The financial crisis that struck Asia required a major review of the old system of business-government alliances and the public management of private risks. In Korea this meant a shift in the model of development.
In a controversial move South Korea's government has asked textbook publishers to ignore requests to remove examples of evolution from science textbooks for high school students. This includes the evidence for the evolution of horses and the Avian an ancestor Archaeopteryx.
- Evolution and Religion
A South Korean creationist group has persuaded textbook publishers to remove evidence of evolution from high school science texts. The Society for Textbook Revise, an independent branch of the Korea Association for Creation Research which aims to rid biology textbooks of "atheist materialism," was behind the decision. The STR asserts that such materialism creates a negative image for students, causing them to abandon their faith.
Scientists around the globe expressed worry when the STR campaign gained attention. In a letter 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 backed up by colleagues from across the country, who set up a group called Evolution Korea to organize a petition against the textbook changes.
Some scientists are worried that the STR campaign could spread to other parts of the world where the prevalence of creationism is rising. The letter to Nature warned that the anti-evolution movement will intensify pressure for revisions to textbooks in other countries, especially those with large Christian and Muslim populations.
South Korea has a particularly strong cultural background for the debate on evolution. 26 percent of the country's citizens are members of an organized religion, and most adhere to Christianity or Buddhism. In addition, a lot of Koreans adhere to the philosophy of Ch'ondogyo. It is that is based on Confucian principles which emphasizes harmony in society and individual self-cultivation. Ch'ondogyo teaches that human beings are one with Hanulnim the God of the Sun, and that heavenly blessings are possible through good works.
All of this has created a fertile field. Multiple studies have shown students with a religious background to be more uncomfortable learning about evolution as compared to those who do not. The causes behind this are not obvious. Students who are religious might be less knowledgeable about scientific theories, which makes them more susceptible to creationists and their influence. Another factor could be that students with religious backgrounds may see evolution as a concept that is not a religion, which makes them feel less comfortable.
- Evolution and Science
In recent times the scientific community has been concerned about the anti-evolution agenda in schools. A 2009 survey revealed nearly 40 percent of Americans believed that biological evolution was a myth and that it would be in conflict with their religious beliefs. Despite the fact that creationism has been a huge success in certain states, many scientists believe that the best strategy to counter this movement is not to actively engage in it, but to educate the public on the evidence that supports evolution.
Scientists have a duty to instruct their students in science, including the theory of evolution. They also need to educate the public on the process of scientific research and the way in which knowledge is validated. They must explain how theories of science are often challenged and modified. However, misconceptions about nature and purpose of research can fuel anti-evolution views.
For example, some people confuse the term "theory" with the normal meaning of the word - a guess or a guess. In science, however, the hypothesis is tested thoroughly and empirical data is used to verify it. A theory that is repeatedly tested and observed is then a scientific principle.
The debate about the evolutionary theory provides a great opportunity to discuss the significance of the scientific method and its limitations. It is essential that people understand that science does not answer questions about life's purpose or meaning, but offers a way for living things to evolve and change.
A well-rounded education should cover all major fields of science including evolutionary biology. This is especially important since the jobs that people have and the choices they make require understanding of how science works.
The majority of scientists across the world accept that humans have evolved over time. A recent study that predicted the adults' views of the consensus on this subject found that those with higher levels of education and knowledge of science were more likely to believe that there is a general consensus between scientists regarding human evolution. Those who have more religious beliefs and less science-based knowledge are more likely to disapprove. It is important that educators emphasize the importance of understanding this consensus, to enable people to make informed choices about the use of energy, health care and other issues of policy.
- Evolution and Culture
A close cousin to the popular evolutionary theory, cultural evolution explores the many ways that humans and other species learn from and with each other. Researchers in this field use explanatory models and investigative tools that are adapted from the ones used by evolutionary theorists. they look back to human prehistory to discover the genesis of our capacity for cultural understanding.
This method also acknowledges the difference between biological and cultural traits. While biological traits are generally acquired at once (in sexual species, after fertilization) but cultural traits can be acquired over a long period of time. This means that the emergence of one cultural characteristic can affect the development of another.
In Korea the emergence of Western elements of style in the late nineteenth and early 20th century was the result of a complex sequence of events. One of the most important was the arrival of Japanese occupation forces who introduced Western clothing styles and hairstyles to Korean society.
When Japan quit Korea in the 1930s, a few of these trends began to change. At the close of World War II, Korea was once again united and was again under the rule of the Choson dynasty.
Today, Korea is an economic and political power. Despite the recent global financial crisis, the country's economy has been growing steadily over the past decade and is set to continue its healthy growth in the near future.
The current administration is faced with a variety of challenges. The government's inability to formulate a coherent strategy to deal with the current economic crisis is one the most significant challenges. The crisis has exposed shortcomings in the policies of the country, especially its over-reliance on foreign investment and exports that may not last.
The crisis has shaken the confidence of investors. As a result, the government must reconsider its strategy and come up with other ways to boost the domestic demand. It will also have to reform the incentive, monitoring, and disciplining systems that are currently in place to create an environment that is stable for the financial sector. This chapter outlines several scenarios of how the Korean economy could develop in the post-crisis period.
- Evolution and Education
A fundamental challenge for evolution educators is how to present evolutionary concepts in a manner that is appropriate for students at various age groups and developmental stages. Teachers, for instance, must be sensitive to the religious diversity in their classrooms and create a setting where students with religious and secular views are comfortable with learning about evolution. Teachers must also recognize the most common misconceptions about evolution and how to confront them in their classrooms. Teachers should also have quick access to the various resources that can be used to teach evolution.
In this regard, the Thinking Evolutionarily Convocation played a significant role in bringing evolutionary researchers and educators from a variety of sectors to discuss best practices for teaching about Evolution. Attendees included representatives of scientific societies and educational researchers, as well as officials of government funding agencies, and curriculum developers. The convergence of different participants helped to identify a set of shared recommendations that will form the foundation for future actions.
One important recommendation is that the study of evolution should be included in all science curricula at any level. National Science Education Standards (NRC) which require the integration of evolution across all life sciences with a progression that is developmentally appropriate, are a way to achieve this goal. A new publication from the NRC offers guidance to schools on how they can integrate evolution into their life science curriculum.
Multiple studies have proven that a more comprehensive explanation of evolution can lead to better understanding by students and belief in the existence of evolution. However, estimating the causal impact of teaching in the classroom is a challenge due to the fact that school curriculums are not randomly assigned and evolve in time as a result of the predetermined timeframe of gubernatorial elections as well as state board of education appointments. To overcome this limitation, I use a longitudinal data set which allows me to account for year and state fixed effects and individual-level variation in teacher beliefs regarding evolution.
Teachers who are more comfortable teaching evolution also report 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 could be more inclined to use strategies such as a reconciliatory approach known to increase the students' understanding of evolution.