Icandelo 5

Inzululwazi—Iphulo Elingapheliyo Loluntu Lokufuna Inyaniso

Ukwenza “Umlingo” Wenkulungwane Yama-20

OKO kwakubonakala “kungumlingo” ongenakwenzeka ngenkulungwane ye-19 kuye kwayinto yokwenene ngenkulungwane yama-20. Kwisizukulwana nje esinye abantu baqalisa ngokuqhuba iModel T Ford baza babukela ngemincili amadoda ehamba enyangeni kumabonwakude onemibala. Kunokuba igqalwe njengento engumnqa, “imimangaliso” eyenziwe yinzululwazi namhlanje igqalwa njengento eqhelekileyo.

IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi, “Izinto ezifunyenwe yinzululwazi ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yama-20 zibalasele gqitha ukuba zingabalwa.” Noko ke, kubhekiselwa “kwinkqubela nje yezinto eziqhelekileyo” xa kusithiwa “kwicandelo ngalinye, inkqubela yayisekelwe kwimpumelelo yezinto ezenziwa ngenkulungwane ye-19.” Oku kubalaselisa ingongoma yokuba inzululwazi liphulo elingapheliyo lokufuna inyaniso.

Ukuthatyathelw’ Indawo Ngamaqela

Imibutho yenzululwazi, amaqela enzululwazi awayehlanganisana ukuze aphakelane ngezimvo nangenkcazelo, asekwa eYurophu ngenkulungwane ye-17. Ukuze kwaziswe izinto ezisandul’ ukufunyanwa, le mibutho yaqalisa kwanokupapasha abayo oolindixesha. Oku kwakhokelela ekubeni ukuphakelana ngenkcazelo kwande ngakumbi nto leyo eyaqinisa isiseko ekwakunokwakhelwa kuso inkqubela engakumbi yenzululwazi.

Ngenkulungwane ye-19, iiyunivesithi zabandakanyeka ngokunzulu kuphando lwenzululwazi, yaye kwiminyaka elandelayo kwindawo ezenzela ulingelo kuzo kwafunyaniswa izinto ezibalulekileyo.a Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yama-20, neenkampani zoshishino zazilungiselela izindlu zokwenzela uphando ngolingelo, nezathi ekuhambeni kwexesha zavelisa amayeza amatsha, izinto ezingoozenzele (kuquka iplastiki) nezinye izinto. Abantu ngokubanzi baye bangenelwa kwezi zinto, yaye iinkampani zophando ziye zazuza izigidi zeerandi.

Ukumiselwa kwezi zindlu zokwenzela ulingelo kunye namaqela ophando kwabonisa utyekelo ekwenzeni uphando olulungelelanisiweyo kunokuba umntu azenzele uphando yedwa. Ezinye izazinzulu zazibuza enoba le yayiza kuba yeyona nkqubo ilungileyo kusini na. Ngowe-1939, uJohn D. Bernal, oyingcaphephe yaseIreland yephysics neX-ray crystallographer, waphakamisa lo mbuzo: “Ngaba inzululwazi ifanele ihambele phambili ngokudibanisa ubuchule babo baneziphiwo, ngamnye esenza ngendlela abona ngayo, okanye njengamaqela abasebenzi abancedisanayo edibanisa umsebenzi wawo ngokuvisisana noko kucetywe kusengaphambili nangona kusenokuphinda kujikwe?”

Ngenxa yokuba uphando luntsonkothile yaye lusidla imali eninzi, lo kaBernal wakhuthaza ukusebenza njengamaqela, esithi ingxaki yayiyindlela umsebenzi owawunokulungelelaniswa ngayo. Wachaza oku kusengaphambili: “Ukusebenza njengeqela kuza kutyekela ekubeni yinkqubo esetyenziswa ngakumbi yinzululwazi ekwenzeni uphando.” Ngoku, ngaphezu kwesiqingatha senkulungwane kamva, kuyacaca ukuba uBernal wayenyanisile. Kuye kwaqhutyekwa kulandelwa le ndlela, kukhawuleziswa inkqubo yokwenza “umlingo” wenzululwazi ngale nkulungwane yama-20.

“Okwenziwe NguThixo!”

NgoMeyi 24, 1844, la mazwi adluliselwa ngeengcingo ngokunempumelelo nguSamuel Morse, umyili weMorse code, kumgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-50. Ngoko ngenkulungwane ye-19 kwakutyalwa iingcambu ezathi kamva ngenkulungwane yama-20 “zangumlingo” wezothungelwano.

Malunga neminyaka engama-30 kamva, ngowe-1876, uAlexander Graham Bell wayelungiselela ukuvavanya isixhobo sothungelwano kunye noThomas Watson, owayencedisana naye, xa lo kaBell wachitha iasidi. Isikhalo sakhe sokucela uncedo esithi, “Mnu. Watson, yiza apha. Ndiyakufuna,” asizange sanele nje kukuba sisikhalo sokucela uncedo. Lo kaWatson, kwelinye igumbi wawuva umyalezo, wawugqala njengesivakalisi sokuqala esivakala kakuhle esakhe sadluliselwa ngemfonomfono, weza ebaleka. Abantu basabaleka nanamhlanje xa beyokuphendula imfonomfono.

Ebudeni bale minyaka ingama-93 idluleyo, ulwazi lwenzululwazi, kunye nobugcisa bokwenza izinto, buye babangela abantu abaninzi kakhulu ukuba bafumane ubomi obutofotofo obungazange bafunyanwa ngaphambili. Ihlabathi liye lenziwa lasondelelana. Izinto “ezingenakwenzeka” ziye zazizinto eziqhelekileyo. Eneneni, imfonomfono, oomabonwakude, iinqwelo-mafutha neenqwelo-moya—nayo nayiphi na eminye “imilingo” emininzi yenkulungwane yama-20—ziqheleke gqitha kwihlabathi lethu kangangokuba sinotyekelo lokulibala ukuba uluntu lukhe lwaphila ixesha elide ngaphandle kwazo.

IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, ithi, ekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane, “ngenxa yezinto ezaphunyezwa yinzululwazi kwabonakala ngathi kuza kubakho ulwazi oluphangaleleyo namandla angakumbi.” Kodwa izinto eziye zafezwa ngobugcisa ezisele zenziwe ngoku azikhange zinanditshwe kuyo yonke indawo ngomlinganiselo ofanayo, kungenakutshiwo nokuba zonke ngokuqinisekileyo ziyingenelo. Yongezelela ngelithi, “Bambalwa abantu ababanako ukubona iingxaki ezaziza kubangelwa kwazezi zinto ziyimpumelelo kwimeko-bume yabo yokwemvelo.”

Yintoni Eyabangela Iingxaki?

Akukho nanye impazamo kwizibakala zenzululwazi enokusinceda siqonde indalo ngakumbi, nakubugcisa enokusinceda ngokuthi izenze zibe yingenelo kuluntu.

Ezi zinto zimbini—inzululwazi nobugcisa—kangangethuba elide bezisoloko zinandipha ulwalamano. Kodwa ngokutsho kwencwadi ethi Science and the Rise of Technology Since 1800, “ulwalamano lwazo olusenyongweni, ngoku oluqhelekileyo, lwalungamiselwanga ngokuzeleyo kwada kwakutshanje.” Kubonakala ukuba kwanasebudeni benxalenye yokuqala yeenguqulelo kwezorhwebo, olu yayingelolwalamano lusenyongweni. Ngoxa ulwazi lwenzululwazi olusandul’ ukufunyanwa luye lwafak’ isandla ekuvelisweni kwezinto ezintsha, amava ebuchuleni nobuchule bokusebenzisa izandla, ubuchule bokusebenzisa oomatshini nabo bafak’ isandla.

Noko ke, emva kokuqalisa kweenguqulelo kwezorhwebo ukuhlanganiswa kolwazi lwenzululwazi kwathabath’ unyawo, ngaloo ndlela lusakha isiseko esibanzi ngakumbi sokusebenza kobugcisa. Ngenxa yolu lwazi lutsha, ubugcisa bazama ukwenza iindlela zokunciphisa ukusebenza nzima, ukuphucula impilo, nokwenza ihlabathi elilunge ngakumi nelonwabisayo.

Kodwa ubugcisa abunakuba ngaphezu kolwazi lwenzululwazi obusekelwe kulo. Ukuba kukho impazamo kulwazi lwenzululwazi, naziphi na imveliso zobugcisa ezisekelwe kulo ngokufanayo ziya konakala. Ngokufuthi imiphumo emibi iya kubonakala kuphela emva kokuba sele kukho umonakalo omkhulu. Ngokomzekelo, ngubani owayenokubona kusengaphambili ukuba ukuqalisa kokusetyenziswa kwezipreyi ezineechlorofluorocarbons okanye ezineehydrocarbons ngenye imini kwakuya konakalisa ucwecwe olukhusela umhlaba ekugqatsweni yimitha yelanga eyingozi?

Kukwakho nenye into ebandakanyekileyo—intshukumisa. Isazinzulu esizinikeleyo sisenokukulungela ukuchitha amashumi eminyaka yobomi baso sisenza uphando. Kodwa usomashishini, osenokuba unomdla ngakumbi kwinzuzo ufuna ukulusebenzisa ngokukhawuleza olo lwazi. Yaye nguwuphi umthandi wezobupolitika onokulinda ngomonde kangangamashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba asebenzise ubugcisa acinga ukuba bunokumenza abalasele kwezobupolitika ukuba busetyenziswe ngoko nangoko?

Ingcaphephe yephysics uAlbert Einstein wayicacisa le ngxaki xa wathi: “Ukusetyenziswa kweatom kuye kwaguqula yonke into ngaphandle kwendlela esicinga ngayo yaye ngaloo ndlela siyaqhubeka sisinge kwintlekele engenakuthelekiswa nanto.” (Akekeliswe sithi.) Ewe, iingxaki ezininzi ezibangelwe “ngumlingo” wenkulungwane yama-20 azandanga ngenxa yokuphosakala kolwazi lwenzululwazi kuphela kodwa kwanangenxa yobugcisa obenziwa ngokukhawuleza nokungakhathali okubangelwa yiminqweno yokuzingca.

Ngokomzekelo, inzululwazi yafumanisa ukuba isandi nemifanekiso zinokudluliselwa kwiindawo ezikude—umabonwakude. Ubugcisa bavelisa izinto eziyimfuneko ekwenzeni oko. Kodwa kukucinga ngendlela ephosakeleyo koosomashishini ababawayo nabantu abafuna ukuthenga okwabangela olu lwazi luphawulekayo nobu bugcisa busetyenziselwe ukubonisa abantu abahleli ngoxolo kumagumbi okuphumla imifanekiso engamanyala nemifanekiso yokuphalazwa kwegazi ngobundlobongela.

Ngokufanayo, inzululwazi yafumanisa ukuba ulutho (matter) lunokuguqulelwa ekubeni ngamandla (energy). Ubugcisa bavelisa oko kuyimfuneko ukuze kwenziwe njalo. Kodwa kukucinga ngendlela ephosakeleyo kwabantu bezobupolitika abanobuhlanga okwabangela ukuba olu lwazi nobu bugcisa busetyenziswe ekwenzeni iibhombu zenyukliya eziyingozi nezisankwantyisa ihlabathi lonke.

Ukugcina Inzululwazi Kwindawo Yayo

Kubonakalisa ukucinga ngendlela ephosakeleyo ngakumbi ukuba abantu bavumele izixhobo ezenziwe ngobugcisa nezenzelwe ukuba zibe ngamakhoboka zibalawule. Iphephancwadi iTime lalumkisa ngale ngozi ngowe-1983 xa, lingazange likhethe indoda yalo yonyaka eqhelekileyo, kodwa lakhetha “umatshini wonyaka,” ikhompyutha.

ITime yaqiqa ngolu hlobo: “Njengokuba abantu abathembela kwiikhompyutha ukuba mayenze izinto ebebekade bezenza ngeengqondo zabo, kwenzeka ntoni ezingqondweni zabo? . . . Ukuba isichazi-magama esifakwe ekhompyutheni sinokulungisa ngokulula nawaphi na amagama apelwe ngendlela engachananga, iyintoni imfuneko yokufunda ukupela ngendlela echanileyo? Yaye ukuba ingqondo ikhululekile kwindlela eqhelekileyo yokucinga, ngaba iya kuba nosukelo lweengcamango ezibalulekileyo okanye iya kuchitha ixesha layo elingakumbi kwimidlalo yevideo? . . . Ngaba ikhompyutha ngenene iyenza ingqondo isebenze ngakumbi okanye, ngokuyiphungulela umsebenzi, iyivumela ukuba ihlale emthunzini?”

Sekunjalo, abanye abantu bayazivuyela izinto ezifezwe yinzululwazi kangangokuba ngendlela engangqalanga inzululwazi bayiphakamisela kwisikhundla sobuthixo. Isazinzulu uAnthony Standen sakuxubusha oku kwincwadi yaso yowe-1950 ethi Science Is a Sacred Cow. Nokuba kukho ubaxo oluthile, okuthethwa ngulo kaStanden kuchanile: “Xa isazinzulu sinxibe ngendlela efanelekileyo kwizazinzulu . . . sithetha okuthile kuluntu ngokubanzi, oko sikuthethayo kusenokungaqondwa, kodwa ubuncinane siqinisekile ukuba oko sikuthethayo abantu baya kukukholelwa. . . . Abantu abanphambili eburhulumenteni, abarhwebi, abefundisi bonqulo, iinkokeli zasekuhlaleni, izithandi zobulumko, bonke bayathandatyuzwa baze bahlatywe amadlala, kodwa izazinzulu—nakanye. Izazinzulu ziphakanyiswa njengabantu abadume ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye, ngenxa yokuba basebenzisa umgaqo othi ‘Kuye kwangqinwa ngokwenzululwazi . . . ’ mgaqo lowo obonakala ukuphelisa konke ukungavumelani okusenokubakho.”

Ngenxa yoku kucinga ngendlela ephosakeleyo, abanye abantu babambelele koko kubonakala ikukungangqinelani phakathi kwenzululwazi kunye neBhayibhile njengobungqina “bobulumko” benzululwazi ngokuchasene “nenkolo” yonqulo. Koko kufane kubizwe ngokuba kukungangqinelani bambi bade babone nobungqina bokungabikho kukaThixo. Noko ke, enyanisweni asingoThixo ongekhoyo kodwa koko kucingelwa ukuba kukungangqinelani okubangelwe ngabefundisi ngokutolika iLizwi lakhe ngendlela engachananga. Ngaloo ndlela bathuka uThixo uMyili weBhayibhile yaye kwangaxeshanye baphazamise iphulo loluntu elingapheliyo lokufuna inyaniso ngenzululwazi.

Ngokongezelelekileyo, ngokusilela ukuqeqesha amarhamente azo ukuba abonakalise iziqhamo zomoya kaThixo, ezi nkokeli zonqulo zikhuthaza ukuzingca okubangela abantu bacinge kuphela ngeminqweno yabo yokuba bahlale tofotofo nangendlela elungele bona. Ngokufuthi oku kuba yilahleko kwabanye ukusa kwinqanaba lokusebenzisa ngendlela engafanelekanga ulwazi lwenzululwazi ekubuleleni abanye abantu.—Galati 5:19-23.

Unqulo lobuxoki, iipolitiki zabantu abangafezekanga noosomashishini ababawayo baye babangela abantu ukuba babe yile nto bayiyo ngoku, “abazithandayo, . . . abangabuleliyo . . . abangenakuzeyisa,” abazingcayo abaphenjelelwa kukucinga ngendlela engafanelekanga.—2 Timoti 3:1-3.

Aba ngabantu kunye nemibutho eye yabangela ukuba inzululwazi ijamelane nocelomngeni lwenkulungwane yama-21 emele ihlangabezane nalo. Ngaba iya kuphumelela? Funda impendulo kwicandelo lokugqibela lolu ngcelele kwinqaku lethu elilandelayo.

Ukuba, emva kokufunda eli phephancwadi, unayo nayiphi na imibuzo ngeBhayibhile, zive ukhululekile ukuqhagamshelana namaNgqina kaYehova kwiHolo yoBukumkani ekummandla okuwo, okanye ubhalele abapapashi beli phephancwadi. (Bona iphepha 5.)

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 30]

Ukuba ulwazi lwenzululwazi lunempazamo izinto ezivelisiweyo ezisekelwe kulo ziya kuba nesiphako

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 32]

Asizizo zonke izinto ezifunyenwe yinzululwazi eziyingenelo

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 29]

From the Collections of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village

NASA photo