Evolution Korea
The economic crisis that swept Asia forced a major reappraisal of the old system of government-business alliances and public management of private risks. In Korea, that meant an evolution of the development model.
In a controversial move South Korea's government has asked textbook publishers to ignore requests to eliminate examples of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. These include the evidence for the evolution of horses and the avian ancestral Archaeopteryx.
1. Evolution and Religion
A creationist group in South Korea has successfully convinced textbook publishers to omit evidence of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. 에볼루션코리아 was the result of a campaign by the Society for Textbook Revise (STR) which is an affiliate of the Korea Association for Creation Research that aims to clear biology books of "atheist materialism." The STR claims that such materialism creates a negative image for students, causing them to lose faith.
Scientists around the globe expressed concern when the STR campaign was featured in the news. In a letter to the editor of Nature the evolutionary biologist Jae Choe at Ewha Womans University in Seoul complained that South Korea had given in to religious prejudice. He was supported by colleagues from all over the country, who formed an organization called Evolution Korea to organize an anti-textbook petition.
Some scientists are worried that the STR will expand to other parts of the globe, where creationism is growing. The letter to Nature warned that the anti-evolution movement could increase pressure for textbook revisions in other countries, notably those with large Christian and Muslim population.
The South Korean culture is especially strong in the debate over evolution. 26 percent of the nation's citizens are members of an organized religion, and most practice Christianity or Buddhism. Many Koreans also adhere to Ch'ondogyo - a philosophy based upon Confucian principles, which is a strong advocate of social harmony, individual self-cultivation, and self-respect. Ch'ondogyo teaches that the human being is one with Hanulnim, the God of Sun and that the heavenly blessings are achievable through the good works of one's.
All of this has created a fertile ground. Numerous studies have found that students who have a religious background to be more uncomfortable learning about evolution than those who do not. The reasons behind this aren't obvious. Students who are religious may not be as familiar with scientific theories, making them more susceptible to the creationists and their influence. Another possibility is that students who have religious beliefs tend to view evolution as a religious concept and therefore less at ease with the idea.
2. Evolution and Science
In recent times scientists have been concerned about anti-evolution initiatives in schools. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly 40 percent of Americans believed that biological evolution was a myth and that it would conflict their religious beliefs. Despite the success of creationism in some states, many scientists feel that the best strategy to combat this inclination is not to be actively involved in it, but rather to educate people about the evidence that supports evolution.
Scientists are required to instruct their students in science, including the theory of evolution. They also need to educate the public on the research process and the way in which knowledge is validated. They should explain how scientific theories are frequently challenged and revised. However, misconceptions about the nature and purpose of research can lead to anti-evolution beliefs.
For example, some people are able to confuse the term "theory" with the everyday meaning of the word, which is a hunch or a guess. In the realm of science theories are rigorously tested and verified through evidence. A theory that is repeatedly tested and observed becomes a scientific principal.
The debate about evolutionary theory is a good opportunity to discuss the significance of the scientific method and its limitations. It is crucial for people to recognize that science is not able to answer questions about the meaning or meaning of life it only serves as a mechanism that allows living things to evolve and change.
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 people know how science operates.
The majority of scientists around the world agree that humans have evolved over time. A recent study that predicted the adults' view of the consensus around this issue found that those with higher levels of education and knowledge of science were more likely to believe there is a general consensus among scientists on the subject of human evolution. People with more religious beliefs and less science knowledge are more likely to disapprove. It is critical that educators emphasize the importance of knowing the general consensus on this issue, so that people have a solid basis for making informed decisions regarding their health care, energy usage, and other policy issues.
3. Evolution and Culture
Cultural evolution is a cousin of mainstream evolutionary theory. It focuses on the ways that humans and other species learn from each other. Researchers in this field use explanatory tools and investigative models adapted from evolutionary theorists. They also go back to the prehistoric human to determine the origins of culture.
This approach also acknowledges the distinction between biological and cultural traits. While biological traits are typically acquired at once (in sexual species, during fertilization) but cultural traits can be acquired over a long period of time. As a result, the emergence of one cultural trait may affect the development of another.
In Korea, for example the emergence of Western fashion elements in the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th centuries was the result of a complex series of events. One of the most important was the arrival of Japanese occupation forces, who introduced Western clothing styles and hairstyles to Korean society.
Then, when Japan left Korea in the 1930s, a few of these trends began to change. At the close of World War II, Korea had once again unified and was again under the rule of the Choson dynasty.
Today, Korea is a vibrant economic and political power. Despite the financial crisis of recent, Korea's economy has been growing consistently over the last decade. It is expected to keep this trend going in the future.
The current government has many challenges to face. One of the most significant is the inability to come up with a coherent policy to address the economic crisis. The crisis has exposed shortcomings in the policies of the country and its reliance on foreign investment and exports which could not last.
Since the financial crisis has destroyed the confidence of investors, the government must reconsider its economic strategy and come up with alternative ways to boost domestic demand. To ensure a stable financial climate, the government will have to reform its incentive system, monitoring and discipline. This chapter outlines several scenarios of how the Korean economy could grow after the crisis.
4. Evolution and Education
The challenge for teachers of evolution lies in how to teach evolutionary concepts that are appropriate for different ages and stages of development. For instance, teachers need to be aware of the diversity of religions in their classrooms and create a setting that students who have secular and religious views are comfortable with learning about evolution. Teachers must also recognize the most common misconceptions about evolution and how to confront these in their classrooms. Teachers must also have quick access to the various resources that can be used to teach evolution.
In this context the Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation was a crucial step towards bringing evolutionary scientists and educators from a variety of sectors to discuss the most effective methods of teaching evolution. Participants included representatives from scientific societies, educational researchers, officials from government funding agencies and curriculum designers. The convergence of various stakeholders helped identify a set of shared recommendations that will form the foundation for future actions.
One important recommendation is that the teaching of evolution should be included in every science curriculum at every level. National Science Education Standards (NRC) that call for the integration of evolution across all life sciences with the developmentally appropriate, are a good way to accomplish this goal. A new publication from the NRC offers guidance to schools on how to integrate evolution into the science curriculum.
Multiple studies have shown that a more thorough presentation of evolution leads to greater student understanding and belief in the existence of evolution. It is difficult to quantify causal effects in the classroom since school curricula don't change randomly and are dependent on the timing of the state board of education and gubernatorial elections. To overcome this limitation I use a longitudinal data set that gives me to control the fixed effects of state and years and individual-level variations in the beliefs of teachers about evolutionary theory.
Teachers who are more comfortable teaching evolution also have fewer internal barriers. This is in line with the idea that more experienced faculty are less likely to be hesitant about questions about evolution in the classroom, and may be more inclined to use strategies such as the reconciliatory method which is used to increase the acceptance of undergraduate students of evolution.