From so simple a beginning, From so simple a theory

Abstract

The year of 2009 marks the 200 th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, On the Origin of Species. Having survived the 150 years of hardening and tempering, Darwin's theory of natural selection is now more comprehensive and powerful than ever. It casts its shadow over nearly all academic disciplines and societal sectors. It truly revolutionized the way we look at the world and ourselves. In the midst of Darwinian revolution, however, Korea remains as a backward country as far as the understanding of Darwin and his theory is concerned. A variety of intellectual activities organized to celebrate the Year of Darwin is helping to narrow the gap. This article summarizes the kinds of such activities held in Korea this year and explains how Darwin made all this possible. To paraphrase the famous quotation by Theodosius Dobzhansky, I now dare to say, "Nothing in life makes sense except in the light of evolution".