbiter of what is and is not scientific is dangerous and it may yet rebound on the evolutionists. Brophy is clearly not satisfied with this Pyrrhic victory, but he now seeks to influence the press to censure debate - except on terms dictated by him.

Milton Wainwright
Sheffield University