Evolution Korea
For a long time the Korean scientific community refrained from engaging with creationists, afraid that doing so could increase the credibility of the movement. However, silence is no longer an option.
The STR has been battling to remove content from textbooks that discuss evolution, including the discovery of the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx as an ancestral bird's ancestor. This is just one aspect of the way in which the development paradigm has evolved.
What is Evolution?
Evolution is a theory of science that explains the evolution of genetic characteristics over time. The theory is based on the fact that living organisms adapt to their environment, which could result in changes to genes or entire genomes. Over the course of many generations these changes could lead to the emergence new species. Natural selection is the most popular theory of evolution. It explains how people with advantageous traits are more likely to reproduce and survive than those with less advantageous traits. This differential reproduction can be a catalyst to the emergence and evolution of new species.
The word "evolution" is derived from the Latin word for unrolling or revealing. However, the concept has had a variety of meanings since it took form in the fields of science and elsewhere. Early evolutionists like Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean Baptiste de Lamarck believed that species were predetermined to change into a new species. The term transmutation was coined by Lamarck's student embryologist Etienne Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, to describe this idea. Charles Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, published in 1833, attacked the idea 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 surviving or producing offspring. In time the genetic variability could lead to the emergence of entirely new biological functions or physical traits in the population. Natural selection is the main force behind the most evolutionary changes. However non-genetic changes like the increase in the muscle mass as a result of exercise or diet cannot be considered to be examples of evolution because they are not inherited by future generations.
Creationists have a tendency to use the argument that evolution is controversial even though it has been proven true by thousands of scientific tests and it has been tested over time. They argue that the theory shouldn't be taught at school. In South Korea, creationists won a few victories against evolution in textbooks for high school. This includes the removal of all references about the evolutionary origins for humans and Archaeopteryx - a feathered dino believed to be the bird's ancestor.
Why is Evolution Important to Humanity?
Evolution explains how Earth and all its living species evolved. It is also a foundation of biology, and aids scientists to comprehend how living organisms operate and develop. Evolution also shows how various species are linked. Scientists study evolution to better comprehend nature and make valuable discoveries, such as the development of new treatments.
The evidence for biological evolution is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that can explain so many aspects of the universe and life on this planet, and it has been rigorously tested and confirmed over many years. Many people, even some religious leaders, are in support of the scientific theory. It is important to remember that evolutionary biology doesn't conflict with religious beliefs as it only deals with physical objects, events, and processes.
Many religious people have found a way to reconcile evolution with their convictions. Some Christians, for example, believe that God created everything through evolution and that humans have an ancestral connection to other animals.
It is crucial that science educators advocate for the teaching evolution. In some countries, the anti-evolution movement has been rising. In the United States, efforts to limit the teaching of evolution have made some headway 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 pushing for textbooks to include content on the evolution of horses and their ancestral avian species Archaeopteryx.
While these are disturbing changes, it's important to remember that the evidence for evolution is overwhelming. The evidence comes from a wide variety of sources, including fossils, genetic studies, and the behavior of living organisms. The evidence is also independently verified by other scientists.
The vast majority of scientists support the theory of evolution. This support is based on many different reasons. Certain scientists study evolution in order to discover practical solutions that can lead to the development of new medicines and other treatments, while others are driven by an interest in improving the quality of life for animals and plant species, generally to benefit humans. Some scientists are simply curious, while others have a strong religious belief in God.
What is Creationism?
Creationists are people who believe that God created the universe and everything within it. They also believe the Bible is God's word and should be believed to be true. Many creationists are Christians however, not all. Creationists generally fall into two categories: Young Earth creationists (YEC) and old earth creationists (OEC).
The YECs are the best known form of creationist, and they believe that God created the universe exactly as described in the Bible. They believe that the biblical account of the six days of creation was literal and that the universe and the life on Earth were created just recently.
OECs aren't as well-known However, their beliefs are as intense like the YECs. OECs believe that the universe and life on Earth are billions of years old and that evolution is a myth.
Both types of creationism deny that scientific principles like natural selection and abiogenesis can explain the origins of life on Earth. They argue that evolution isn't possible because it would require a miracle, and that the pioneers of modern science shied away from miracles due to fear of losing credibility.
Some creationists accept naturalistic evolutionary and special creation, and refer to their belief as "theistic evolution." This is also referred to as "continuous evolutionism" or the "evolution of created kinds." The theory suggests that God creates the original species and then allows these to evolve over time. In the end the evolutionary changes produce new species that are similar to the original ones.
Others believe that God created the universe and all living things during a single event, known as the Great Flood. They believe that all the species of the beginning were created at the same moment and then slowly evolved. Going On this page reject the concept 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. Numerous professional associations, such as the National Science Teachers Association and the Association for Science Teacher Education are in support of this view and so do the American Anthropological Association and the Geological Society of America. Some academic institutions and scientists are, however, more flexible and allow creationism and evolution to be included in their curriculum.
What is Creationism?
When people think of the concept of the concept of creationism, a lot think of the United States. However, South Korea is also the home of an anti-evolutionist movement. The publishers of high-school textbooks recently announced that they would eliminate the mention of evolution in their books. The Society for Textbook Revise, an independent body that is an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research (KACCR) is the one who has led this campaign. STR has secured its first victory by removing examples of the evolution of the horse and an avian ancestor called the Archeopteryx in textbooks. The focus is now on the removal of excerpts from Darwin's notorious finch research and on human evolution too.
STR claims that it has the support of 4000 families and individuals. The goal, according to STR, is to rid 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 country. A survey of the newest biology teachers found that about half do not believe in evolution. The reasons aren't clear, but could include religious beliefs or the absence of creation scientists in the US.
The KACR has achieved a number of things in the past through seminars and lectures. It publishes a bimonthly magazine called Creation and a book. One of them was a textbook on natural science with a cosmological perspective. This led to an interest among college communities. In 1991, a professor together 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. This was held in conjunction with the opening of the World Expo in Daejeon. Six foreign lecturers, including ICR's John Morris and Steven Austin presented to an audience of several thousand. KACR members and KACR have also given talks on the subject of creation science at major seminaries. KACR plans to create a Creation Science Education Center in the near future.