Evolution Korea
In the past the Korean scientific community avoided engaging with creationists for fear of giving the movement more credence. However, silence is no longer an option.
The STR has been battling to remove content from textbooks that explain evolution, including the discovery of the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx as an ancestor of birds. This is only one example of the way in which the development paradigm has evolved.
What is Evolution?
Evolution is a concept in science that explains the evolution of genetic traits over time. The theory is based on fact that living things adapt to their environment, which can cause variations in genes or even whole genomes. Over time, these changes can lead to the emergence new species. Natural selection is the dominant theory of evolution. It explains how people with traits that are advantageous can reproduce faster and longer than those with disadvantageous ones. As time passes, this difference in reproduction could lead to the emergence of entirely new species.
The term "evolution" originates from the Latin for revealing or unrolling, has been used in a variety of different ways as the concept has evolved in both science and in 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. Etienne Geoffroy St.Hilaire was Lamarck's embryologist pupil who invented the term "transmutation" to describe this view. Charles Lyell, who published the second volume of his Principles of Geology in 1833, attacked this idea and borrowed the term "evolution" from Geoffroy's student to describe the notion that species are evolving into other species in a gradual and predictable manner.
In recent years evolutionary biologists have defined evolution as a process that occurs when living creatures develop characteristics that increase their chances of survival or ability to produce offspring. In time, this genetic variability can result in the development of entirely new physical or biological traits in the population. Such a variation in gene frequencies is known as natural selection and it drives most evolutionary changes. Changes that are not genetic, like an increase in muscle mass due to exercise or diet, can't be considered evolution because they aren't passed on to future generations.
Despite the fact that evolution has withstood the test of time and a multitude of scientific experiments, creationists have seized on the notion that the theory is controversial and argue that it should not be taught in school. In South Korea, creationists have gained a few victories in their campaign to exclude evolution from textbooks for high school, including the removal of any references to the evolutionary origins of humans, as well as the Archaeopteryx feathered dinosaur thought to be the ancestor of birds.
Why is Evolution Important for Humanity?
Evolution explains the origins of Earth and all living species. It also serves as a basis of biology and evolutionkr.Kr helps scientists understand how living organisms work and grow. Evolution also helps us understand the connections between different species. Scientists study evolution in order to better understand nature and make useful discoveries such as new drugs.
The evidence for biological evolution is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that explains so many aspects of the universe and life on this planet, and it has been rigorously tested and confirmed over the course of many years. Many people, including religious leaders, believe in the theory of evolution as a scientific fact. It is important to understand that evolutionary biology doesn't contradict religions, since the theory is based on things, events and processes within the physical world.
In reality many religious individuals have discovered ways to reconcile their beliefs with the theory of evolution. For instance, some Christians believe that God created the world through evolution and that humans share an ancestry with other animals.
It is essential that science educators stand up for the teaching of evolution. Unfortunately, in some nations around the world the anti-evolution movement is growing. In the United States, efforts to restrict the teaching of evolution have made progress in a few states. In South Korea, a group called the Society for Textbook Revise, an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research (KAC), is campaigning for textbook content on the evolution of horses and their ancestral avian species Archaeopteryx.
While these are disturbing developments, it is important to remember that the evidence for evolution is overwhelming. The evidence for evolution comes from many sources, such as fossils, genetics, and even the behavior of living creatures. The evidence is also independently verified by other scientists.
The vast majority of scientists believe in the theory of evolution. The reason for this is a variety of reasons. Some scientists study evolution to discover practical solutions that can lead to the development of new medications or developing new medicines, while others are driven by the desire to improve the lives of animals and plant species, usually for the benefit of humans. Some are simply curious, while others have a profound religious belief in God and want to know how the universe works.
What is Creationism?
Creationists are people who believe that God created the universe and everything in it. They also believe that the Bible is the word of God and should be taken as such. While not all creationists are Christian, many are. Creationists are typically divided into two groups: Young Earth Creationists (YEC) or old earth creationists.
YECs are the most well known type of creationist and they believe that God created the universe exactly as described in the Bible. YECs believe that the biblical account of the six days of creation is literal and that the universe and the life on Earth started only recently.
OECs are less well known however they're just as passionate about their beliefs as YECs. OECs believe that the universe as well as Earth are billions of years old, and believe that evolution is a myth.
Both types of creationism reject the notion that scientific principles like natural selection and abiogenesis could explain the origin of life on Earth. They argue that evolution is inconceivable because it requires miracles. The founders of modern scientific thought shunned miracles in fear that they might lose their credibility.
Some creationists believe in naturalistic evolution as well as special creation and refer to their belief as "theistic evolution." This is also known as "continuous evolutionism" or the "evolution of species created." The theory says that God creates species from scratch and then allows them to change over time. These evolutionary changes will eventually produce new species that are similar to the original.
Some creationists believe that God created all living things and the entire universe in one event called the Great Flood. Creationists believe that the first species were created at the same time and that they developed slowly afterwards. They deny the notion of abiogenesis and claim that self-replicating life cannot arise from non-living matter.
In general, the creationists oppose the teaching of evolution in schools. This is a position that is backed by a variety of professional organizations, including 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 the inclusion of both evolution and creationism in their curricula.
What is Creationism?
When people think of creationism, many of them think of the United States. However, South Korea is also the home of an anti-evolutionist movement. The publishers of high school textbooks announced recently that they would remove references to evolution from their books. A group called 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. The STR has won its first victory by removing from textbooks evidence of the evolution and ancestor of an avian, called the Archeopteryx. The focus is now on the removal of excerpts from Darwin's infamous finch research and on human evolution as well.
STR claims that it has the backing of 4,000 families and members. Its goal is to weed out what it believes is the "atheist materialism" that creates a bleak worldview for students. It also seeks to counter the influence of American Creationists across the country. A survey of undergraduates studying biology revealed that half of them didn't believe in evolution. The root causes are unclear, but may include religious beliefs and the lack of full-time creation scientists across the country.
The KACR has achieved a number of things through its lectures and seminar events. It publishes a bimonthly magazine called Creation and an ebook. One of them was a textbook on natural sciences with a cosmological perspective. This led to an interest among college communities. In 1991, a professor, along with a minister began teaching Creation Science at one university. It is still taught today.
On August 6th and 7th of 1993, KACR hosted a second International Symposium on Creation Research. The event was held in conjunction with the opening of the World Expo in Daejeon. Six foreign lecturers including ICR's John Morris and Steven Austin, spoke to thousands of people. KACR and its members have been giving lectures on creation science at major seminaries as well. KACR plans to create a Creation Science Education Center in the near future.