June 27

A.J. Ayer (died 1989). In 1987 the eminent philosopher and academic found himself, aged 77, at a party where Naomi Campbell was receiving unwelcome attention from Mike Tyson. He politely asked the boxer to leave Campbell alone. Tyson replied: ‘Do you know who the f**k I am? I’m the heavyweight champion of the world.’ ‘And I,’ said Ayer, ‘am the former Wykeham Professor of Logic. We are both pre-eminent in our field. I suggest we talk about this like rational men.’