A An Instructional Guide To Evolution Korea From Beginning To End

Evolution Korea

In the past, Korea's scientific community has refrained from engaging with the creationists in fear that doing so could boost the credibility of the group. But silence is no anymore an option.

The STR has been battling to eliminate content from textbooks that discuss evolution, such as the discovery of the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx as an early bird's ancestor. This is only one aspect of the way in which the development paradigm has changed.

What is Evolution?

The theory of evolution is a scientific one that explains the change in the genetic characteristics of living organisms over time. The theory is based on the fact that living organisms adapt to their environment, which could result in variations in genes or even whole genomes. These changes can over many generations result in the development of new species. Natural selection is the dominant theory of evolution. It explains how people who have advantages can reproduce faster and longer than those with disadvantageous ones. As time passes, this difference in reproduction can result in the creation of entirely new species.

The word "evolution", which comes from the Latin for revealing or unrolling, has been used in a variety of different ways as the concept has developed in both science as well as elsewhere. Early evolutionists such as Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean Baptiste de Lamarck believed that species were predestined to evolve into a different species.  sell  was coined by the Lamarck's disciple embryologist Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire to describe this idea. Charles Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, published in 1833, challenged the concept of evolution and borrowed the term from Geoffroy's student.

Evolutionary biologists define evolution more recently as a process in which living organisms develop traits to increase their chances of living or producing offspring. Over time, genetic variability can cause a population acquire new physical characteristics or biological functions. This shift in gene frequency is known as natural selection and it is the main driver of evolutionary changes. Other changes that aren't genetic, such as an increase in muscle mass through exercise or diet, can't be considered to be evolution since they aren't passed down to future generations.

Despite the fact that evolution has stood the test of time and thousands of scientific experiments Creationists have taken advantage of the idea that evolution is controversial to claim that it shouldn't be taught in schools. In South Korea, creationists won a few victories against evolution in textbooks for high schools. This includes the removal of all references about the evolutionary history of humans and Archaeopteryx - a feathered dino which is believed to be the ancestor of birds.

Why is Evolution Important?

Evolution explains the origins and evolution of Earth and all living species. It also serves as a basis of biology that helps scientists learn how living organisms function and grow. Evolution also shows the connections between different species. Scientists study evolution to gain a better understanding of the natural world and to discover useful information including the development of new drugs.

The evidence for evolution of biological species is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that explains so much about the universe and life on this planet and has been thoroughly tested and confirmed over the course of many years. Many people, and even religious leaders, are in favor of the scientific theory. It is important to note that evolutionary biology doesn't interfere with religious beliefs, since the theory deals only with processes, objects, and events in the physical world.

In fact, many religious people have discovered ways to reconcile their beliefs with the theory of evolution. Certain Christians for instance, believe that God created everything through evolution and that humans have an ancestral connection to other animals.

It is essential for science educators to stand up for the teaching of evolution. In certain countries, the opposition to evolution is growing. In the United States, efforts to restrict the teaching of evolution have made some progress in a few states. In South Korea, a group known as the Society for Textbook Revise, an offshoot from the Korea Association for Creation Research (KAC) is a campaign for textbooks to include content on the evolution of horses and their Avian ancestor Archaeopteryx.

It is important to remember that the evidence in support of evolution is overwhelming. The evidence for evolution comes from a variety of sources, such as fossils, genetics, and even the behavior of living creatures. Other scientists independently confirm the evidence.

The majority of scientists support the theory of evolution. The reasons behind this belief are diverse. Some scientists are studying evolution to make practical discoveries, such as the development of new medicines, while others do so to improve the lives of animals and plant species, typically to benefit humans. Some scientists are simply curious, whereas others have a strong religious belief in God.

What is Creationism?

Creationists believe that God created all things in the universe. They also believe the Bible is God's word and should be taken literally. Although some creationists are not Christian, they are a majority. Creationists generally fall in one of two categories: Young Earth creationists (YEC) and old earth creationists (OEC).

YECs are the most well known type of creationist, and they believe that God created the world in the exact way described in the Bible. They believe that the biblical account of the six days of creation is true and that the universe and life on Earth was created only recently.

OECs aren't as popular however their beliefs are just as intense as the YECs. OECs believe the universe and Earth are billions-of-years old and that evolution is a lie.

Both kinds of creationism deny that scientific principles such as natural selection and biogenesis can explain how life came to be on Earth. They argue that evolution is not possible because it would require the creation of a miracle, and the founders of modern science shied away from miracles due to fear of losing credibility.

Some creationists are able to accept both naturalistic evolution and special creation, and refer to their view "theistic evolution." It is sometimes known as "continuous creationism" or "evolution from the original species." In this theory, God creates the original species and then allows them to change over time. In the end, these evolutionary changes will result in new species like the original ones.

Others believe that God created the universe and all living things during a single event, referred to as the Great Flood. They believe that all the species of the beginning were created at the same time and then gradually evolved. They deny the notion of abiogenesis and claim that self-replicating living cannot come from nonliving matter.

In general, creationists are against teaching of evolution in schools. Numerous professional associations, such as the National Science Teachers Association and the Association for Science Teacher Education support this position and so do the American Anthropological Association and the Geological Society of America. However, certain researchers and educational institutions are more flexible and allow for the inclusion of creationism and evolution in their curricula.

What exactly is Creationism in Korea?

When people think about creationism, they often think of the United States. However, South Korea is also the home of an anti-evolutionist movement. The publishers of high school textbooks have recently declared that they will be removing references to evolution from their editions. A group called the Society for Textbook Revise (STR), an independent body that is an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research and has been the driving force behind the move. STR has secured its first victory by eliminating instances of the evolution of the horse and an avian ancestor, called the Archeopteryx, from textbooks. The next goal is to take out excerpts from Darwin’s infamous finch-research and also on human evolution.

STR claims that it has the backing of 4,000 families and individual members. Its goal is to weed out what it believes is the "atheist materialism" that creates a bleak worldview for students. It also aims at countering the influence of American Creationists across the country. A survey of undergraduates studying biology revealed that half of them did not believe in evolution. The reasons aren't evident, but they could be due to religious beliefs or the absence of creation scientists in the United States.

The KACR has accomplished a lot in the past through seminars and lectures. It also publishes a bimonthly magazine called Creation and a book. One of them is a textbook on the natural sciences, with an evolutionary perspective that attracted the attention of college communities. In 1991, a professor along with a minister, began teaching Creation Science at one university. It is still taught to students today.

On August 6 and 7 in 1993, the same day that the World Expo opened in Daejeon, KACR held a second International Symposium on Creation Research. Six lecturers from abroad including ICR's John Morris and Steven Austin presented to an audience of several thousand. KACR members and KACR have also given talks on creation science in prestigious seminaries. KACR is planning to create a Creation Science Education Center.