Behe likens Dover trial to Kafka's The Trial

Our colleague Joshua Swamidass reports on the blog Peaceful Science that he was interviewed yesterday along with Michael Behe. I have not yet had a chance to watch the interview, Michael Behe: Kafka at the Dover trial (actually, I am hoping for a transcript), so I will merely note that Dr. Behe apparently compared the Dover trial to the book The Trial by Franz Kafka. I have read The Trial and also much of the transcript of the Dover trial, and I find that claim astonishing though, as I said, I have not actually seen the interview yet.

At any rate, here is part of what Dr. Swamidass has to say:

…The Dover Trial was one of the central and defining events of my time in graduate school. So this was a remarkable opportunity for me, a chance to talk directly with one of the key participants in this moment of history.

Mike and I certainly have our disagreements. Nathan H. Lents, Richard Lenski, and I reviewed his last book, Darwin Devolves, a couple years ago. It was not a positive review. But I actually agree with Behe on more than most people expect. In the end, Intelligent Design looks like a “garden path” to me.

The tension between our agreement, on the on hand, and our disagreement, on the other, makes conversation with Mike exciting for me. We are both Christians that believe God created humans through a providentially governed process of common descent. We also do not see clear biochemical evidence for God’s guidance in human evolution. So where exactly do we disagree? Honestly, on human evolution, I am not exactly sure. Maybe you can help us figure out that puzzle.

The exchange in this conversation was fun. We discussed Irreducible Complexity too. I explain why I’m not convinced by his argument, and Behe agreed to give [a] look at and respond to what I’ve written about this in the past. We wondered about the meaning of Darwinism, and tussled over the right understanding of “exaptation.”

…The Dover Trial was a flash point of conflict, but this dialogue certainly seemed like peaceful science.

But then he adds, “Kafkaesque indeed.”

In the quotations above, I have omitted several links, but you may get them from the link in the first line.

Finally, the Peaceful Science post contains a link to another interaction between Drs. Behe and Swamidass, this one at Texas A&M, entitled “God and/or Evolution?”