Evolution Korea
The economic crisis that swept Asia forced a major reappraisal of the old system of government-business alliances and the management by the public of private risks. In Korea this meant a shift in the model of development.
In a controversial decision, South Korea's government has requested textbook publishers to ignore calls to remove examples of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. This includes the evidence of the evolution of horses and of the Avian an ancestor Archaeopteryx.
1. Evolution and Religion
A creationist group from South Korea has successfully convinced textbook publishers to omit evidence of evolution in high school science textbooks. 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 move. The STR claims such materialism portrays a negative image for students, making them abandon their faith.
Scientists across the globe expressed worry when the STR campaign made headlines. Jae Choe, an evolutionary biologist at Ewha Womans University, Seoul and wrote an email to Nature's editor that South Korea had succumbed to religious prejudice. He was supported 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.
Some scientists are worried about the possibility that the STR campaign will spread to other regions of the world where the spread of creationism is increasing. The letter to Nature warned of the anti-evolutionist campaign putting pressure on textbook revisions, specifically in countries with large Christian and Muslim populations.
South Korea's culture is especially strong in the debate over evolution. 26 percent of South Koreans are members of a religious group, with the majority practicing Christianity or Buddhism. Many Koreans also adhere to Ch'ondogyo - a philosophy based upon Confucian principles that emphasizes harmony in the social, personal self-cultivation and self-respect. Ch'ondogyo teaches the human being is one with Hanulnim, the God of Sun and that heavenly blessings are possible through good works.
All of this has made creationism fertile field. Numerous studies have revealed that students who have religious backgrounds to be more uncomfortable learning about evolution as compared to those who do not. The causes behind this are not evident. Students who are religious may be less familiar with the theories of science, making them more vulnerable to creationists' influence. Another factor could be that students with a religious background may view evolution as a concept that is agnostic, making them feel uncomfortable.
2. Evolution and Science
In recent years, the scientific community has been concerned about anti-evolution efforts in schools. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly 40% of Americans believe that biological evolution is not true and that a belief in it could be in conflict with their faith-based beliefs. Despite the fact that creationism has been a huge success in some states, a lot of scientists believe that the best strategy to combat this inclination is not to actively engage in it, but rather to educate people about the evidence that supports evolution.
Scientists are accountable to teach their students science, which includes the theory of evolution. They should also educate the public on the research process and the way in which knowledge is verified. They must also explain how scientific theories are frequently challenged and revised. However, misperceptions about the nature of scientific research often cause people to believe that evolution is not real.
For instance, some people may confuse the word "theory" with the everyday meaning of the word, which is a hunch or guess. In click through the up coming website , however an hypothesis is rigorously tested, and empirical data is used to confirm it. A theory that is repeatedly tested and observed is then a scientific principle.
The debate over evolution theory is a great chance to discuss the importance of scientific methodology and its limitations. It is crucial for people to understand that science is unable to answer questions regarding the purpose or meaning of life, it only serves as a mechanism through which living organisms can develop and adapt.
A well-rounded education must include exposure to the major fields of science including evolutionary biology. This is crucial because a lot of jobs and decisions require that people know how science works.
The majority of scientists around the world agree that humans have evolved over time. In a study that predicted the views of adults on the consensus on this subject those with higher levels of education and science knowledge were found to be more likely to believe there is a wide consensus among scientists on human evolution. People with a higher level of religious belief but less knowledge of science tend to be more divided. It is essential that teachers stress the importance of gaining an understanding of this consensus to enable people to make informed decisions regarding energy use, health care and other policy issues.
3. Evolution and Culture
A close relative to the mainstream evolutionary theory, the concept of cultural evolution studies the numerous ways humans--and other organisms--learn from and interact with each other. Researchers in this area use elaborate tools and investigative models derived from evolutionary theorists and go back to human prehistory to discover the earliest sources of culture.
This approach also recognizes that there are some differences between cultural and biological traits. Cultural traits are acquired slowly while biological traits are usually acquired simultaneously (in sexual species at fertilization). The acquisition of one cultural characteristic can influence 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 an elaborate sequence of events. One of the most important was the arrival in Korea of Japanese occupation forces who introduced Western clothing and hairstyles.
When Japan departed Korea in the 1930s, a portion of those trends began to change. At the close of World War II, Korea was once again united but this time under Choson dynasty rule.
Today, Korea is a vibrant political and economic power. Despite the financial crisis of recent, Korea's economy has been growing at a steady pace over the last decade. It is expected to keep this trend going in the near future.
The current government is confronted by a myriad of problems. The government's inability to formulate a coherent strategy to address the current economic crisis is one of the biggest challenges. The crisis has exposed the shortcomings of the country's economic policies, particularly its dependence on exports and foreign investment, which may not be sustainable in the long run.
The crisis has shaken the confidence of investors, the government needs to reconsider its economic strategy and come up with alternatives to increase domestic demand. It also needs to overhaul the incentive, monitoring, and disciplining systems currently in place to create the stability of the financial system. This chapter outlines several scenarios of how the Korean economy might develop in the post-crisis period.
4. Evolution and Education
The challenge for teachers of evolution is how to teach evolutionary concepts that are appropriate for different ages and stages of development. Teachers must, for example be aware of the religious diversity in their classrooms and create an environment where students of both secular and religious beliefs are comfortable. Moreover, teachers need to understand common misconceptions about evolution and how to deal with these in their classrooms. Teachers must also have quick access to the numerous resources to teach evolution.
In this regard, the Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation was an important step in bringing evolutionary scientists and educators from a range of disciplines to discuss most effective methods of teaching evolution. The participants included representatives from scientific societies and educational researchers, as well as officials from government funding agencies and curriculum designers. The convergence of various participants helped to identify a set of shared recommendations which will serve as the basis for any future actions.
One important recommendation is that the study of evolution should be incorporated in every science curriculum at every level. National Science Education Standards (NRC) which require the integration of evolution across all life sciences with a progression that is developmentally appropriate, are a way to achieve this goal. Additionally, a new publication from the NRC provides guidance to schools on how they can integrate evolution into their life science curriculum.
A number of studies have demonstrated that a more comprehensive teaching of evolution is linked to greater student knowledge and belief in the existence of evolution. It is difficult to estimate the causal effects of evolution in the classroom since school curricula don't change in a random manner and are influenced by the timing of the state board of education and gubernatorial elections. To overcome this problem, I use a longitudinal data set that lets me control for state and year fixed effects as well as individual-level variations in teacher beliefs regarding changes in the curriculum.
Teachers who are more comfortable teaching evolution have fewer internal barriers. This is in line with the hypothesis that faculty who are more confident are less likely to avoid teaching about evolution in the classroom. They may also be more inclined to employ strategies such as a reconciliatory approach known to increase the students' understanding of evolution.