Ingxenye 5

Isayensi—Ukufuna Kwesintu Iqiniso Okuqhubekayo

Ukwenza “Izimangaliso” Zekhulu Lama-20

OKWAKUBONAKALA ‘kuyizimangaliso’ ezingenakwenzeka ekhulwini le-19 kuye kwaba okungokoqobo ekhulwini lama-20. Phakathi nesizukulwane esisodwa, abantu bathuthuka kusukela ekugibeleni i-Model T Ford yabo kuya ekuvukweni amadlingozi kokubukela abantu behamba enyangeni ku-TV yombala. Kunokuba zibhekwe njengeziyingqayizivele, namuhla “izimangaliso” ezivezwe ngokwesayensi zibhekwa njengezivamile.

“Izintuthuko ezingokwesayensi zangasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, ziningi kakhulu ukuba zingase zilotshwe ngisho nangokwemininingwane,” kuphawula i-New Encyclopædia Britannica. Nokho, ibhekisela “esibonelweni esivamile sentuthuko,” ithi “emkhakheni ngamunye oyinhloko, intuthuko yayisekelwe emsebenzini ophumelelayo wekhulu le-19 onemininingwane echazayo.” Lokhu kugcizelela iqiniso lokuthi isayensi iwukufunwa kweqiniso okuqhubekayo.

Amaqembu Angena Esikhundleni

Imiphakathi engokwesayensi, amaqembu ososayensi ahlangana ukuze acobelelane imibono nokwaziswa, amiswa eYurophu kudala ekhulwini le-17. Ukuze kusakazwe okutholwe kamuva, lemiphakathi yaqalisa ngisho nokukhipha amaphephabhuku ayo. Lokhu kwaholela ekucobelelaneni okukhulu kokwaziswa okwasebenza ekuqiniseni isisekelo okwakungenzelwa kuso intuthuko engokwesayensi eyengeziwe.

Ngekhulu le-19, amayunivesithi ayehileleke ngokujulile ekucwaningeni okungokwesayensi, futhi eminyakeni eyalandela izindawo zawo zokucwaninga ngezesayensi zathola izinto ezibalulekile.a Ngasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, amafemu ezamabhizinisi nawo ayemisa izindawo zokucwaninga ngezesayensi, lezo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ezaveza imithi emisha, izinto zokuzenzela ezingezona ezingokwemvelo (kuhlanganise nepulasitiki), neminye imikhiqizo. Isintu siye sazuza kulokhu, futhi amafemu acwaningayo aye athola inzuzo yezigidi zamaRandi.

Ukumiswa kwalezindawo zokucwaninga ngezesayensi namaqembu ezocwaningo kwabonisa ukuthambekela ngasekucwaningeni okuhleliwe ngokuphambene nomzamo womuntu ngamunye. Abanye ososayensi babezibuza ukuthi kazi lena kwakuyindlela engcono kakhulu yini. Ngo-1939, uJohn D. Bernal, isazi se-physics nese-X-ray crystallography sase-Ireland, waphakamisa lombuzo: “Ingabe isayensi kufanele ithuthuke ngokuxhumana okungahleliwe komsebenzi wabantu ngabanye abanamakhono, ngamunye elandela ukuqonda kwakhe, noma ngamaqembu ezisebenzi ezisizanayo nezihlanganisa umsebenzi wazo ngokuvumelana nohlelo olucatshangelwe kusengaphambili nakuba luvumelana nezimo?”

Ngenxa yobunkimbinkimbi nezindleko eziphakeme zokucwaninga, uBernal wasekela ukusebenza ngamaqembu, ethi inkinga kwakumane kuyindlela yokuhlela lomsebenzi ngendlela efanele. Wabikezela: “Umsebenzi owenziwa ngokubambisana kwamaqembu uyoqhubeka ngokwandayo uba inkambiso yokucwaninga okungokwesayensi.” Manje, eminyakeni engaphezu kwamashumi amahlanu kamuva, kusobala ukuthi uBernal wayeqinisile. Lendlela iye yaqhubeka, isheshisa inqubo yokwenza “izimangaliso” ezingokwesayensi zekhulu lama-20.

“Yeka Lokho UNkulunkulu Akwenzile!”

Ngo-May 24, 1844, lokubabaza okunamagama amane kwadluliselwa ngokuphumelelayo ngocingo uSamuel Morse, umsunguli wesimiso sikaMorse, ebangeni elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-50. Manje kwase kubekwa izisekelo zekhulu le-19 ‘lezimangaliso’ zezokuxhumana zekhulu lama-20 elilandelayo.

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-30 kamuva, ngo-1876, u-Alexander Graham Bell wayelungiselela ukuhlola i-transmitter noThomas Watson, umsizi wakhe, lapho uBell echitha i-acid ethile. Ukukhala kwakhe kokuthi, “Mnumzan’ uWatson, woza lapha. Ngiyakudinga,” kwabonakala kungaphezu nje kokukhalela usizo. UWatson, ekwelinye ikamelo, wezwa umbiko, wawuqaphela njengomusho wokuqala ozwakala ngokucace ngokuphelele owake wadluliswa ngocingo, futhi weza ephuthuma. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi izingcingo ezikhalayo ziye zagcina abantu begijima.

Phakathi neminyaka engu-93 edlule, ulwazi olungokwesayensi, luhambisana nokuhlakanipha kwezobuchwepheshe, luye lwanikeza abantu abaningi kakhulu kunanini ukuphila kokunethezeka okungakaze kufinyelelwe ngaphambili. Izwe liye lafinyezwa laba elakhelene kakhulu. Izinto “ezingenakwenzeka” ziye zaba izinto ezivamile. Eqinisweni, izingcingo, amathelevishini, izimoto, nezindiza—nanoma yiziphi ezinye “izimangaliso” zekhulu lama-20—ziyingxenye enkulu yezwe lethu kangangokuthi sivame ukukhohlwa ukuthi isintu sasiphila ngaphandle kwazo engxenyeni enkulu yokuba khona kwaso.

Njengoba lelikhulu leminyaka laliqala, i-New Encyclopædia Britannica, iyaphawula, “ukunqoba kwesayensi kwabonakala kuthembisa amathantala olwazi namandla.” Kodwa intuthuko yezobuchwepheshe eyayenziwa ngesikhathi esifanayo ayizange ijatshulelwe kuyo yonke indawo ngesilinganiso esifanayo, futhi ayinakuchazwa yonke njengezuzisa ngokungenakungatshazwa. “Amadoda ambalwa,” iyenezela, “ayezibona kusengaphambili izinkinga zona kanye lezintuthuko ezaziyoziletha endaweni yazo ezungezile yezenhlalo nengokwemvelo.”

Yini Eyabangela Lezinkinga?

Alikho iphutha emaqinisweni angokwesayensi asisiza ukuba siqonde indawo yonke kangcono, noma ngobuchwepheshe obuwahlanganisa ndawonye ngendlela engokoqobo ngokwenzuzo yesintu.

Kokubili lokhu—isayensi nobuchwepheshe—sekuyisikhathi eside kuhlobene. Kodwa ngokwencwadi ethi Science and the Rise of Technology Since 1800, “ukuhlobana kwako okuseduze, manje okujwayelekile, akuzange kumiswe ngokugcwele kwaze kwaba muva kakhulu nje.” Ngokusobala ngisho naphakathi nengxenye yokuqala yenguquko yezezimboni, lobuhlobo babungekho. Lapho ulwazi olusha olungokwesayensi oluzuziwe lwalunikela ekwenziweni kwemikhiqizo emisha, nokuhlangenwe nakho kobuciko, ikhono lokwenza imisebenzi yezandla, kanye nobuciko bokwenza imisebenzi evamile kwakunikela ngokufanayo.

Nokho, ngemva kokuqala kwenguquko yezezimboni, ukunqwabelana kolwazi olungokwesayensi kwanda, ngaleyondlela kwakha isisekelo esikhudlwana ubuchwepheshe obabungasebenzela kuso. Buthonywe ulwazi olusha, ubuchwepheshe baqala ukuzama ukusungula izindlela zokunciphisa umsebenzi odinayo, ukuthuthukisa impilo, nokukhuthaza intuthuko yezwe elingcono nelijabulisa ngokwengeziwe.

Kodwa ubuchwepheshe buncike olwazini olungokwesayensi obusekelwe kulo. Uma ulwazi olungokwesayensi lunamaphutha, noma yiziphi izintuthuko zezobuchwepheshe ezisekelwe kulo ziyoba namaphutha ngokufanayo. Ngokuvamile izingozi ziyoba sobala kuphela ngemva kokuba sekwenziwe umonakalo omkhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ubani owayengabona kusengaphambili ukuthi ukusungulwa kwezifutho ze-aerosol kusetshenziswa ama-chlorofluorocarbon noma ama-hydrocarbon ngolunye usuku kwakuyofaka engozini ungwengwezi lwe-ozone oluvikela umhlaba?

Kunokuthile futhi okuhilelekile—isisusa. Usosayensi ozinikele angase abe nesithakazelo olwazini ngokwalo futhi angase azimisele ukusebenzisa amashumi eminyaka yokuphila kwakhe ecwaninga. Kodwa usomabhizinisi, ongase abe nesithakazelo esikhulu ekuphishekeleni izinzuzo, ushisekela ukulusebenzisa ngokushesha lolulwazi. Futhi yisiphi isazi sezombangazwe esingalinda ngesineke amashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe esicabanga ukuthi bungase businikeze amandla ezombangazwe uma busetshenziswa ngaso kanye lesosikhathi?

Isazi se-physics u-Albert Einstein wayichaza lenkinga lapho ethi: “Amandla e-athomu akhululiwe ashintshe konke ngaphandle kwezindlela zethu zokucabanga futhi ngaleyondlela sikhukhulekela enhlekeleleni engenakuqhathaniswa.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Yebo, izinkinga eziningi ezidalwa “izimangaliso” zekhulu lama-20 ziye zavela hhayi nje ngenxa yolwazi olungokwesayensi olunamaphutha kodwa futhi ngenxa yobuchwepheshe obusheshayo nobungalawulwa obushukunyiswa yizithakazelo zobugovu.

Njengalesibonelo, isayensi yathola ukuthi umsindo nezithombe kungase kuthunyelwe ezindaweni ezikude—ngethelevishini. Ubuchwepheshe baveza ubuciko bokwenza kanjalo. Kodwa kwakuyindlela yokucabanga engalungile yezomnotho ezihahayo nabathengi abafuna ngenkani eyasebenzisa lolulwazi oluphawulekayo nobuchwepheshe ekudluliseleni izithombe ezingcolile zobulili nezigcawu zokuchitheka kwegazi ezinobudlova ezindlini zokuphumula ezinokuthula.

Ngokufanayo, isayensi yathola ukuthi into ebonakalayo yayingaguqulwa yenziwe amandla. Ubuchwepheshe baveza ikhono elidingekile lokwenza kanjalo. Kodwa kwakuyindlela yokucabanga engalungile yezombangazwe ezinobuzwe eyasebenzisa lolulwazi nobuchwepheshe ekwakheni amabhomu enuzi namanje asalenga emakhanda omphakathi wezwe njengeNkemba kaDamocles.

Ukugcina Isayensi Isendaweni Yayo

Kubonisa enye indlela yokucabanga engalungile uma abantu bevumela amathuluzi enziwe ngobuchwepheshe ayeklanyelwe ukuba izigqila ukuba abe amakhosi. Umagazini i-Time waxwayisa ngalengozi ngo-1983 lapho, esikhundleni sokukhetha umuntu wawo ovelele wonyaka, ukhetha “umshini wonyaka,” i-computer.

I-Time yabonisa: “Njengoba abantu bethembela kuyi-computer ekwenzeni izinto ababevame ukuzenza engqondweni yabo, kwenzekani emakhanda abo? . . . Uma isichazamazwi esigcinwe enkumbulweni ye-computer singawalungisa kalula amaphutha okubhalwa kwamagama kalula, kubaluleke ngani ukufunda indlela yokubhalwa kwamagama? Uma ingqondo ikhululiwe enqubweni yokucabanga, ingabe izokhuthala ekuphishekeleni imibono ebalulekile noma ngobuvila izochitha isikhathi sayo emidlalweni eminingi ye-video? . . . Ingabe i-computer iyakushukumisa ngempela ukusebenza kobuchopho noma, ngokwenza omningi womsebenzi wabo, ibuvumela ukuba buyekethise?”

Nokho, abanye abantu bahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu izintuthuko ezingokwesayensi kangangokuba baphakamisela isayensi esimweni sobunkulunkulu. Usosayensi u-Anthony Standen wakhuluma ngalokhu encwadini yakhe yango-1950 ethi Science Is a Sacred Cow. Ngisho nakuba sivuma ukuthi kungase kube nokweqisa okuthile, uStanden unephuzu: “Lapho usosayensi ogqoke izingubo zasehhovisi . . . ekhuluma nomphakathi ovamile, angase angaqondwa, kodwa okungenani angaqiniseka ngokuthi uyokholelwa ngalokho akushoyo. . . . Ababusi, osozimboni, abefundisi benkolo, abaholi bomphakathi, izazi zefilosofi, bonke bayabuzwa futhi bagxekwe, kodwa ososayensi—abasoze. Ososayensi bangabantu abaphakanyiswayo abame esiqongweni esiphezulu sesikhundla esithandwayo, ngenxa yokuthi banelungelo elingokomthetho lesimiso esifingqiwe sokuthi ‘Kuye kwaqinisekiswa ngokwesayensi . . . ’ esibonakala siqeda wonke amathuba okungavumelani.”

Ngenxa yalendlela yokucabanga engalungile, abanye abantu babambelela kulokhu okubonakala kuwukungqubuzana phakathi kwesayensi neBhayibheli njengesiqinisekiso ‘sokuhlakanipha’ okungokwesayensi ngokuphambene ‘nenkolelo-ze’ engokwenkolo. Abanye baze ngisho babone kulokhu okuthiwa ukungqubuzana isiqinisekiso sokungabi khona kukaNkulunkulu. Nokho, eqinisweni akuyena uNkulunkulu ongekho kodwa kunalokho ukungqubuzana okucatshangelwayo lokho abefundisi abaye bakwakha ngokuphendukezela iZwi lakhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo bacasula uMlobi weBhayibheli waphezulu futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo bathunaza ukufuna kwesintu okuqhubekayo iqiniso elingokwesayensi.

Ngaphandle kwalokho, ngokwehluleka ukuqeqesha abalandeli babo ukuba babonise izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu, labaholi benkolo bakhuthaza umoya wobugovu obangela abantu ukuba bacabange ngokuyinhloko ngezifiso zabo zokunethezeka nempumelelo yomuntu siqu. Ngokuvamile lokhu kwenzeka ngokulahlekelwa kwabanye, kuze kube ngisho sezingeni lokusebenzisa kabi ulwazi olungokwesayensi ukuze kubulawe abantu abangomakhelwane babo.—Galathiya 5:19-23.

Inkolo yamanga, ezombangazwe zabantu ezingaphelele, nezentengiselwano ezihahayo kuye kwalolongela abantu ekubeni yilokho abayikho manje, ‘abazithandayo, . . . abangabongiyo, . . . abangazithibi,’ amagovu ashukunyiswa indlela yokucabanga engalungile.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-3.

Laba ngabantu nezinhlangano okuye kwabangela izinselele zekhulu lama-21 lezo isayensi manje ebizelwa ukuba ibhekane nazo. Ingabe iyophumelela? Funda impendulo engxenyeni yokugcina yaloluchungechunge kumagazini wethu olandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 20]

Uma ulwazi lwezesayensi lunamaphutha, intuthuko esekelwe kulo iyoba namaphutha

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 22]

Akuyona yonke intuthuko engokwesayensi eyinzuzo

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 19]

From the Collections of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village

NASA photo