Evolution Korea
Until recently, Korea's scientific community has been hesitant to engage with the creationists in fear that it could increase the credibility of the movement. However, silence is no any longer an option.
The STR has been fighting to remove information about evolution from textbooks including the discovery that the feathered Archaeopteryx was an ancestral bird. But this is merely one aspect of the evolution of the development paradigm.
What is Evolution?
Evolution is a theory of science that explains changes in genetic characteristics over time. The theory is based on the fact that living things adapt to their environment which can result in changes in genes or even complete genomes. These changes could over generations lead to the creation of new species. Natural selection is the most popular theory of evolution. It explains how individuals with traits that are advantageous are more likely to reproduce and survive than those with disadvantageous ones. This differing reproduction may, over time, lead to the creation and evolution of new species.
The word "evolution" is derived from the Latin word for unraveling or revealing, however the concept itself has had many different meanings since it took form in the sciences and other fields. Early evolutionists such as Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean Baptiste de Lamarck believed that species were predestined to change into another species. The term transmutation was coined by Lamarck's student embryologist Etienne Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, to describe this view. Charles Lyell, who published the second volume of his Principles of Geology in 1833 challenged this notion and borrowed the term "evolution" from Geoffroy's student to describe the view that existing species change into new species in a gradual and predictable manner.
Recently, evolutionary biologists have defined evolution as a process that occurs when living creatures develop characteristics that increase their chances of survival, or their ability to produce offspring. As time passes, this genetic variability can cause the emergence of completely new physical or biological functions in a population. This shift in gene frequency is known as natural selection and it is the main driver of evolutionary change. Other changes that aren't genetic, such as an increase in muscle mass from exercise or diet, cannot be considered to be evolutionary because they don't pass on to the next generation.
Creationists have a tendency to use the argument that evolution is controversial in spite of the fact that it has been proven valid by a multitude of scientific tests and that it has been tested over time. They argue that the theory should not be taught in schools. In South Korea, creationists have had a few wins in their fight to remove evolution from textbooks for high school, including the removal of any references to the evolutionary roots of humans, as well as the Archaeopteryx, a feathered dinosaur believed to be the ancestral bird's ancestor.
Why is Evolution Important?
Evolution explains the origins and evolution of Earth and all living species. It is also one of the foundations of biology and helps scientists discover how living things operate and develop. Evolution also shows how different species are connected. Scientists study evolution to better understand nature and make useful discoveries like new treatments.
The evidence for evolution of biological species is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that can explain so much about the universe as well as life on earth and has been rigorously tested and confirmed over many years. Many people, including some religious leaders, support the theory of evolution as a scientific fact. It is important to understand that evolutionary biology does not interfere with religious beliefs, since the theory only deals with things, events and processes within the physical world.
In reality many religious individuals have found ways to reconcile their beliefs with the theory of evolution. Some Christians for instance believe that God created everything through evolution, and that humans share an ancestry that is shared with other animals.
It is essential that science educators stand up for the teaching evolution. In some nations around the world, anti-evolution sentiment is growing. In the United States some states have taken steps to limit teaching evolution. In South Korea, a group called the Society for Textbook Revise, an offshoot from the Korea Association for Creation Research (KAC), is campaigning for textbooks to include content on the evolutionary history of horses and their avian ancestor Archaeopteryx.
It is vital to remember, however, 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. Other scientists independently confirm the evidence.
The vast majority of scientists supports the theory of evolution. This belief is based on a variety of reasons. Some scientists study evolution in order to make practical discoveries, such as developing new drugs, while others do so to improve the lives of animals and plant species, usually for the benefit of humans. Some are simply curious, while still others have a deep religious belief in God and want to understand how the universe works.
What is Creationism?
Creationists believe that God created everything in the universe. They also believe that the Bible is the word of God and should be taken as such. Many creationists are Christians, but not all. Creationists generally fall into two categories: Young Earth creationists (YEC) and old earth creationists (OEC).
YECs are the most well known form of creationist, and they believe that God created the world in the exact way described in the Bible. YECs believe that the biblical account of the six days of creation is true, and that the universe and life on Earth started only recently.
OECs might not be as well-known However, their beliefs are just as fierce as the YECs. OECs believe that the universe and Earth are billions of years old and believe that evolution is a myth.
Both types of creationism reject that scientific principles such as biogenesis and natural selection can explain how life came to be on Earth. They argue that evolution is inconceivable because it would require miracles. The pioneers of modern scientific thought shunned miracles because they feared they could lose their credibility.
Some creationists are able to accept both naturalistic evolution and special creation, and call their view "theistic evolution." This is sometimes also referred to as "continuous creationism" or "evolution from the original species." The theory suggests that God creates original species and then allows them to change over time. In the end the evolutionary changes result in new species identical to the original species.
Some creationists believe that God created all living things and the universe in one event called the Great Flood. Creationists believe that the first species were created at the same time, and that they evolved slowly afterwards. They also deny the notion of abiogenesis and claim that the creation of self-replicating organisms from nonliving matter is not possible.
In general, creationists are against teaching evolution at schools. This position is supported by numerous professional organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association, the Association for Science Teacher Education and the American Anthropological Association, and the Geological Society of America. However, certain academic institutions and scientists are more flexible and allow for the inclusion of creationism and evolution in their curricula.
What is Creationism?
When people think about creationism, many of them think of the United States. However, South Korea is also home to an anti-evolution movement. The publishers of high school textbooks have recently announced that they will eliminate references to evolution from their editions. A group dubbed the Society for Textbook Revise (STR) is an independent organization 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 in eliminating examples of the evolution of the horse as well as an avian ancestor, the Archeopteryx in textbooks. It is now focusing on the removal of excerpts from Darwin's infamous finch research and on human evolution, too.
STR claims to have the support of around 4,000 families and individuals. The goal, according to STR is to cleanse the world of what it calls "atheist materialism" that paints an image of students as being negative. It also seeks to counter the influence of American creationists in the United States. A survey of trainees in biology found that half did not believe evolution. The causes are not evident, but they could be due to religious beliefs or the absence of creation scientists in the country.
The KACR has achieved a number of things through its lectures and seminar events. It has a bimonthly news magazine, Creation, and has published books. Among these is a textbook on the natural sciences with an orthodox creationist perspective, which has sparked interest among college students. In 1991, a professor together with a minister began teaching Creation Science at one university. It is still taught to students today.
On August 6-7 in 1993, the same day that the World Expo opened in Daejeon, KACR held a second International Symposium on Creation Research. Six foreign lecturers including ICR's John Morris and Steven Austin addressed an audience of several thousand. KACR members and KACR have also given lectures on the subject of creation science at major Www.evolutionkr.kr seminaries. KACR is planning to create a Creation Science Education Center.