Evolution Korea
The financial crisis that struck Asia caused a significant rethinking of the old system of government-business alliances and the management by the public of private risks. In Korea, this meant a change in the development paradigm.
In a controversial move South Korea's government has asked textbook publishers not to comply with calls to eliminate examples of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. This includes the evidence supporting the evolution of horses as well as the avian ancestral Archaeopteryx.
1. Evolution and Religion
A South Korean creationist group has convinced textbook publishers to eliminate evidence of evolution from high-school science texts. The Society for Textbook Revise, an independent offshoot from the Korea Association for Creation Research which aims to rid biology textbooks of "atheist materialism," was behind the decision. The STR claims that such materialistic thinking creates a negative picture for students, and could lead to their eventual denial of faith.
Scientists from all over the world expressed worry when the STR campaign was featured in the news. In a letter to the editor of Nature evolutionary biologist Jae Choe at Ewha Womans University in Seoul complained that South Korea had given in to religious prejudice. He was backed by colleagues from across the country, who set up an organization called Evolution Korea to organize a petition to protest the changes to the textbooks.
Researchers are concerned about the possibility that the STR campaign will spread to other parts of the world, where the spread of creationism is increasing. The letter to Nature warned of the anti-evolution movement putting more pressure on textbook revisions, especially in countries with large Christian and Muslim populations.
The South Korean culture is particularly strong for the debate over evolution. 26 percent of South Koreans belong to of a religious group, with the majority practicing Christianity or Buddhism. Many Koreans also adhere to Ch'ondogyo - an ideology based on Confucian principles, which is a strong advocate of social harmony, individual self-cultivation and self-respect. Ch'ondogyo teaches that the human being is one with Hanulnim, the God of Sun and that the heavenly blessings can be achieved through good works.
All of this has created an ideal environment for the spread of creationism. Numerous studies have found that students who have religious backgrounds to be more hesitant to learn about evolution as compared to those who do not. The causes behind this are not clear. Students with a religious background may be less knowledgeable about scientific theories, making them more susceptible to creationists influence. Another factor could be that those with religious backgrounds may see evolution as a belief system that is atheistic, making them feel uncomfortable.
2. Evolution and Science
In recent times, scientists have been concerned about the anti-evolution agenda in schools. A survey in 2009 revealed that 40% of Americans believed that biological evolution was wrong and that it would be in conflict with their religious beliefs. Despite the popularity of creationism in some states, many scientists feel that the best strategy to counter this movement is not to engage it, but rather to inform the public about the evidence supporting evolution.
Scientists have a duty to educate their students about science, including the theory of evolution. They should also educate the public on the research process and the way in which knowledge is confirmed. They should also explain that scientific theories are frequently challenged and reformulated. However, misinformation about the nature and purpose of scientific research can lead to anti-evolution beliefs.
Some people interpret the term "theory" as a guess, or a guess. In science, however, a hypothesis is rigorously tested, and empirical data is used to prove it. A theory that is tested and observed repeatedly is then a scientific principle.
The debate about evolution theory is a great opportunity to discuss both the importance of the scientific method and its limitations. It is crucial to realize that science is unable to answer questions about the purpose or meaning of life, but only provides a mechanism by which living things can develop and adapt.
A comprehensive education should include exposure to the major fields of science including evolutionary biology. This is particularly important because the jobs people are employed in and the choices they make require understanding of how science functions.
The majority of scientists around the world agree that humans have evolved over time. A recent study that predicted the adults' opinions of the consensus on this issue found that those with higher education levels and knowledge of science were more likely to believe there is a general consensus among scientists on the subject of human evolution. Those who have more religious faith and less science-based knowledge are more likely to disapprove. It is crucial that educators stress the importance of understanding this consensus, to enable people to make informed decisions regarding the use of energy, health care, and other policy matters.
3. Evolution and Culture
A close cousin to the mainstream evolutionary theory, the concept of cultural evolution focuses on the various ways humans--and other organisms--learn from and interact with each other. Researchers in this field utilize explanatory models and investigative tools adapted from those used by evolutionary theorists, and they reach back into human prehistory to discover the origins of our capacity for culture.
This method also acknowledges the distinction between traits that are cultural and biological. Cultural traits can be acquired slowly, whereas biological traits are mostly inherited at the same time (in sexual species at fertilization). The acquisition of one characteristic may affect the growth and development of another.
In Korea the introduction of Western style elements in the latter part of the nineteenth and early 20th century was the result of a complex sequence of events. One of the most significant was the arrival of Japanese occupation forces, who introduced Western clothing styles and hairstyles to Korean society.
When Japan quit Korea in the 1930s, some of these trends began to change. By the end of World War II, Korea was once more united and was again under the rule of the Choson dynasty.
Today, Korea is a vibrant economic and political power. Despite 에볼루션 of Korea has been growing steadily over the last decade. It is expected to continue this growth in the future.
The current government is faced with a variety of challenges. One of the most serious is its inability to find an effective strategy to address the economic crisis. The crisis has exposed the weaknesses of the country's economic policies, including its excessive dependence on exports and foreign investment, which may not be sustainable in the long run.
Since the financial crisis has destroyed the confidence of investors, the government has to reconsider its economic strategy and look for alternatives to boost domestic demand. To ensure a stable financial climate the government needs reform its incentive, monitoring and discipline systems. This chapter provides a number of scenarios for how the Korean economy might develop in a post-crisis world.
4. Evolution and Education
A fundamental challenge for educators of evolution is how to present evolutionary concepts in ways that are appropriate for students at various levels of development and ages. Teachers must, for example, be sensitive to the diversity of religions within their classrooms and create a welcoming environment where students of both religious and secular perspectives are at ease. Teachers must be able to recognize common misconceptions regarding evolution and know how to correct them in the classroom. Teachers must also have easy access to the various resources to teach evolution.
In this context, the Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation was an important step in bringing together evolutionary scientists and educators from a variety of fields to discuss best practices for teaching about evolution. Participants included representatives from scientific societies as well as educational research, government funding agency officials and curriculum developers. The convergence of these diverse stakeholders helped to identify a shared set of recommendations that will form the foundation for future actions.
It is important to include evolution in all science curricula at every level. To achieve this, the National Science Education Standards (NRC) call for evolution to be taught in a seamless way across the life sciences, with a progression of concepts that are developmental appropriate. A new publication from the NRC provides guidelines to schools about how to integrate evolution into the life science curriculum.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that a more comprehensive presentation of evolution leads to greater student understanding and belief in the concept of evolution. However the estimation of the causal effect of evolution in the classroom is difficult due to the fact that school curriculums are not assigned randomly and evolve over time because of the predetermined timing of gubernatorial elections and appointments to the state board of education. To overcome this problem, I use a longitudinal data set which allows me to account for year and state fixed effects and the individual-level variation in teacher beliefs regarding evolution.
Teachers who are more comfortable teaching evolution also report fewer internal barriers. This is in line with the hypothesis that more experienced faculty are less likely to avoid evolution-related topics in the classroom. They may also be more inclined to employ strategies like a reconciliatory method which is used to increase the students' understanding of evolution.