Evolution Korea
The economic crisis which swept Asia led to a major rethinking of the old system of government and business alliances, as well the public management of risk. In Korea, that meant a shift in the development model.
In a controversial decision, the South Korean government has requested publishers of textbooks to ignore calls for the removal of examples of evolution from high school science texts. These include the evidence of the evolution of horses as well as the bird ancestral Archaeopteryx.
1. Evolution and Religion
A creationist group from South Korea has successfully convinced textbook publishers to remove evidence of evolution in high school science textbooks. The Society for Textbook Revise, an independent offshoot from the Korea Association for Creation Research that wants to rid biology textbooks of "atheist materialism," was behind the move. The STR claims that this kind of materialistic views create a negative image for students, and could lead to their eventual loss of faith.
When the STR's ad campaign made the news, scientists around the world expressed alarm. Jae Choe, evolutionary biologist at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, complained in an open letter to Nature's editor that South Korea had succumbed to religious prejudice. He was backed by colleagues from all over the country, who formed a group called Evolution Korea to organize an anti-textbook petition.
Some scientists are worried that the STR could spread to other parts around the globe, including areas where creationism has been increasing. The letter to Nature warned that the anti-evolutionist movement will push for textbook revisions in other countries, particularly those with large Christian and Muslim populations.
The South Korean culture is particularly strong for the debate on evolution. 26 percent of South Koreans are members of a religion and the majority of them practice Christianity or Buddhism. In addition, a lot of Koreans adhere to the philosophy of Ch'ondogyo. It is based on Confucian principles which emphasizes harmony in society and individual self-cultivation. Ch'ondogyo is a belief system that teaches that humans are in a relationship with Hanulnim, the God of the Sun, and that heaven-bound blessings are possible through good works.
All of this has made creationism fertile field. Multiple studies have shown students with religious backgrounds to be more reluctant to learn about evolution than those who do not. However, the underlying causes of this phenomenon are unclear. 에볼루션 게이밍 is that students with religious beliefs tend to be as knowledgeable about scientific theories and concepts which makes them more susceptible to the influence of creationists. Another possible factor is that students with religious beliefs are more likely to see evolution as an atheistic concept and therefore less comfortable with the idea.
2. Evolution and Science
In recent years, campaigns against evolution in schools have caused concern within the scientific community. A survey in 2009 revealed that 40 percent of Americans believed that biological evolution was a myth and that it would be in conflict with their religious beliefs. Many scientists believe that despite the fact that creationism has been successful the best way to counter this belief is to educate the public on the evidence for evolution.
Scientists are required to teach their students about science, including the theory of evolution. They must also educate the public on the process of scientific research and how knowledge is verified. They must also explain how scientific theories are often challenged and modified. However, misconceptions about nature and purpose of scientific research can fuel anti-evolution views.
Some people interpret the term "theory" as a guess, or a guess. In the realm of science the theory is rigorously tested and verified through evidence. A theory that has survived repeated testing and observation is a scientific concept.
The debate about the theory of evolution is a wonderful opportunity to discuss both the importance of scientific method and its limits. It is crucial to realize that science is not able to answer questions about the meaning or meaning of life, it only serves as a mechanism by which living things can evolve and change.
A well-rounded education should also include exposure to the major fields of science including evolutionary biology. This is crucial because a lot of jobs and decisions require that individuals understand the way science operates.
The vast majority of scientists across the world accept that humans have evolved over time. In a study that predicted the opinions of adults about the consensus on this topic, those with higher levels education and science knowledge were found to be more likely believe that there is a broad agreement among scientists about human evolution. People with a higher level of religious belief but less scientific knowledge tend to disagree more. It is crucial that educators emphasize the importance of understanding this consensus to enable people to make informed decisions regarding the use of energy, health care and other policy issues.
3. Evolution and Culture
A close relative to the popular evolutionary theory, cultural evolution explores the many ways that humans and other species 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 look back to human prehistory to discover the genesis of our capacity for cultural understanding.
This method also acknowledges the differences between the characteristics of culture and biological. While biological traits are largely acquired at once (in sexual species, during fertilization) however, cultural traits can be acquired over a long period of time. The acquisition of a cultural characteristic can affect the growth and development of a different.
In Korea the introduction of Western styles in the late nineteenth and early 20th century was the result of an intricate sequence of events. One of the most important was the arrival in Korea of Japanese occupation forces who introduced Western hairstyles and clothing.
When Japan left Korea in the 1930s, some of these changes began to reverse. By the end of World War II, Korea had once again unified, this time under the rule of the Choson dynasty.
Today, Korea is a vibrant economic and political power. Despite the financial crisis of recent the economy of Korea has been growing at a steady pace over the last decade. It is expected to continue this growth in the coming years.
However, the current administration faces numerous challenges. The inability of the government to come up with a coherent plan to deal with the current economic crisis is one of the most significant challenges. The crisis has revealed 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. This means that the government needs to rethink its strategy and find other ways to boost the domestic demand. It must also revamp the incentive monitoring, control, and discipline systems that are currently in place to create the stability of the financial system. This chapter provides a number of scenarios on 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 a manner that is appropriate for students of different levels of development and ages. Teachers should, for instance, be sensitive to the diversity of religions within their classrooms and create an environment where students of both secular and religious beliefs feel comfortable. Moreover, teachers need to recognize common misconceptions about evolution, and how to address these in their classrooms. Teachers must also have quick access to the many resources that can be used to teach evolution.
In this regard, the Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation played a significant role in bringing together evolutionary researchers and educators from different sectors to discuss best practices for teaching about Evolution. The participants included representatives from scientific societies and educational researchers, as well as officials from government funding agencies as well as curriculum developers. The convergence of these diverse stakeholders resulted in a consensus set of recommendations that will serve as the basis for future actions.
One important recommendation is that the teaching of evolution should be incorporated in all science curricula at every level. National Science Education Standards (NRC) that call for the integration of evolution across all life sciences with an educational progression that is developmental appropriate, are a way to accomplish this goal. Additionally, a new publication from the NRC offers guidance for schools on how to integrate evolution into the science curriculum.
Multiple studies have shown that a more thorough presentation of evolution leads to better understanding by students and belief in evolution. It is difficult to determine the causality of teaching in the classroom because school curricula don't change randomly and are affected by the timing of state boards of education and gubernatorial election. To overcome this problem I utilize a longitudinal data set that allows me to account for state and year fixed effects as well as individual-level variations in the beliefs of teachers about the evolution of their curriculum.
Teachers who are more comfortable in teaching evolution have fewer internal barriers. This is in line with the idea that faculty who are more confident are less likely to avoid teaching about evolution in the classroom, and could be more inclined to use strategies such as the reconciliatory method known to increase undergraduate students' acceptance of evolution.