Evolution Korea
The economic crisis that hit Asia forced a major reappraisal of the old model of government-business alliances and public management of private risks. In Korea this meant a shift in the development paradigm.
In a controversial move South Korea's government has requested textbook publishers not to comply with calls to eliminate examples of evolution from high school science books. This includes evidence for the evolution of horses and the bird an ancestor Archaeopteryx.
1. Evolution and Religion
A group of creationists in South Korea has successfully convinced textbook publishers to omit evidence of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. The decision was the result of a campaign led by the Society for Textbook Revise (STR), an independent affiliate of the Korea Association for Creation Research which aims to get rid of textbooks on biology of "atheist materialism." The STR asserts that such materialism creates negative images to students, causing them to abandon their faith.
When the STR's campaign hit the news, scientists around the globe expressed concern. In a letter addressed to the editor of Nature, 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 across the country, who set up a group called Evolution Korea to organize a petition to protest the changes to the textbooks.
Some scientists are worried that the STR could expand to other parts of the world, where the belief in creationism has been increasing. The letter to Nature warned of the anti-evolution campaign increasing pressure on textbook revisions, particularly in countries with large Christian and Muslim population.
South Korea has a particularly significant cultural context for the debate about evolution. 26 percent of the country's citizens are members of an organized religion, and most adhere to Christianity or Buddhism. Many Koreans also adhere to Ch'ondogyo, a philosophy based upon Confucian principles that emphasizes harmony in the social, personal self-cultivation, and self-respect. Ch'ondogyo teaches that the human being is one with Hanulnim, the God of Sun and that heavenly blessings are possible by doing good deeds.
All of this has provided an ideal environment for the spread of creationism. Numerous studies have found that students who have a religious background to be more hesitant to learn about evolution than those who don't. The underlying causes are not evident. Students who have a religious background may be less experienced with the theories of science, making them more susceptible to creationists influence. original site could be that students with a religious background may view evolution as an idea that is agnostic, making them feel uncomfortable.
2. Evolution and Science
In recent years, scientists have been concerned about the anti-evolution agenda in schools. A 2009 survey revealed nearly 40% of Americans believed that biological evolution was not true 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 combat this movement is to educate the public about the evidence supporting evolution.
Scientists are accountable for teaching their students science including the theory of evolution. They also need to inform the public about the process of science, and how scientific knowledge is collected and validated. They must also explain that theories of science are frequently challenged and revised. However, misinformation about the nature and purpose of research can fuel anti-evolution views.
For example, some people are able to confuse the term "theory" with the normal meaning of the word, which is a hunch or guess. In the realm of science, a theory is rigorously tested and verified through empirical evidence. A theory that has survived repeated testing and observation becomes a scientific concept.
The debate over evolutionary theory is an excellent occasion to discuss the importance of the scientific method and its limitations. It is crucial to be aware that science cannot answer questions about life's purpose or meaning, but rather offers a way for living things to develop and evolve.
A well-rounded education must include exposure to all major fields of science including evolutionary biology. This is important because many jobs and decisions require that individuals understand how science operates.
The vast majority scientists in the world agree that humans have changed through time. In a recent study that predicted the views of adults on the consensus on this topic, those with higher levels education and science knowledge were found to be more likely believe that there is wide consensus among scientists on human evolution. People with more religious beliefs and less knowledge of science tend to be more skeptical. It is crucial that teachers emphasize the importance of understanding the consensus on this issue to ensure that individuals are able to 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. Recommended Website focuses on how humans and other organisms learn from one another. Researchers in this field use explanatory models and investigative tools that are adapted from those employed by evolutionary theorists, and they reach back into human prehistory to determine the genesis of our capacity for culture.
This approach also acknowledges the difference between biological and cultural traits. Cultural traits can be acquired gradually, whereas biological traits are typically acquired at the same time (in sexual species, at fertilization). The acquisition of one cultural characteristic can affect the growth and development of a different.
In Korea for instance the introduction of Western fashion elements in the latter half of the 19th century and the early 20th century was a result of a complex series of events. One of the most important was the appearance in Korea of Japanese occupation forces, who introduced Western clothing and hairstyles.
When Japan departed Korea in the 1930s, a few of those trends began to change. At the end of World War II, Korea was once again united and again under the Choson dynasty rule.
Today, Korea is an economic and political power. Despite the current global financial crisis, the country's economy has grown consistently over the past decade and is expected to sustain its steady growth in the near future.
However, the current government has many challenges to face. The government's inability to formulate an effective strategy to deal with the current economic crisis is among the most significant challenges. The crisis has revealed weaknesses in the country's policies and its reliance on exports and foreign investment, which may not last.
The crisis has shaken the confidence of investors, the government must reconsider its economic strategy and look for alternatives to boost domestic demand. It also needs to overhaul the incentive monitoring, monitoring, and discipline systems that are currently in place to ensure the stability of the financial system. This chapter offers a variety of scenarios for how the Korean economy might develop in a post-crisis world.
4. Evolution and Education
One of the biggest challenges for evolution educators is how to teach evolutionary concepts in a manner that is appropriate for students at various levels of development and ages. For example, teachers must be sensitive to the diversity of religions in their classrooms and create a space where students with secular and religious views are comfortable with learning about evolution. Additionally, teachers must understand common misconceptions about evolution, and how to address these in their classrooms. Teachers must also have easy access to the various resources available to teach evolution.
In this context, Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation had a key role in bringing evolutionary researchers and educators from a variety of sectors to discuss best methods for teaching about Evolution. Attendees included representatives of scientific societies as well as educational researchers, officials from government funding agencies as well as curriculum developers. The convergence of these diverse parties led to the identification of a common set of recommendations that will form the basis for future action.
It is essential to incorporate evolution in all science curricula at every level. National Science Education Standards (NRC), which call for the integration of evolution across all life sciences with a progression that is developmentally appropriate, are one way to achieve this goal. A new publication from the NRC offers guidance to schools about how to integrate evolution in the life science curriculum.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that a more complete presentation of evolution is linked to better understanding by students and belief in the concept of evolution. However the estimation of the causal effect of evolution in the classroom is a challenge due to the fact that school curriculums are not randomly assigned and evolve over time as a result of the predetermined timeframe of gubernatorial elections as well as appointments to the state board of education. To overcome this problem, I use a longitudinal data set that allows me to control for state and year fixed effects and individual-level variation in teacher beliefs about evolution.
Teachers who are more comfortable in teaching evolution have less internal barriers. This is in line with the notion that more experienced faculty are less likely to be hesitant about evolution-related topics in the classroom, and could be more inclined to use strategies such as the reconciliatory method that is known to boost the acceptance of undergraduate students of evolution.