Madam, - To move from random evolution to conscious evolution is an aspiration of many gifted thinkers in modern advanced societies.
However, two recent TV documentaries on the farming of chickens for human consumption and Dr Stephen Costello's letter (May 30th), prompts the observation that even in supposedly advanced western society many of us are still trapped in the old blind and unthinking evolutionary mode.
Peter Singer has campaigned over many years in a balanced way for a more ethical approach to the treatment of animals in the mass-production farming and pharmaceutical/medical industries.
Dr Costello's insulting description of Singer is cheap. His scary certainty that "We have spiritual souls, animals do not", which seems to allow him accept 'necessary' cruelty to animals, could be considered arrogant.
It certainly does not place him at the cutting edge of conscious evolution philosophy, which would strive to have society move forward with more concern, compassion and respect for all of creation. - Yours, etc.,
AIDAN DEVON, Hillcourt Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Dr Stephen J Costello assures us that "evolutionary theory has not even been proved" (May 30th)
Elsewhere in his letter he emphatically asserts that the difference between homo sapiens and other animals is that "we have spiritual souls; animals do not."
Are we to assume from this that Dr Costello can prove that we have "spiritual souls" and that animals do not? If so, I feel sure that I am not the only person who would very much like to hear from him again. - Yours, etc.,
COLIN BRENNAN, Nutley Square, Dublin 4.