Evolution Korea
For a long time, the Korean scientific community avoided working with creationists due to the fear of giving the movement more credibility. Silence is no longer an option.
The STR has been battling to eliminate content from textbooks that explain evolution, such as the discovery of the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx as an ancestral bird's ancestor. This is only one aspect of how the concept of development has changed.
What is Evolution?
The theory of evolution is a scientific one that explains the changes in the genetic traits of living organisms over time. The theory is based on the fact that living things adapt to their surroundings and this can lead to changes in genes or even complete genomes. These changes can over many generations result in the development of new species. The prevailing theory of evolution is known as natural selection, which explains the process that allows people with advantages survive and reproduce more often than those with less favorable characteristics. This differing reproduction may, over time, lead to the development and emergence of new species.
The word "evolution" comes from the Latin word meaning unrolling or revealing. However, the concept itself has had many different meanings as it has taken shape in the sciences and elsewhere. Early evolutionists like Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean Baptiste de Lamarck believed that species were predestined to evolve into a different species. The term"transmutation" was coined by Lamarck's student embryologist Etienne Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, to describe this view. Charles Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, published in 1833, criticized the idea of evolution, and borrowed the term from Geoffroy's student.
In recent years evolutionary biologists have defined evolution as a process when living organisms develop traits that improve their chances of survival or the ability to produce offspring. As time passes, this genetic variability can result in the development of completely new biological functions or physical traits in a population. Natural selection is the process that drives the majority of evolutionary changes. Non-genetic changes, such as an increase in muscle mass through exercise or diet, can't be considered evolution because they aren't passed on to future generations.
Despite the fact that evolution has stood the test of time and thousands of scientific experiments, creationists have seized on the notion that the theory is controversial to argue that it shouldn't be taught in school. In South Korea, creationists won some victories against evolution in high school textbooks. This includes the removal of all references about the evolutionary origins for humans and Archaeopteryx which is a feathered dinosaur that is believed to be the ancestor of birds.
Why is Evolution Important?
Evolution explains how Earth and all living creatures came into existence. It is one of the fundamentals of biology, and aids scientists to understand how living things function and develop. Evolution also helps us understand the connections between different species. Scientists study evolution to better understand nature and make useful discoveries like new treatments.
The evidence for biological evolution is overwhelming. There is no other scientific theory that explains so much about the universe as well as life on earth, and it has been rigorously tested and verified over many years. Many people, including religious leaders, are in support of the scientific theory. 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.
Many religious people have come up with a way of reconciling evolution with their convictions. Some Christians for instance, believe that God created everything through evolution and that humans have an ancestral connection to other animals.
It is crucial for scientists to stand up for the teaching of evolution. In some countries around 에볼루션 the world there is a growing anti-evolutionist sentiment. 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 (STR), an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research is pushing for the removal of textbook content about the evolution of horses as well as the Avian ancestral Archaeopteryx.
It is vital to remember that the evidence in support of evolution is overwhelming. The evidence comes from a broad range of sources, such as fossils, genetic studies, and the behavior of living organisms. Other scientists independently verify the evidence.
The vast majority of scientists agree with the theory of evolution. The reason for this is various reasons. Certain scientists study evolution in order to make practical discoveries for example, such as the development of medications, while others are motivated by the desire to improve the lives of animals and plant species, typically for the benefit of humans. Some scientists are just curious, whereas 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 that the Bible is God's word and should be believed to be true. Although some creationists are not Christian however, they are a majority. Creationists are usually divided into two categories: Young Earth Creationists (YEC) or old earth creationists.
The most popular type of creationist is known as the YEC. They believe that God created the universe in the exact way 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 was created only recently.
OECs may be less known however their beliefs are just as fierce like the YECs. OECs believe that the universe and life on Earth are billions of years old, and they believe that evolution is a myth.
Both forms of creationism reject the notion that scientific principles such as natural selection and abiogenesis can explain the origins of life on Earth. They argue that evolution is impossible, because it would require miracles. The pioneers of modern scientific thought resisted miracles out of fear they would lose their credibility.
Some creationists believe in both naturalistic evolution and special creation, and call their belief "theistic evolution." This is also referred to as "continuous evolutionism" or the "evolution of created kinds." In this theory, God creates the original species, and then allows them to evolve over time. In the end these evolutionary changes will create new species that are similar to the original ones.
Other creationists hold that God created the universe and all living things in a single event, known as the Great Flood. These creationists believe that the original species were all created simultaneously, and that they grew gradually afterward. They also deny the notion of abiogenesis and argue that the creation of self-replicating organisms from nonliving matter is unattainable.
In general, the creationists are against teaching evolution at schools. Numerous professional organizations, like the National Science Teachers Association and the Association for Science Teacher Education endorse this view, as 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 incorporated into their curriculum.
What is Creationism?
When people think of the concept of creationism, they often think of the United States. However, South Korea is also home to an anti-evolutionist movement. Publishers of high-school textbooks announced recently that they would eliminate references to evolution from their editions. The Society for Textbook Revise, an independent body that is an offshoot of the Korea Association for Creation Research (KACCR), has led this campaign. STR has secured its first victory by eliminating examples of the evolution of the horse as well as an avian ancestor, the Archeopteryx from textbooks. Its sights are now set on removing snippets of Darwin's infamous finch research and on human evolution, too.
STR claims to have the support of 4000 families and individuals. Its aim is to root out what it regards as the "atheist materialism" that paints an unhopeful worldview for students. It also aims to counteract the influence of American creationists in the United States. A survey of students in biology revealed that half of them did not believe evolution. The reasons aren't evident, but they could be due to religious beliefs or the lack of creation scientists in the United States.
The KACR has achieved a number of things in the past through lectures and seminar events. It publishes a bimonthly magazine, Creation, and has published books. One of them is a textbook on the natural sciences that has an orthodox creationist perspective, which has sparked interest among college students. In 1991, a professor and minister began teaching Creation Science in one university and it is taught until today.
On August 6 and 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, spoke to thousands of people. KACR members and KACR have also presented lectures on the subject of creation science at major seminaries. KACR intends to establish a Creation Science Education Center.