After listening to John Haught, I read his open letter to Jerry Coyne. Despite Haught's lamentably unconvincing speech, his letter prepared me to find that Jerry had been unfair, had quoted him out of context, had attacked him ad hominem and had raised contentious issues that were irrelevent to the topic under debate. I was prepared, in other words, to dissent from Jerry's speech on grounds of fairness or good taste, even while expecting to agree with its content. I have now listened to Jerry's speech in full and found nothing of the kind. Not a trace of ad hominem attack, not a trace of unfairness, nothing irrelevant, plenty of articulate assertiveness but always served with good humour.

Jerry's speech was a brilliant tour de force from start to finish. A magnificent exhibition of rational, well-supported argument, and witty and entertaining withal. Many congratulations, Jerry, on a splendid piece of work, thoroughly well prepared and brilliantly delivered.

Richard