Ingabe Ososayensi Abavumelani?

“NAKUBA kungafanele siwulahle umbono wokuthi isayensi iwukufuna iqiniso ngomhlaba, kufanele sicabangele izici ezingokwengqondo nezingokwenhlalo ngokuvamile eziphikisana nalokho kufuna.” Wabhala kanjalo uTony Morton epheshaneni elinesihloko esithi “Ukungqubuzana Kwemibono Yezazi: Izisusa Nezindlela Zososayensi.” Yebo, kubonakala sengathi udumo, inzuzo yemali, noma ukuthambekela kwezombangazwe imbala ngezinye izikhathi kuye kwathonya izinto ezitholwa ososayensi.

Emuva ngo-1873, uLord Jessel wazwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngamathonya anjalo emacaleni asenkantolo lapho ethi: “Ubufakazi bochwepheshe . . . buwubufakazi babantu ngezinye izikhathi abaphilela ukwenza umsebenzi wabo, kodwa abakhokhelwa njalo ukuze banikeze ubufakazi. . . . Manje sekuyazenzakalela ukuba ingqondo yakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uthembeke kangakanani, ivune umuntu omqashile, futhi ngenxa yalokho siyakuthola ukukhetha okunjalo.”

Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela isayensi yokuphenya ubugebengu. Inkantolo yezikhalo yathi ososayensi balo mkhakha bangase babe abashisekeli bawo. Iphephabhuku i-Search liyaphawula: “Lona kanye iqiniso lokuthi amaphoyisa acela usizo lwabo lingase lakhe ubuhlobo phakathi kwamaphoyisa nososayensi abaphenya ubugebengu.  . . Ososayensi abaqashwe uhulumeni bangase babheke umsebenzi wabo njengowukusiza amaphoyisa.” Leli phephabhuku linikeza nesibonelo samacala e-IRA (Irish Republican Army) kaMaguire (1989) noWard (1974) okuqhumisa amabhomu eBrithani njengesinikeza “ubufakazi obunamandla bokuzimisela kososayensi abathile abanolwazi nabanedumela elihle ukuhileleka futhi babheke umsebenzi wabo njengokusiza abashushisi.”

Esinye isibonelo esivelele yicala likaLindy Chamberlain e-Australia (1981-82), okususelwa kulo isithombe sebhayisikobho esithi A Cry in the Dark. Kubonakala sengathi ubufakazi obethulwa ososayensi abaphenya ubugebengu balahla uNkk. Chamberlain, owathweswa icala lokubulala usana lwakhe u-Azaria. Nakuba athi umntwana wayebulawe i-dingo (inkentshane), walahlwa yicala wayesegqunywa ejele. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho kutholakala ijazi lomntwana elingcolile elaligcwele igazi, ubufakazi obabethulwe ngaphambili bachithwa. Ngenxa yalokho, uLindy wakhululwa ejele, kwasulwa icala, futhi wakhokhelwa isinxephezelo ngokuboshwa engenacala.

Lapho ososayensi bephikisana, impikiswano ingashuba kakhulu. Emashumini eminyaka adlule inselele uDkt. William McBride ayibekela abenzi besidakamizwa i-thalidomide yaba undabamlonyeni. Lapho ebonisa ukuthi lesi sidakamizwa, esasithengiswa ngenjongo yokuqeda ukuhlanza lapho umuntu ekhulelwe, sasibangela ukukhubazeka okukhulu kubantwana abangakazalwa, lo dokotela waba yiqhawe ngokuphazima kweso. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, lapho enza omunye umsebenzi, wamangalelwa udokotela othile owaba umlobeli wephephandaba ngokushintsha ukwaziswa. UMcBride watholwa enecala lokukhohlisa ngokwesayensi nelokuziphatha okungabafanele ochwepheshe. Wathathelwa imvume yobudokotela e-Australia.

Izimpikiswano Ezingokwesayensi

Impikiswano eqhubekayo manje iwukuthi ingabe izinto ezinozibuthe kagesi ziyingozi yini kubantu nasezilwaneni. Obunye ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi amandla kazibuthe kagesi abangela ukungcola okukhulu endaweni esizungezile, njengoba etholakala ezintanjeni zikagesi ezinamandla nakuma-computer kanye nakuyi-microwave oven emzini wakho. Abanye baze bathi ngemva kweminyaka ethile, izingcingo eziphathwayo zingakulimaza ubuchopho. Abanye-ke bakhomba ucwaningo olungokwesayensi olubonisa ukuthi ukukhishwa kwemisebe kazibuthe enogesi kungabangela umdlavuza nokufa. Njengesibonelo salokhu, iphephandaba i-Australian liyabika: “Umkhandlu kagesi waseBrithani umangalelwe enkantolo ngenxa yokufa komfana okuthiwa waba nomdlavuza ngenxa yokulala eduze kwezintambo zikagesi ezinamandla.” Umxhumanisi waseMelbourne wezokwelapha emsebenzini, uDkt. Bruce Hocking, wathola ukuthi “abantwana abahlala ebangeni elingaba amakhilomitha amane ukusuka esikhungweni sethelevishini esikhulu eSydney babenezinga lomdlavuza wegazi eliphindwe kabili kunabantwana abahlala ebangeni eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kwamane.”

Nakuba abavikeli bendawo ezungezile beyisekela imibiko enjalo, umkhakha wezamabhizinisi nezentengiselwano uzolahlekelwa izigidi zezinkulungwane zamaRandi ngalokho okubiza ngokuthi “imikhankaso yokwesabisa abantu engadingekile.” Ngakho uzama ukuziphindiselela futhi uthola ukusekelwa kweminye imikhakha yezesayensi.

Kukhona-ke nempikiswano ngokungcola okubangelwa amakhemikhali. Abanye baye bachaza i-dioxin ngokuthi “ikhemikhali enobuthi kunawo wonke enziwe umuntu.” Le khemikhali, eyachazwa uMichael Fumento ngokuthi “imane iwumkhiqizo ongenakugwenywa lapho kwenziwa eminye imithi yokubulala izitshalo” (Science Under Siege), yabizwa abanye ngokuthi “isithako esiyinhloko se-Agent Orange.”a Yaduma kakhulu ngemva kwempi yaseVietnam. Kwaqubuka ukumangalelana ngokomthetho okukhulu phakathi komakad’ebona bempi nezinkampane zamakhemikhali, iqembu ngalinye lisekelwa ososayensi abaphikisanayo.

Ngokufanayo, izinkinga zendawo ezungezile njengokufudumala kwembulunga, ukushisa komkhathi nokuqothulwa kongqimba lwe-ozone kuwundab’uzekwayo emphakathini. Ngokuphathelene nezinkinga zendawo ezungezile e-Antarctica, iphephandaba i-Canberra Times liyabika: “Ukucwaninga kososayensi ePalmer Station, isikhungo sezesayensi sase-United States esise-Anvers Island, kubonisa ukuthi amazinga aphakeme okukhishwa kwemisebe e-ultraviolet alimaza izinto ezincane eziphilayo njengezilwanyana nezitshalo ezisemanzini nezilwanyana ezisegobolondweni futhi kungaqala ukonakalisa ezinye izinto eziphilayo.” Kodwa okunye ukuhlola kwesayensi kubonakala kuphikisana nombono onjalo futhi kubonisa ukuthi asikho isidingo sokwesaba ukuqothulwa kwe-ozone nokufudumala kwembulunga yonke.

Ngakho ubani oqinisile? Kubonakala sengathi ochwepheshe besayensi bangafakazela noma bachithe yonke imibiko noma imibono. Incwadi ethi Paradigms Lost ithi: “Iqiniso elingokwesayensi linqunywa okungenani isimo sezenhlalo sangaleso sikhathi njengoba linqunywa nayizizathu nokuhluzeka kwengqondo kuphela.” UMichael Fumento ufingqa indaba ye-dioxin ngokuthi: “Sonke, kuye ngokuthi ubani omlalelayo, singaba yizisulu zokonakaliswa noma izisulu zokukhohliswa okukhulu.”

Nokho, ezinye izinhlekelele ezaziwayo ezingokwesayensi azinakuchilizelwa eceleni. Isayensi kumelwe ilandise ngazo.

‘Inhlekelele Embi Kakhulu’

Esihlokweni esithi “Umyalezo Oya Kochwepheshe,” esakhishwa ngo-August 29, 1948, u-Albert Einstein wagxila ezicini zesayensi ezingajabulisi lapho ethi: “Ngokudabukisayo siye safunda ukuthi ukucabanga ngendlela ehluzekile akwanele ukuze kuxazululwe izinkinga zomphakathi wethu. Ucwaningo olujulile nomsebenzi oqotho wesayensi kuye kwalethela isintu imiphumela eyinhlekelele, . . . kwaveza izindlela zokuba umuntu aziqothule ngokuphelele. Ngempela, lokhu kuyinhlekelele embi kakhulu!”

Umbiko wamuva we-Associated Press wawufundeka kanje: “ElaseBrithani Liyavuma Ukuthi Lahlola Ukukhishwa Kwemisebe Ngabantu.” IBritish Ministry of Defence yavuma ukuthi kwase kuyiminyaka engaba ngu-40 uhulumeni ekuhlola ngabantu ukukhishwa kwemisebe. Okunye kwalokhu kuhlola kwakuhilela ukuhlola ibhomu le-athomu eMaralinga, eNingizimu Australia, phakathi nawo-1950.

Elithi Maralinga yigama elisuselwa kwelaboMdabu base-Australia elisho “ukuduma,” futhi le ndawo esemajukujukwini yaba indawo ekahle yokuba elaseBrithani lenze ukuhlola kwalo okungokwesayensi. Ngemva kokuqhuma kokuqala, injabulo yempumelelo yachichima kakhulu. Umbiko wephephandaba elithile laseMelbourne wafundeka kanje: “Njengoba ifu [elikhipha imisebe] lalinyamalala, amaloli namaveni amakhulu aletha izisebenzi ezingochwepheshe zaseBrithani, eCanada, e-Australia naseNew Zealand ezazizifihle emigodini lapho ibhomu liqhuma ebangeni elingamamayela amahlanu [amakhilomitha angu-8] kuphela ukusuka endaweni okwakucushwe kuyo ibhomu. Wonke umuntu wayemamatheka. Kwakungathi bavela ukuyongcebeleka.”

Umlobeli wezesayensi wephephandaba laseBrithani i-Daily Express, uChapman Pincher, waze waqamba nengoma ethi “Pining for the Mushroom Cloud [Ukulangazelela Ifu Elibangelwa Ukuqhuma Kwebhomu].” Ngaphezu kwalokho ungqongqoshe kahulumeni wanikeza isiqinisekiso ethi lokhu kuhlola kwakuhambe ngokohlelo futhi akukho muntu owayezoba sengozini yokukhishwa kwemisebe e-Australia. Nokho, eminyakeni ethile kamuva, babelusizi labo ababebulawa ukukhishwa kwemisebe, kwabe sekulandela izicelo eziningi zesinxephezelo. Kwakungasekho “Ukulangazelela Ifu Elibangelwa Ukuqhuma Kwebhomu”! IMaralinga iseyindawo ebekelwe imingcele ngenxa yokungcola kokukhishwa kwemisebe.

Isimo i-United States eyabhekana naso ngokuhlolwa kwamabhomu e-athomu okwenziwa eNevada sibonakala sifana. Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kuyindaba yezombangazwe hhayi iphutha lesayensi. URobert Oppenheimer, okunguyena owenza ibhomu le-athomu lokuqala eMelika, eLos Alamos, eNew Mexico, wathi: “Akuwona umsebenzi kasosayensi ukunquma ukuthi ibhomu le-hydrogen kufanele liqhunyiswe yini noma cha. Lowo mthwalo usemahlombe abantu baseMelika nabameleli ababakhethile.”

Olunye Uhlobo Lwenhlekelele

Ukusetshenziswa kwegazi kwezokwelapha kwaba umkhuba ovamile ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II. Abesayensi bathi lisindisa ukuphila futhi bathi kuphephile ukulisebenzisa. Kodwa ukuqubuka kwengculaza kwashaqisa umkhakha wezokwelapha. Ngokungazelele, uketshezi okwakuthiwa lusindisa ukuphila lwaqala ukubulala abanye. Unsumpa wesibhedlela esikhulu eSydney, e-Australia, watshela i-Phaphama!: “Sekungamashumi eminyaka simpompela uketshezi esingazi lutho ngalo. Besingazazi ngisho nezinye izifo olunazo. Ukuthi yini enye esiyimpompelayo ekulo, asikazi ngoba asikwazi ukuhlola into esingayazi.”

Isimo esiyinhlekelele kakhulu sasihilela ukusetshenziswa kwe-hormone ekhulisayo ekwelapheni abesifazane abayizinyumba. Njengoba babefuna ukwaneliseka ekuphileni ngokuba nomntwana, laba besifazane babheka le ndlela yokwelapha njengesibusiso. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, abanye kubo bafa ngendlela eyindida ngenxa yesifo esibulala ubuchopho okuthiwa yi-Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Abantwana abelashelwa ukungakhuli nge-hormone efanayo baqala ukufa. Abacwaningi bathola ukuthi ososayensi babethole le hormone ezindlaleni ze-pituitary zabantu abafile. Kubonakala sengathi ezinye zezidumbu zazinegciwane le-CJD, kanjalo ladlulela nakwamanye ama-hormone. Okubi ngisho nakakhulu yiqiniso lokuthi abanye besifazane abelashwa ngale hormone bathekelisa ngegazi ngaphambi kokuba kubonakale ukuthi banezimpawu ze-CJD. Kwesatshwa ukuthi kungenzeka leli gciwane selisegazini eligciniwe, ngoba ayikho indlela yokulihlola.

Yonke isayensi inezingozi ezithile. Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi njengoba incwadi ethi The Unnatural Nature of Science isho, isayensi “iyanconywa futhi iyesatshwa, iletha ithemba nokudikibala, ibhekwa njengomthombo wezinkinga eziningi zomphakathi wanamuhla wezezimboni nanjengomthombo okuyovela kuwo amakhambi alezi zinkinga.”

Kodwa singakunciphisa kanjani ukuvelelwa yingozi? Singawulondoloza kanjani umbono olinganiselayo ngesayensi? Isihloko esilandelayo siyoba usizo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

Ungqongqoshe kahulumeni wathi kwakungeke kube nengozi yokukhishwa kwemisebe

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 7]

Indawo okwahlolelwa kuyo eMaralinga ingcoliswe ukukhishwa kwemisebe

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 8]

“Akuwona umsebenzi kasosayensi ukunquma ukuthi ibhomu le-hydrogen kufanele liqhunyiswe yini noma cha.”—Robert Oppenheimer, usosayensi oyisazi sama-athomu

[Umthombo]

Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

“Ngokudabukisayo siye safunda ukuthi ukucabanga ngendlela ehluzekile akwanele ukuze kuxazululwe izinkinga zomphakathi wethu.”—Albert Einstein, isazi se-physics

[Umthombo]

U.S. National Archives photo

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 5]

Richard T. Nowitz/Corbis

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

USAF photo