Umklamo Onenjongo Noma Inqubo Engenangqondo?

Ngo-1802, umfundisi nesazi semfundiso yenkolo saseNgilandi uWilliam Paley wachaza izizathu zakhe zokukholelwa kuMdali. Wathi uma kungenzeka athi ezihambela edabula ehlane, abone itshe phansi, ubengaphetha kufanele ngokuthi inqubo ethile yemvelo elibeke lapho. Kodwa uma ebengabona iwashi, bekungaba nzima ukuba afinyelele isiphetho esifanayo. Kungani? Ngenxa yesizathu esisobala esiwukuthi iwashi linophawu lomklami nenjongo.

IMIBONO kaPaley yaba nethonya elikhulu kuCharles Darwin isazi semvelo esiyiNgisi. Kodwa ngokuphambene nendlela kaPaley yokucabanga, kamuva uDarwin waveza umbono wokuthi umklamo obonakala ezintweni eziphilayo ungachazwa ngenqubo ayibiza ngokuthi “ukuzihlela nokuzivumelanisa kwemvelo.” Le mfundiso kaDarwin yokuziphendukela kwemvelo abaningi bayibheka njengempendulo yempikiswano ephathelene nomklamo.

Kuningi okuye kwabhalwa ngale ndaba kusukela ezinsukwini zikaPaley noDarwin. Iye yacutshungulwa futhi yathuthukiswa kaningi imibono evumelana nomklamo nokuzihlela nokuzivumelanisa kwemvelo. Zombili lezi zinhlangothi ziye zakuthonya kakhulu lokho abantu abakukholelwayo ngokuba nenjongo noma ukungabikhona kwayo endaweni yonke. Lokho okukholelwayo kungase kuyithonye indlela ozizwa ngayo nenjongo yokuphila kwakho. Kanjani?

Imiphumela Ebonakala Inengqondo Ngemfundiso KaDarwin

Ukukholelwa emfundisweni kaDarwin kubangele ukuba abantu abaqotho baphethe ngokuthi ukuba khona kwabo akunayo injongo yangempela. Uma indawo yonke nakho konke okukuyo kuwumphumela wezinto ezavele zazenzekela ngemva kwesiqalo semvelo, khona-ke akunakwenzeka ukuba ukuphila kube nenjongo yangempela. Isazi esesashona sezinto eziphilayo esathola uMklomelo kaNobel uJacques Monod sathi: “Umuntu useyazi ekugcineni ukuthi uyedwa kule ndawo yonke enkulukazi avela kuyo ngengozi. Isiphetho sokuphila komuntu asibhalwe ndawo ngokufanayo nomsebenzi wakhe.”

Uprofesa wokuthakwa kwamakhemikhali wase-Oxford uPeter William Atkins, uthi: “Ukuba khona kwale ndawo yonke eyingqayizivele ngikubheka njengento enhle futhi emangalisayo. Igcwele ubuhle, kodwa iyinto engenamsebenzi.”

Akubona bonke ososayensi abavumelana nalowo mbono. Futhi kunezizathu ezifanele ngempela.

Ukuhleleka Kwayo—Ingabe Buwubufakazi Bomklamo Onenjongo?

Lapho behlola imithetho yemvelo, abacwaningi abaningi abavumelani nombono wokuthi indawo yonke ayinanjongo. Ngokwesibonelo, abahlaba umxhwele amandla ayisisekelo alawula indawo yonke. Imithetho elawula la mandla ibonakala ihlelwe kahle kakhulu kangangokuba ibangela ukuba indawo yonke ikwazi ukusekela ukuphila. Isazi sendawo yonke uPaul Davies, sithi: “Ukuyishintsha le mithetho ekhona ngisho nakancane nje, kungaba nemiphumela ebulalayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma ama-proton abengaba nesisindo esingaphezudlwana nje kwesama-neutron, wonke ama-proton abengashintsha abe ama-neutron.” Ingabe bekungaba yinto embi kangako lokho? UDavies, uyachaza: “Ngaphandle kwama-proton namandla awo abalulekile kagesi, abengeke abe khona ama-athomu.”

Amandla kagesi anozibuthe adonsela ama-electron kuma-proton, okwenza ukuba kwakheke ama-athomu. Uma la mandla abengase abe buthaka kakhulu, ama-electron abengeke akwazi ukujikeleza ngaphakathi kwe-athomu, futhi ama-athomu abengeke akheke. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma la mandla abengase abe makhulu kakhulu, ama-electron abengabambeka ngaphakathi kwe-athomu angaphumi. Uma kunjalo-ke, ukushintsha kwamakhemikhali kuhlanganise nokuphila bekungeke kwenzeke nhlobo.

Umehluko omncane nje emandleni kagesi anozibuthe ubungakhinyabeza imisebe yelanga efinyelela emhlabeni wethu. Kalula nje umehluko onjalo ubungenza kube nzima noma ingenzeki nhlobo i-photosynthesis. Ngakho-ke amandla afanele kazibuthe kagesi yiwona anqumayo ukuthi ukuphila emhlabeni kuzoba khona noma cha.a

Incwadi ethi Science & Christianity—Four Views inendlela ethakazelisayo yokubonisa ukubaluleka kokuzinza kwamandla nezinye izakhi zendawo yonke. Umlobi wayo wacela abafundi ukuba babone ngeso lengqondo umhloli wamazwe evakashela “igumbi lokulawula indawo yonke” elingokomfanekiso. Lo mhloli wamazwe ubona amaqoqo amaningi ezinombolo angase ahlanganiswe akhiphe noma iyiphi inombolo, futhi uthola ukuthi ngalinye lawo kufanele lihlelwe ngendlela enembile ukuze ukuphila kube khona. Elinye lamaqoqo lihlela ubungako bamandla adonsela phansi, elinye lihlela amandla okudonsa emisebe kagesi enozibuthe, elinye lihlela isilinganiso phakathi kwama-neutron nama-proton, njalonjalo. Njengoba umhloli wamazwe ehlola lezi zinombolo ezihlukahlukene, uyabona ukuthi bezingahlelwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ngemva kokubala ngokunembile kuyamcacela ukuthi, ngisho noshintsho oluncane nje ohlelweni lwanoma yiliphi iqoqo belungashintsha ukwakheka kwendawo yonke kangangokuba ukuphila bekungeke kusaba khona. Kodwa, iqoqo ngalinye lihlelwe ngendlela enembe ngokufanele ukuze indawo yonke iqhubeke ikhona futhi kuhlaleka kuyo. Yisiphi isiphetho umhloli wamazwe okufanele asifinyelele ngendlela lezi zinombolo ezihleleke ngayo?

Isazi sezinkanyezi uGeorge Greenstein uthi: “Njengoba sihlola bonke ubufakazi, ubuya njalo umbono wokuthi kufanele kube namandla angaphezu kwavamile noma kuNothile ohilelekile. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi sithuke sesithola ubufakazi obungokwesayensi bokuba khona koMuntu Ophakeme?”

Ucabangani? Iyiphi incazelo efanelana kahle nokuhleleka okukhulu okubonakala endaweni yonke? Ingabe umklamo onenjongo noma inqubo engenangqondo?

‘Silapha Nje—Akukho Okwedlula Lokho’

Labo abakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akekho, nabo banombono ophikisana nalokhu. Abanye bayaphikisana nokuhleleka okubonakala emvelweni, ngokuthi: ‘Vele indawo yonke ebonakalayo iyakwazi ukusekela ukuphila kwabantu. Ukube ibingakwazi, besingeke sibe khona ukuze sikhathazeke ngayo. Ngakho-ke ayikho into okufanele ichazwe. Silapha, futhi akukho okwedlula lokho.’ Kodwa, ingabe lokhu ukuthola kuyimpendulo eyanelisayo ngokuba khona kwethu?

Enye impikiswano iwukuthi ngelinye ilanga kuyoba nobufakazi bokuthi linye kuphela iqoqo lezinombolo elingasebenza ezibalweni ezibonisa imithetho eyisisekelo yendalo. Okusho ukuthi amaqoqo ezinombolo okukhulunywe ngawo kwadingeka ukuba ahlelwe ngendlela efanele ukuze indawo yonke ibe khona. Abanye bathi, ‘Ami ngale ndlela ngenxa yokuthi vele kufanele ame ngale ndlela!’ Ngisho noma bekuthiwa le ndlela yokucabanga iyiqiniso, ibingeke inikeze incazelo efanele yokuba khona kwethu. Ngamafuphi, ingabe kwenzeka ngengozi ukuba indawo yonke ibe khona futhi ikwazi ukusekela ukuphila?

Bezama ukuchaza ngezinqubo ezingokwemvelo, umklamo nokuhleleka kahle okubonakala endaweni yonke, abanye baphendukela kulokho abaye bakubiza ngokuthi imfundiso yokuba khona kwezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zendawo yonke. Ngokwalo mbono, mhlawumbe siphila kolunye uhlobo lwendawo yonke—zonke zinezimo ezingafani, kodwa zonke azinayo injongo nomklamo. Manje ngokwale ndlela yokucabanga nemithetho ecatshangelwayo, uma kunezinhlobo eziningi zendawo yonke, ekugcineni enye yazo ibiyoba nezimo ezifanele zokusekela ukuphila. Kodwa, abukho nhlobo ubufakazi obungokwesayensi obusekela lo mbono wezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zendawo yonke. Kumane nje kuwukuqagela.

Ngemva kokusho ukuthi akavumelani nalowo mbono, uChristian de Duve oyisazi samakhemikhali ezinto eziphilayo futhi owathola uMklomelo kaNobel wathi: “Ngokombono wami, ukuphila nengqondo kuyizinto eziyingqayizivele ezinenjongo, kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi zikhona noma zingaba khona ezinye izinhlobo zendawo yonke okungenakuphileka kuzo. Ukuthi kunezinye izinhlobo zendawo yonke eziyizigidigidi akukunciphisi ukubaluleka kwendawo yonke esikuyo nezici zayo eziyingqayizivele, okunginikeza umbono wokuthi ‘Yaklanywa.’”

Ukuphila Komuntu

Liyamangalisa iqiniso lokuthi sikwazi ukwakha izinkolelo-mibono ngokuba khona kwendawo yonke. Endaweni yonke engenanjongo, ikhono elinjalo beliyoba umphumela wenqubo engenangqondo. Ingabe kunengqondo lokho kuwe?

Ingqondo yomuntu iye yachazwa ngokuthi “iyinto emangalisayo futhi eyinkimbinkimbi kunazo zonke endaweni yonke.” Alukho ulwazi emkhakheni wesayensi yezinto zemvelo noma yokuthakwa kwamakhemikhali olunganikeza incazelo eyanele ngekhono lomuntu lokucabanga ngokunengqondo nokufuna kwethu kabanzi injongo yokuphila.

Kungaba ukuthi ingqondo yomuntu nokufuna kwayo ulwazi, yaklanywa othile ohlakaniphile, noma yavele yaba khona ngokuzenzekelayo. Yikuphi kulezi zinto ezimbili okubonakala kunengqondo kuwe?

Ingabe Ikhona Enye Incazelo?

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi isayensi isifundise okukhulu ngendawo yonke, ngomhlaba nangemisebenzi yezinto eziphilayo. Kwabanye abantu, lapho isayensi isitshela okwengeziwe, “yilapho singaqiniseki nakakhulu ngokuthi saba khona kanjani.” Asiqiniseki ngempela, uma ukuba khona kwethu lapha kuwumphumela wokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kodwa, uma sisebenzisa amazwi omlobi wezesayensi uJohn Horgan, “yonke into esizungezile ibonakala iklanywe kahle kakhulu, futhi ngezindlela ezithile, yinhle kakhulu ukuba kungathiwa yaba khona ngengozi.” UFreeman Dyson oyisazi semvelo waphawula ngendlela efanayo: “Lapho ngiqhubeka ngihlola indawo yonke futhi ngifunda nemicikilisho yendlela eyakheke ngayo, ngithola ubufakazi obengeziwe bokuthi kufanele ukuba ngandlela-thile indawo yonke yayazi ukuthi siyeza.”

Uma sibheka lobu bufakazi—ukuba yinkimbinkimbi kwemvelo, ukuhleleka okuhle, umklamo obonakalayo, nokuphila komuntu—bekungeke yini kube nengqondo okungenani ukucabanga ukuthi kungenzeka abe khona uMdali? Isizathu esihle kakhulu sokwenza lokhu ukuthi uMdali kufanele akwazi ukusitshela indlela okwavela ngayo ukuphila nokuthi kunayo yini injongo—imibuzo isayensi engenakukwazi ukuyiphendula.

Le mibuzo iphendulwa imibhalo ebizwa ngokuthi iBhayibheli, noma ImiBhalo Engcwele, abalobi bayo abathi baphefumulelwa uMdali. Kungani ungakucabangeli lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngalezi zindaba?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 8]

Ingabe ingqondo yomuntu iwumphumela wenqubo engenangqondo?

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Yini Eyenza Kube Khona Isayensi?

Ucwaningo lwesayensi lukhona ngenxa yokuhleleka komhlaba ongokoqobo nangenxa yamandla nezinto ezisebenza ngendlela engachazeki, asebenza ngokubambisana ezimweni ezithile. Lokhu kungachazwa ngemithetho eyisisekelo yezibalo, imithetho yemvelo, imithetho yamakhemikhali njalonjalo. Ngaphandle kwalokhu kuhleleka, imisebenzi yesayensi, yobuchwepheshe kuhlanganise nokuphila ngokwakho akunakuba khona nhlobo.

Ngakho kuphakama imibuzo: Uyini umsuka wemithetho yemvelo? Kungani isebenza ngendlela esebenza ngayo? Abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi impendulo enengqondo kunazo zonke iwukuthi kunoKuhlakanipha Okuphakeme. Wena yikuphi okukholelwayo?

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

Ingabe Zavele Nje Zaba Khona?

Izinhlayiya zezakhi zofuzo noma i-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) ezisengqamuzaneni ngalinye eliphilayo zineziqondiso eziningiliziwe neziyinkimbinkimbi ezidingekayo ekwakhekeni kwezicubu. Nakuba i-DNA ithi ukuba yinkimbinkimbi kakhudlwana, ingaqhathaniswa nokwaziswa okusemshinini okuqoshwe kuyi-DVD. Uma ukwaziswa okufihlekile sekufakwe kuyi-DVD, uyakwazi ukubukela noma ulalele umculo. Ngokufanayo, nezinhlayiya ze-DNA ezime njengesitebhisi esenziwe ngentambo ephothiwe, zinokwaziswa okufihlekile okusekela konke ukuphila futhi kwenze izinto eziphilayo zihlukahluke—ubhanana uhluke kubhontshisi, amadube ahluke ezintuthwaneni nabantu bahluke emikhomeni.

Kunzima ukuthi kungaba khona ongasikisela ukuthi ukwaziswa okufihlekile okukuyi-DVD kungenzeka kube umphumela wento eyazenzekela. Kunengqondo-ke yini ukucabanga ukuthi ukwaziswa okuyinkimbikimbi ngezinga eliphakeme okukuyi-DNA kwavele kwaba khona?

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 6]

Sombrero Galaxy: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)