Evolution Korea
Until recently, Korea's scientific community has avoided engaging with the creationists in fear that doing so could boost the credibility of the group. But silence is no longer an option.
The STR has been fighting to get evolution-related content from textbooks, including the discovery that the feathered Archaeopteryx was an ancestor bird. But this is merely one aspect of the evolution of the developmental paradigm.
What is Evolution?
Evolution is a theory of science that explains the evolution of genetic traits over time. The theory is based upon the fact that living organisms adapt to their environment, which can lead to variations in genes or entire genomes. Over time these changes could result in the creation of new species. The prevailing theory of evolution is natural selection, which describes the process by which people with advantages survive and reproduce more often than those with disadvantages. As time passes, this difference in reproduction may lead to the emergence of completely new species.
The word "evolution" originates from the Latin for unrolling or revealing has been used in a variety of different ways as the concept has developed, both in science as well as elsewhere. Early evolutionists, such as Jean Baptiste de Lamarck and Erasmus Darwin (Charles's grandfather) believed that the existing species evolved into new species in a predetermined fashion. Etienne Geoffroy St.Hilaire was Lamarck's embryologist pupil who invented the term "transmutation" to describe this idea. Charles Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, published in 1833, criticized the idea of evolution, and borrowed the term from Geoffroy’s student.
Evolutionary biologists define it more recently as a process in which living creatures develop traits to improve their chances of surviving or producing offspring. As time passes, genetic variation can cause a population acquire new physical traits or biological functions. Natural selection is the process that drives the majority of evolutionary changes. Non-genetic changes, such as an increase in muscle mass through exercise or diet, can't be considered to be evolution since they don't pass on to future generations.
Creationists make the argument that evolution is controversial, despite the fact that it has been proven to be true by thousands of scientific tests and that it has stood the test of time. They argue that the theory shouldn't be taught in schools. In South Korea, creationists have gained a few victories in their campaign to exclude evolution from high school textbooks, including the removal of any mention of the evolutionary origins of humans and the Archaeopteryx feathered dinosaur believed to be an ancestral bird's ancestor.
Why is Evolution Important for Humanity?
Evolution explains how the Earth and all its living creatures came into existence. It is one of the fundamentals of biology, and helps scientists discover how living things operate and grow. Evolution also helps us understand the connections between species. Scientists study evolution to better comprehend nature and make valuable discoveries, such as the development of new medicines.
The evidence for evolution of biological species is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that can explain so many aspects of the universe and life on earth and has been rigorously tested and confirmed over many years. Many people, including religious leaders, are in support of the scientific theory. It is essential to remember that evolutionary biology isn't in conflict with religious beliefs as it only focuses on physical objects, events and processes.
In reality, many religious people have discovered ways to reconcile their beliefs with the theory of evolution. Certain Christians, for example, believe that God created everything through evolution and that humans share a common ancestry to other animals.
It is crucial for science educators to support the teaching of evolution. In some countries around the globe, anti-evolution sentiment is growing. In the United States, efforts to limit the teaching of evolution have made some progress in some states. In South Korea, a group known as the Society for Textbook Revise, an offshoot from the Korea Association for Creation Research (KAC) is pushing for textbooks to include content on the evolution of horses and their avian ancestor Archaeopteryx.
It is important to remember that the evidence in favor of evolution is overwhelming. The evidence for evolution is based on a variety of sources, including fossils, genetics, and the behavior of living creatures. The evidence is also independently verified by other scientists.
The vast majority of scientists supports the theory of evolution. The reason for this is a variety of reasons. Certain scientists study evolution in order to discover practical solutions, such as developing medicines, while others are motivated by the desire to improve the lives of animals and plant species, usually to benefit humans. Some are simply curious, and others have a profound religious belief in God and seek to understand how the universe works.
What is Creationism?
Creationists believe that God created all things in the universe. They also believe that the Bible is the word of God and should be taken literally. While not all creationists are Christian, they are a majority. Creationists are typically divided into two categories: Young Earth Creationists (YEC) or old earth creationists.
The most popular type of creationist is known as the YEC. They believe that God created the universe exactly in the way described in the Bible. YECs hold that the biblical account of the six days of creation is literal and that the universe and life on Earth were only created recently.
OECs may be less popular however their beliefs are just as passionate like the YECs. 무료에볼루션 believe that the universe and Earth are billions of years old and that evolution is a lie.
Both forms of creationism deny that scientific theories such as natural selection and abiogenesis are able to explain the origin of life on Earth. They argue that evolution is impossible because it requires an extraordinary event, and that the scientists who founded modern science eschewed miracles for fear that they would lose credibility.
Some creationists believe in naturalistic evolution and also special creation. They call their view “theistic evolution.” This is also known as "continuous evolutionism" or the "evolution of species created." The theory suggests that God creates species from scratch and allows them to change over time. In the end, these evolutionary changes will result in new species like the original ones.
Other creationists believe that God created the universe and all living things in one event, referred to as the Great Flood. They believe that the original species were all created at the same time, and that they evolved slowly afterwards. They reject the idea of abiogenesis and assert that self-replicating life cannot arise from nonliving matter.
In general, the creationists oppose the teaching of evolution in schools. This is a position that is backed by numerous professional organizations, including the National Science Teachers Association, the Association for Science Teacher Education, the American Anthropological Association, and the Geological Society of America. However, some researchers and educational institutions are more flexible and allow the inclusion of both evolution and creationism in their curricula.
What is Creationism in Korea?
When people think of creationism, they often think of the United States. South Korea also has an anti-evolution group. Publishers of high-school textbooks announced recently that they will remove the mention of evolution in their books. A group called the Society for Textbook Revise (STR) is an unofficial body that is an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research which is the driving force behind the campaign. STR has achieved its first victory by eliminating examples of the evolution of the horse as well as an avian ancestor, called the Archeopteryx, from textbooks. It is now focusing on the removal of excerpts from Darwin's notorious finch research and on human evolution as well.
STR claims that it has the backing of 4,000 families and individual members. Its goal, it says is to cleanse the world of what it calls "atheist materialism" which paints an image of students as being negative. It also hopes to combat the influence of American creationists in the country. A survey of trainee biology teachers found that about half do not believe in evolution. The causes aren't clear but could be due to religious beliefs or the absence of full-time creation scientists across the country.
The KACR has accomplished a lot through its seminars and lectures. It publishes a bimonthly magazine called Creation and an ebook. One of these was a textbook on natural science with a cosmological perspective. This led to an interest in college communities. In 1991, a professor, along with a minister began teaching Creation Science at one university. It is still taught in the present.
On August 6th and 7th of 1993, KACR hosted a second International Symposium on Creation Research. It was held in conjunction with the opening of the World Expo in Daejeon. Six lecturers from abroad, including ICR's John Morris and Steven Austin presented to an audience of several thousand. KACR and its members have given lectures on creation science at major seminaries as well. KACR plans to create a Creation Science Education Center in the near future.