Ungayethemba Kangakanani Isayensi?
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA
ABANTU abaningi bayayithanda ngempela isayensi ngenxa yezinto eziningi ezifinyelele kwezokwelapha, kwezobunjiniyela, kwezokuxhumana nakweminye imikhakha. Izinto ezitholwe ososayensi ziye zathinta cishe ukuphila kwabo bonke abantu abaphila namuhla. Ososayensi abaningi baye bachitha konke ukuphila kwabo becubungula isayensi, futhi imizamo eqotho yesayensi yokuthuthukisa izinga lokuphila kufanele inconywe. Eqinisweni, umlobi uTony Morton uze athi “akungabazeki ukuthi isayensi ingenye yezinsika zempucuko yesimanje.”
Kodwa kuzo zonke izici zokuphila, kunesidingo sokulinganisela lapho sihlaziya ukubaluleka kwento, futhi kunjalo nangomkhakha wezesayensi. Ukuze silondoloze umbono onjalo olinganiselayo, ake sicabangele amazwi omunye umlobi, ongayincomi neze indima efezwa isayensi ekuphileni kwethu. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Unnatural Nature of Science, uLewis Wolpert uyabhala: “Ukuhlola kubonisa ukuthi abantu bayithakazelela kakhulu, futhi bayayithanda isayensi, futhi banenkolelo engamanga yokuthi ingaxazulula zonke izinkinga; kodwa abanye banokwesaba nenzondo ejulile . . . Abaphishekela isayensi babhekwa njengochwepheshe abangenazwela, abangazivezi obala nabangakhathaleli.”
Ukuqina Kwethemba Kuyisayensi
Ngaso sonke isikhathi kunethuba lengozi lapho ukuhlola kwesayensi kuhilela ukusungula izinto ezintsha. Kodwa lapho lezi zinto ezintsha zibonisa ukuthi ukuzidela kufanele, ithemba lomphakathi kuyisayensi liyaqina. Lapho iziqhayisa ngodumo lwezinto ezifinyelele esikhathini esidlule, ngezinga elithile isayensi iye yazifaka ezingozini ezengeziwe, futhi ngokumangala nangentshiseko, abantu abaningi sebebheka isayensi njengekhambi lezinkathazo zesintu. Umphumela uye waba ukuthi abantu abaningi bahlobanisa amagama athi “isayensi” nathi “kufakazelwe ngokwesayensi” neqiniso elimsulwa.
Incwadi ethi American Studies iyaphawula: “Kusukela ngawo-1920, futhi ikakhulukazi ngawo-1930, usosayensi wayeqinisekisa abathengi ukuthi ‘kufakazelwe ngokwesayensi’ ukuthi umkhiqizo othile ungcono kuneminye. Ingosi yomhleli we-Nation ka-1928 yakhononda ngokuthi ‘umusho oqala ngokuthi “Isayensi ibonisa ukuthi” ngokuvamile uqeda zonke izimpikiswano ezingxoxweni, noma uthengise noma yini kusukela emuthini wamazinyo kuya eziqandisini.’”
Kodwa ingabe isayensi ngaso sonke isikhathi ivumelana neqiniso elimsulwa? Phakathi nawo wonke umlando izinto ezitholwa ososayensi ziye zaphikiswa kakhulu. Ezinye zezimpikiswano ezaphakama zazingenangqondo; ezinye zazibonakala zinesisekelo esinengqondo. Ngokwesibonelo, izinto ezatholwa uGalileo zathukuthelisa iSonto LamaKatolika. Kanti izinkolelo-mbono zesayensi ngemvelaphi yomuntu zabangela inzondo ngezizathu zesayensi nezeBhayibheli. Ngakho akumangalisi ukuthi into ngayinye entsha etholwa ososayensi ikhanga abayithandayo kanye nabayiphikisayo.
Isaga sesiLatini sasendulo sithi: “Isayensi [noma, ulwazi] ayinasitha ngaphandle kwabangenalwazi.” Nokho, lokhu akuselona iqiniso ngoba namuhla isayensi ihlaselwa kunanini ngaphambili—futhi ayihlaselwa abantu abangenalwazi. Manje kubonakala sengathi nakuba abaningi babeyibheka njengevikelekile, isayensi isihlaselwa abantu abake baba abasekeli bayo. Inani elandayo labasekeli bayo kungashiwo ukuthi selingabahluleli, amajaji nabashushisi bayo. Izikhungo ezinkulu zemfundo yesayensi ngokuvamile seziyizinkundla zezingxabano. Esinye isizathu salezi zinkathazo siwukuthi ukukhohlisa kwangesikhathi esidlule nenkohlakalo yezinye izazi zesayensi sekwambuliwe.
Ngakho, lo mbuzo ubuzwa kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili, Ingabe isayensi ingathenjwa ngokuphelele ngempela? Isihloko esilandelayo sibeka ezinye zezizathu ezenza ukuba abantu abengeziwe baphakamise lo mbuzo.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 4]
Ingabe isayensi ngaso sonke isikhathi ivumelana neqiniso elimsulwa?