Ukukhwabanisa Ezindlini Zokucwaninga Zesayensi

AKUFANELE kwenzeke. Hhayi ezindlini zokucwaninga zesayensi ezihlonishwayo. Hhayi lapho abafuni beqiniso abaqotho abangathonywa imizwelo yobuntu, besebenza khona ngokungakhathali ezindlini zabo zokucwaninga. Hhayi lapho abacwaningi abazinikele, abazimisele ukuthola iqiniso kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukucwaninga kungaholelaphi, befuna ukwembula izimfihlo zemvelo. Akufanele kwenzeke endikimbeni ebumbene yamadoda nabesifazane abalwa ngokubambisana ukuze baqede umonakalo wezifo kube isibusiso esintwini.

Ubani obengasola ukuthi ososayensi abazinikele njengalaba bangashintsha ukwaziswa kwabo ngobuqili ukuze basekele ukungezwani kwabo? Noma bakhethe lokho okusekela imfundiso yabo futhi balahle lokho okuyiphikisayo? Noma babike ukuhlola abangakaze bakwenze futhi basonte ukwaziswa ukuze basekele iziphetho abangakwazi ukuzifakazela? Noma babike ukuhlola abangakaze bakwenze futhi bathi babhale izihloko abangazange bazibhale noma ngisho bazibone? Ubani owayengake asole ukuthi kunokukhwabanisa okunjalo ezindlini zokucwaninga zesayensi?

Akufanele kwenzeke, kodwa kuyenzeka.a Ngonyaka odlule umagazini wesayensi wabika: “Ukugwazela izivumelwano eziyimfihlo, ukukhohlisa kanye nokuziphatha ngokungafanele kudlangile kubacwaningi bezokwelapha eMelika, ngokusho kokugxeka okuhlabayo okwashicilelwa ikomiti kaKhongolose waseUS kulelisonto. Umbiko uthi iziNhlangano Zesizwe Zezempilo ‘ziye zafaka impilo yomphakathi engozini’ ngokuhluleka ukuqondisa ososayensi ezibasekelayo.”​—⁠New Scientist, September 15, 1990.

Izigigaba eziningi zihlanganisa ukukhwabanisa okubizwa ngokuthi ukuziphatha okungafanele, kodwa ezinye ziwukukhwabanisa okuqondile. Sabizwa kanjalo isenzo sikaDkt. Thereza Imanishi-Kari nababhali abahlanu ayebambisene nabo ekubhaleni iphepha “elachaza ukufakwa ngokungaqondile kwengqamuzana lofuzo emangqamuzaneni okuzivikela komzimba amagundane. Abalobi bathi ingqamuzana lofuzo elingokwemvelo legundane labe seliqala ukufana nengqamuzana lofuzo elalifakiwe, lase liveza isosha lomzimba elikhethekile.” (Science News, May 11, 1991) Lokhu kwakuyoba isinyathelo esibalulekile ekucwaningeni ngokuzivikela komzimba, ngaphandle kweqiniso lokuthi ngokusobala akuzange kwenzeke.

Umbiko washicilelwa ebhukwini lezesayensi iCell elakhishwa ngoApril 1986. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uDkt. Margot O’Toole, umcwaningi ongaphansi kuyisayensi yamamolecule endlini yokucwaninga kaImanishi-Kari, wathi leliphepha lasho izinto imininingwane yokwaziswa eyayingazisekeli. Waya kuDkt. David A. Baltimore, umzuzi womklomelo kaNobel owayenengxenye ekulotshweni kwephepha lokucwaninga, ephethe amakhasi angu-17 emininingwane yokwaziswa okwakusezincwadini zikaImanishi-Kari. Lamakhasi abonisa ukuthi lokhu kuhlola akuzange kuphumelele, kuyilapho iphepha elishicilelwe lathi kwaphumelela. Nokho, uDkt. Baltimore, akazange asibone isizathu sokungabaza imininingwane yokwaziswa futhi waphebeza uO’Toole ngokuthi “ungumuntu onganeliseki ofunde ngaphezu kodokotela.”​—⁠The New York Times, March 22, 1991.

Ngawo lowonyaka ofanayo amayunivesithi amabili abukeza isihloko esasikuyiCell. Enye kwakuyiM.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), lapho lesihloko sabhalelwa khona; enye kwakuyiYunivesithi iTufts, eyayicabangela ukunika uImanishi-Kari isikhundla esibalulekile. Ukubukeza kwawo kwathola izinkinga ezithile kodwa kwangathola lutho olungathi sína. Lapho lendaba yayekwa iminyaka emibili.

Khona-ke uMmeleli uJohn D. Dingell, usihlalo WePhalamende yeSubcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, wayisukumela lendaba. Uhulumeni usekela ukucwaninga futhi, ngeNIH (National Institutes of Health), unikeza u-R22 000 000 000 ngonyaka kubantu ngabanye abangososayensi kanye nezinhlangano zabo zemisebenzi yokucwaninga. Ikomiti elingaphansi likaDingell linesithakazelo ekutheni imali yabantu isetshenziswa ngokunenzuzo kangakanani, futhi lihlola nokuxhashazwa kwayo.

UDkt. Baltimore wayengajabulile neze. Wagxeka ngokuthi leyokomiti engaphansi, ngokunakekela lendaba, “ifuna ukuqeda indinganiso yokwahlulela futhi imise indinganiso entsha ngokuphelele yokwahlulela ezesayensi. Baye bakhetha indlela yokushushisa yasenkantolo. Isigijimi siwukuthi yenza ukucwaninga kwakho kwesayensi ukhumbula njalo ukuthi kungenzeka ubhekane nokushushiswa kwasenkantolo. Uma ukuthethwa kwecala namuhla kuveza umbono kaKhongolose wendlela isayensi okufanele yenziwe ngayo, khona-ke isayensi yaseMelika njengoba besiyazi isengozini.”

UDkt. Baltimore wasekelwa ozakwabo abanozwela ngokuba bathumele incwadi kososayensi abangu-400 exwayisa ngokuthi ukungenela kukaKhongolose “kungakhubaza isayensi yaseMelika.” Lokhu kuhlolisisa wakubiza ngokuthi kuyisibonakaliso sezinsongo ekuxhumaneni okungokwesayensi nasenkululekweni engokwesayensi. Abaningi abasemphakathini wezesayensi basekela uBaltimore, okungomunye ababembheka njengelungu elivelele, bebiza ukuthethwa kwecala ngokuthi “ukufuna amaphutha ngenjongo yokushushisa” futhi uDingell wabizwa ngokuthi “uMcCarthy omusha.”

“Abasekeli bakaDkt. Baltimore kanye nokuvikela kwakhe isihloko basabela ngokuhlasela uKhongolose,” kubika iNew York Times, kaMarch 26, 1991. “Bagxeka uMnu. Dingell ngokuphequlula izincwadi zesayensi, bebiza iqembu lakhe ngamagama anjengokuthi ‘amaphoyisa esayensi.’ Cishe zonke izincwadi nezihloko zathi kwakungekho kungabaza ngokukhwabanisa, kwakukhona kuphela encazelweni. ‘Sathola inqwaba yezincwadi zivela kososayensi bezwakalisa ukukhathazeka okukhulu ngalokho esasikwenza,’ kusho elinye ilungu lezisebenzi zekomiti elingaphansi likaDingell. ‘Kodwa kweziningi zazo, mhlawumbe ingxenye noma ngaphezulu kwakukhona ukukhononda kokuthi azazi ukuthi ayini amaqiniso alendaba. Lokho kuthanda ukuxaka.’”

Lapho imizwa yabantu ihilelekile endabeni, amaqiniso angase abe angabalulekile futhi anganakwa. Intilibathwa yezincwadi ezazisekela uDkt. Baltimore noDkt. Imanishi-Kari yagxeka uKhongolose ngamazwi aqatha, navusa imizwelo. UDkt. Stephen J. Gould waseHarvard wabhala: “Ngenxa yezenzakalo ezisanda kwenzeka eWashington, angiqiniseki kangako ukuthi uGalileo ubengeke abe senkingeni eyengeziwe namuhla.” UDkt. Phillip A. Sharp weM.I.T. wakhuthaza ososayensi ukuba babhalele abameleli babo kuKhongolose bamelane nesenzo salekomiti engaphansi. Wagomela ngokuthi “ngokuphindaphindiwe yayenqabe isinqumo sososayensi abafundile” sokuthi kwakungekho kukhwabanisa okuhilelekile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathi yayiqalise “inzondo yokuzonda ososayensi abathembekile” lokho “okwakuzolahlekisela umphakathi wethu kakhulu.” Njengoba kwabonakala kamuva, uma kwakuhileleke inzondo, yayingeyona eyokuzonda ososayensi abathembekile kodwa kwakungeyokuzonda uDkt. Margot O’Toole, ukwethembeka kwakhe okwamlahlekisela kakhulu.

“Uma nje ezesayensi zisaqhubeka ngokushelela okusesilinganisweni, kubonakala zishukunyiswa isizathu kanye nezimpendulo ezitholakala kuphela ngokuhlola imvelo. Kodwa lapho izinto zingahambi kahle, abantu abangabagqugquzeli bayabulahla ubuzenzisi babo obufihla ukungabi naluzwela, futhi imizwelo ecashile yomsebenzi wezesayensi ingase ivele ngokungazelele.” (The New York Times, March 26, 1991) Futhi lapho ivela, amathonya angaveli kwezesayensi nawo kufanele avele ukuze kunciphe ukukhwabanisa futhi kulungiswe izinto ezimbi ezenziwa kubadaluli bezimfihlo.

Yilokho okwakudingekile kulendaba. Abaningi emphakathini wezesayensi, abangazange bazihluphe ngisho nakancane ngokuhlola ubufakazi, ngokuzenzakalelayo bavuna uDkt. Baltimore kanye noDkt. Imanishi-Kari futhi bamelana noDkt. O’Toole. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bahlambalaza inhlangano kahulumeni okwadingeka ingenele ukuze ilungise amaphutha. Kusikhumbuza isaga seBhayibheli esithi: “Obuyisa izwi engakezwa, kungubuwula nehlazo kuye.”​—⁠IzAga 18:⁠13.

Kuphela kwakungemva kokuhlola okwathatha isikhathi eside okwenziwa ikomiti elingaphansi likaDingell, Abaseshi Bomshoshaphansi, kanye neHhovisi Lobuqotho Bezesayensi eNIH lapho ekugcineni izimangaliso zikaO’Toole zaqinisekiswa ngobufakazi. INew Scientist, kaMarch 30, 1991, yabika: “Abaseshi eziNhlanganweni Zesizwe Zezempilo baye baphetha ngokuthi umlobi obambisene nabo uDavid Baltimore owazuza umklomelo kaNobel washintsha lonke iqoqo lemininingwane yokwaziswa kusukela ngo-1986 kuya ku-1988 ukuze asekele iphepha elashicilelwa kumagazini iCell ngo-1986. UBaltimore, ngaphambili owayehlasele ukuphenya kukaKhongolose lendaba njengosongo enkululekweni yezesayensi, manje ucele iCell ukuba ilihoxise leliphepha.” Waxolisa kuDkt. O’Toole ngenxa yokwehluleka kwakhe ukuphenya ngokugcwele ngokwengeziwe ukungabaza kwakhe.

Uphenyo lwembula ukuthi imininingwane yokwaziswa yalungiselelwa ngezinto ezingaqondakali nguDkt. Imanishi-Kari futhi ukuhlola abika ukuthi wakwenza akuzange kwenziwe, futhi njengoba ukudaluleka ngokuphelele kwakusondela, wazama ukukuvala. “Lapho uO’Toole kanye nabaseshi bangaphandle beqala ukubuza imibuzo ngaleliphepha,” iNew Scientist yathi, uImanishi-Kari “waqala ukusonta imininingwane yokwaziswa ngokwesimiso ukuze akusekele, ngokombiko weNIH. Eminye yaleyo mininingwane yokwaziswa eyashintshwa yashicilelwa kuCell ngo-1988 njengeyayilungisa amaphutha ephepha lokuqala.” NgoApril 6, 1991, iNew Scientist yaphawula: “Ososayensi futhi badinga ukuqaphela ukuthi ukuzilawula kusebenza kuphela lapho kusekelwe ekwethenjweni ngumphakathi. Ukuphebeza abadaluli bezimfihlo njengabadali bodweshu akusizi.” Nokho, lapho sekudlule amasonto athile ngemva kokutholakala kwabo bonke lobufakazi, uDkt. Imanishi-Kari wayesakubiza ngokuthi “ukufuna amaphutha ngenjongo yokushushisa.”

Uhlu lomhleli kuNew York Times, kaMarch 26, 1991, lwabungabaza ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “A Scientific Watergate?” Lwathi: “Ukugxeka okulimazayo kakhulu kufanele kwenziwe ngokumelene nezindlela zomphakathi wezesayensi ezibuthakathaka zokuphenya ukukhohlisa. Ebhekene nokuphazamiseka kwezingxoxo okwenziwa uDkt. Baltimore, ongomunye wososayensi abavelele besizwe, amaqembu amaningana ophenyo abonakala ezimisele kakhulu ukukuvimbela ukudaluleka kabi emphakathini kunokumba iqiniso.” Nokho, yiwo kanye lomphakathi ofanayo wezesayensi othi kufanele uziphenye wona kunokuba uphenywe abantu bangaphandle.

Uhlu lomhleli lwaqhubeka: “Uphenyo lokuqala lokukhononda kukaDkt. O’Toole lwaveza amadoda aboshwe izibopho eziqinile zokuthembeka ethatha izinyathelo zokuvikela idumela lezesayensi. Uphenyo olwenziwa eYunivesithi yaseTufts naseM.I.T. alutholanga kukhohlisa noma ngisho nephutha elikhulu. IziNhlangano Zesizwe Zezempilo zamisa iqembu lophenyo elalisondelene kakhulu noDkt. Baltimore. Ngisho nangemva kokuba iqembu lophenyo selakhiwe kabusha ukuze kuncishiswe ukugxeka, laveza umbiko owawungowokungazihileli, lingatholi bufakazi bokuziphatha okungafanele naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi kwakubikwe ukuhlola kwasezindlini zesayensi okungazange ngempela kwenziwe. Kwaze kwaba ngemva kokuba uKhongolose esehilelekile lapho iN.I.H. yaqala khona ukubonisa ukuqina. IHhovisi layo elisha [Lobuqotho] Bezesayensi laveza umbiko obonisa isibindi nolimazayo lowo ekugcineni owawuchaza ukusontwa kwemininingwane yokwaziswa njengoba kunjalo. UDkt. Baltimore, kusukela ekuqaleni uye wabonakala ezimisele kakhulu ukumisa uphenyo kunokuthola iqiniso ngalokhu kumangalelwa. Nakuba yena ngokwakhe engazange asolwe ngokukhohlisa, wasayina amaphepha amabili​—⁠iphepha lokuqala kanye nelokulungisa amaphutha elalandela⁠—​ayenemininingwane yokwaziswa manje ebhekwa njengeyayisontwe uDkt. Imanishi-Kari.”

Ososayensi abajabuli uma noma ubani ongekho emphakathini wezesayensi ahlulela imisebenzi yabo. Baqinile ekutheni yibona, hhayi abantu bangaphandle futhi ngokuqinisekile hhayi izinhlangano zikahulumeni, okufanele bahlulele izindaba zabo lapho bemangalelwa ngokungaziphathi ngokufanele noma ukukhohlisa. Kodwa noma ubani emphakathini wezesayensi olokotha aphakamise imibuzo ngokumelene namalungu avelele kungase kungamhambeli kahle, njengoba kwaba njalo ngoMargot O’Toole.

Imiphumela yabantu abavelele ababehilelekile kulendaba iyalifakazela leliphuzu. UDkt. Baltimore waba umongameli weYunivesithi iRockefeller. UDkt. Imanishi-Kari wathola isikhundla esihloniphekayo ayesifuna eYunivesithi iTufts. UDkt. O’Toole walahlekelwa umsebenzi wakhe ezindlini zokuhlola kwezesayensi eTufts, walahlekelwa indlu yakhe, wangakwazi ukuthola omunye umsebenzi emkhakheni wezesayensi iminyaka eminingi, futhi kwadingeka enze umsebenzi wokuphendula izingcingo enkampanini yomfowabo ethutha izimpahla.

UDkt. Baltimore kubikwa ukuthi watshela usihlalo wekomiti elingaphansi uDingell ukuthi izimpikiswano ezinjengendaba kaImanishi-Kari zaziyingxenye “yenqubo yokuzihlanza eqhubeka njalo” kwezesayensi. Kulesiwombe “ukuhlanza” kwahlanganisa ukuxosha usosayensi othembekile uDkt. Margot O’Toole ukuba angasebenzi ngisho nasemkhakheni wezesayensi. Nokho, ngokujabulisayo lokhu “kuhlanza” endabeni yakhe akuzange kube okuhlala njalo. Eminyakeni emine kamuva, ngo-1990, ngemva kokunqoba kwakhe, wawuthola umsebenzi emkhakheni wezesayensi lapho eqashwa iGenetics Institute, inkampani eyayisungulwe omunye wabasekeli bakhe abambalwa, uMark Ptashne waseHarvard.

Abantu abaningi bayavuma ukuthi ukukhwabanisa okunjalo akufanele kwenzeke ezindlini zokucwaninga zesayensi, kodwa kwakungumagazini wezesayensi ngokwawo owawunombiko wokuthi ukukhwabanisa okunjalo “kudlangile phakathi kwabacwaningi bezokwelapha baseMelika.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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“Ukugwazela izivumelwano eziyimfihlo, ukukhohlisa kanye nokuziphatha okungafanele kudlangile kubacwaningi bezokwelapha baseMelika”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 13]

Imali yabakhokhi bentela engu-R22 000 000 000 inikwa ososayensi kanye nezinhlangano zabo minyaka yonke ukuze benze imisebenzi yokucwaninga

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]

Ikomiti elingaphansi likaKhongolose linesithakazelo endleleni imali yabantu esetshenziswa ngayo

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Ababhali bakhushulwa ezikhundleni, umdaluli wemfihlo walahlekelwa umsebenzi wakhe