Icandelo 2

Inzululwazi—Iphulo Elingapheliyo Loluntu Lokufuna Inyaniso

Ukuqaliswa Kwephulo

“AKUKHO namnye omaziyo umntu wokuqala owafumana umlilo, owayila ivili, owavelisa isaphetha notolo okanye owazama ukucacisa ukuphuma nokutshona kwelanga,” itsho njalo iThe World Book Encyclopedia. Kodwa kona ukufunyanwa zafunyanwa, zayilwa, zaveliswa yaye zacaciswa, kwaye ihlabathi liye laguquka ukususela ngoko.

Ezi zinto ziphunyeziweyo zaba ngamanyathelo okuqala kuhambo lokufuna inyaniso obeluqhubeka ngoku kangangeminyaka emalunga namawaka amathandathu. Abantu bebesoloko befun’ ukwazi, befuna ukuqonda izinto eziphilayo nezingaphiliyo ezibangqongileyo. Bebekwanomdla wokusebenzisa oko bakufundayo, bekusebenzisa ngendlela eluncedo abaya kungenelwa ngayo. Uluntu beluqhutywa koku kunxanelw’ ulwazi kukokwemvelo nomnqweno wokulusebenzisa kweli phulo lingapheliyo lokufuna inyaniso yenzululwazi.

Kambe ke, loo malinge okuqala okusebenzisa ulwazi lwenzululwazi ayengabizwa ngokuba bubugcisa, njengoko esaziwa njalo namhlanje. Kakade ke nabantu ababesenza loo malinge babengabizwa ngokuba zizazinzulu. Enyanisweni, inzululwazi ngokwendlela yezi mini yayingekho nokubakho ukutyhubela iminyaka emininzi yobukho boluntu. Nangenkulungwane ye-14, xa imbongi eliNgesi uChaucer yasebenzisa igama elithi “science [inzululwazi],” yayithetha nje ngazo zonke iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zolwazi. Oku kwakuvisisana nemvelaphi yeli gama, elandwa ngokusuka kwibinzana lesiLatini elithetha “ukwazi.”

Isazinzulu Ngezilwanyana Sokuqala Sihlahla Indlela

Ingakhathaliseki indlela eyayibizwa ngayo ekuqaleni, inzululwazi yaqala kumyezo wase-Eden ngokukhawuleza xa abantu baqalisa ukuphanda ngehlabathi elibangqongileyo. Kwanangaphambi kokudalwa kukaEva, uAdam wathunywa ukuba athiye izilwanyana amagama. Ukuze akwazi ukuzithiya amagama afanelekileyo kwafuneka afundisise ngenyameko iimpawu kunye nezimbo zazo. Namhlanje oku sikubiza ngokuthi yinzululwazi ngezilwanyana.—Genesis 2:19.

Izibulo lika-Adam noEva, uKayin, ‘lakha umzi,’ ngoko kumele ukuba lalinolwazi olwaneleyo lwenzululwazi lokuvelisa izixhobo ezaziyimfuneko. Kamva, omnye kwinzala yakhe, uTubhalekayin, wayebizwa ngokuba ‘ngumkhandi wayo yonke impahla enobukhali yobhedu nesinyithi.’ Ngelo xesha, ulwazi ngezenzululwazi nezobugcisa ngokucacileyo lwaluhambele phambili.—Genesis 4:17-22.

Ngexesha laxa iYiputa yaba ligunya lehlabathi—lokuqala ukukhankanywa eBhayibhileni—ulwazi lwezenzululwazi lwaluhambele phambili ukusa kwinqanaba lokuba amaYiputa ayekwazi ukwakha iipyramid ezinkulu. Ngokutsho kweThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, ukuyilwa kwezi pyramid “kwenziwa ngokunempumelelo kuphela ngemva kokuzama iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, ekwathi kuzo kwaconjululwa neengxaki ezinkulu zobunjineli.” Ukuze ezi ngxaki ziconjululwe kwakufuneka ulwazi oluthe chatha lwemathematika yaye oko kwakubonisa ukuba babukho ubuchule obuthile benzululwazi obuhlobene nemathematika.

Kakade ke, ukufun’ ukwazi ngenzululwazi kwakungapheleliselwanga kumaYiputa kuphela. AmaBhabhiloni, ngaphandle kokwenza ikhalenda, avelisa iinkqubo zokubala nezokulinganisa. KwiMpuma Ekude, impucuko yamaTshayina yaba negalelo elibalulekileyo kwezenzululwazi. Kwaye ookhokho bokuqala bamaInca namaMaya kumazwe aseMerika bavelisa impucuko ehambele phambili eyathi kamva yamangalisa abahloli baseYurophu, ababengalindelanga ukuba izinto ezinjalo zingaphunyezwa “ngabemi bomthonyama ababesadla ngendeb’ endala.”

Phofu ke, asiyiyo yonke into aba bantu bamandulo ababeyigqala iyinyaniso yezenzululwazi, eyaguqukela ekubeni yechanileyo ngokwenzululwazi. IThe World Book Encyclopedia isixelela ukuba ngaphandle kwezixhobo ezibalulekileyo amaBhabhiloni azivelisayo ukuze aphande ngenzululwazi, “akwavelisa nenzululwazi yobuxoki yokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi [astrology].”a

IBhabhiloni Ikho Kulo Lonke

Kubafundi beBhayibhile iBhabhiloni yamandulo ifana nqwa nonqulo lobuxoki. Kwinkqubo yokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi eyayisenziwa apho, kwakukholelwa ukuba uthixo owahlukileyo wayelawula icandelo ngalinye lamazulu. IBhayibhile, efundisa ukuba kukho uThixo omnye oyinyaniso, ichanile ngokwenzululwazi xa ingavumelani nenzululwazi yobuxoki eyaziwa ngokuba kukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi.—Duteronomi 18:10-12; 1 Korinte 8:6; 12:6; Efese 4:6.

Unqulo lwaluyinxalenye esisiseko yobomi bomntu wokuqala. Ngoko kuyaqondakala ukuba ulwazi lwenzululwazi aluzange luzivelele ngokwahlukileyo kwiinkolelo neengcamango zonqulo. Oku kunokubonwa ngokukodwa kwicandelo lenzululwazi yezonyango.

IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Amaxwebhu amandulo abonisa ngabantu nezonyango eYiputa ebudeni boBukumkani Bakudala, abonisa ngokusisiseko ukuba umlingo nonqulo zazingenakwahlulwa nezonyango ezazisekelwe ngokuyinxenye kumava nemiphumo yolingelo yaye ngokuyinxenye zisekelwe kwingqiqo, nokuba eyona nkunkqele kwezomlingo kwibhotwe likafaro ngokufuthi yayikwasebenza njengogqirha oyintloko wesizwe.”

Ebudeni bobukhosi besithathu baseYiputa, umzobi weeplani zezakhiwo owaziwayo ogama linguImhotep wazuza udumo njengogqirha onobuchule obubalaseleyo. Ngexeshana nje elingaphantsi kwenkulungwane emva kokufa kwakhe, wayenqulwa njengothixo wezonyango eYiputa. Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesithandathu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wayenyuselwe kwisigxina sokuba nguthixo omkhulu. IBritannica ithi iitempile ezazinikezelwe kuye “ngokufuthi zazizaliswe ngabantu abagulayo ababethandaza baze balale apho beyisekile ukuba loo thixo wayeya kubatyhilela unyango emaphupheni abo.”

Abaphilisi baseYiputa naseBhabhiloni babephenjelelwa ziingcamango zonqulo kakhulu. IThe Book of Popular Science ithi: “Ingcamango eqhelekileyo ngezifo ngelo xesha, kwanakwizizukulwana ezalandelayo, yayikukuba imikhuhlane, ukusulelwa zizifo, iingqaqambo neentlungu zazibangelwa yimimoya emibi, okanye iidemoni, ezihlasela umzimba.” Ngenxa yeso sizathu ngokuqhelekileyo unyango lwaluquka iminikelo yonqulo, iziqalekiso okanye ukucengceleza amazwi obugqi.

Ekuhambeni kwethuba, ebudeni benkulungwane yesine neyesihlanu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ugqirha womGrike ogama linguHippocrates wayiphikisa le mbono. Waziwa kakhulu ngokukodwa ngenxa yesifungo sikaHippocrates, esaziwa ngokuqhelekileyo njengesibandakanya imigaqo yezonyango. Incwadi ethi Moments of Discovery—The Origins of Science ithi uHippocrates “wayekwaphakathi kwabantu bokuqala abakhuphisana nabefundisi ekufuneni inkcazelo malunga nokugula kwabantu.” Esebenzisa iindlela zenzululwazi kwezonyango, wafuna oonobangela bemvelo bezifo. Ukuqiqa namava aqalisa ukuthabatha indawo yeenkolo zonqulo nentelekelelo.

Ekwahluleni ezonyango kwiimfundiso zonqulo, uHippocrates wathabatha inyathelo eliya kwicala elichanileyo. Noko ke, nanamhlanje sisakhunjuzwa ngemvelaphi yezonyango engokonqulo. Uphawu lwayo, umsimelelo obhijelwe yinyoka ka-Asclepius, uthixo wezonyango wamaGrike, usenokulandwa emva kwiitempile zamandulo zokuphilisa apho iinyoka ezingcwele zazigcinwa khona. Ngokutsho kweThe Encyclopedia of Religion, ezi nyoka zazimela “amandla okuhlaziya ubomi nokuvuselela impilo.”

Kamva uHippocrates waziwa njengoyise wonyango. Kodwa oku akuzange kumkhusele ekubeni maxa wambi angachani ngokwenzululwazi. IThe Book of Popular Science isixelela ukuba ezinye zeemfundiso zakhe ezingekho ngqiqweni “zisabonakala zitenxile kuthi namhlanje” kodwa ilumkisa abezonyango nxamnye nokuzigwagwisa, isithi: “Ezinye zeengcamango zezonyango ngoku ezizezona zimiselwe ngokuzinzileyo kusenokwenzeka ukuba ziya kubonakala zitenxile kwisizukulwana esizayo.”

Ukwenza Inkqubela Ngokuthe Ngcembe

Ngaloo ndlela, ukufunyaniswa kwenyaniso yenzululwazi kuye kwaqhubeka ngokuthe ngcembe, kuquka ukwahlulwa kwenyaniso kwiimfundiso ezingachananga kwiinkulungwane ezidluleyo. Kodwa ukuze oku kwenzeke, oko kufunyaniswe sesinye isizukulwana kuye kwafuneka kudluliselwe ngokuchanileyo kwesilandelayo. Ngokucacileyo, enye indlela yokwenza oku, ibikukudlulisela ngomlomo, ekubeni abantu babedalwe benesiphiwo sokuthetha.—Thelekisa iGenesis 2:23.

Noko ke, le ndlela yokudlulisa oko kufunyanisiweyo, ibingenakuba yenokuthenjwa ngokupheleleyo ukuze inikele ukuchana okufunekayo kwinkqubela phambili yenzululwazi neyobugcisa. Ngokucacileyo kwakufuneka le nkcazelo ilondolozwe ikwimo ebhaliweyo.

Ixesha abantu abaqalisa ngalo ukubhala alaziwa. Kodwa xa baqalisayo, babenendlela emangalisayo yokudlulisela inkcazelo abanye ababenokwakhela kuyo. Ngaphambi kokuba kuveliswe iphepha—mhlawumbi eTshayina malunga nowe-105 C.E.—kwakubhalwa kwizinto ezifana namacwecwe odongwe, kwiphepha elenziwe ngomzi nakwizintsu.

Ngekwakungazange kwenziwe nkqubela iphawulekayo kwezenzululwazi ngaphandle kwenkqubo yokubala neyokulinganisa. Ukuveliswa kwazo kubaluleke ngokugqithiseleyo. IThe Book of Popular Science ngokubiza ukusetyenziswa kwemathematika ngokuthi “yinto esebenza kwizinto zonke” isikhumbuza ukuba “ukuphononongwa kwayo kuye kwakhokelela ekubeni kwenziwe inkqubela kwizinto ezininzi zenzululwazi ezibaluleke kakhulu.” Imathematika ikwasebenza “njengesixhobo esixabiseke kakhulu kwabo basebenza ngamachiza, kumagcisa ephysics, kwisazi ngeenkwenkwezi, koononjineli nakwabanye.”

Kwiinkulungwane ezidluleyo ezinye iinkalo ziye zongeza amandla angakumbi ekuphandeni ngenyaniso yenzululwazi. Ngokomzekelo, uhambo. IThe Book of Popular Science ichaza isithi: “Indoda ehambela kwilizwe lasemzini isenokufumanisa ukuba umdla wayo wokufun’ ukwazi ulolwa zizinto ezintsha ezibonayo, ezivayo, ezijojayo nezingcamlayo. Iya kubuza isizathu sokuba izinto zahluke ngolo hlobo kwilizwe lasemzini; yaye kumalinge ayo okwanelisa ukufun’ ukwazi kwayo, iya kuzuza ubulumko. Kwakunjalo kanye ngamaGrike amandulo.”

Ewe, Loo MaGrike Asoloko Ekho

Funda ngembali yonqulo, eyezobupolitika okanye eyezorhwebo yaye uya kufumana kusoloko kuthethwa ngamaGrike. Yaye ngubani ongazange eve ngezithandi zobulumko (philosopher, ngesiNgesi) zawo ezidumileyo, gama elo elithatyathwe kwigama lesiGrike elithi phi·lo·so·phiʹa, elithetha “ukuthanda ubulumko”? Ukuthanda ubulumko kwamaGrike nokunxanelwa ulwazi kwakusaziwa kakhulu kwinkulungwane yokuqala xa umpostile uPawulos ongumKristu watyelela ilizwe lawo. Wabhekisa kwizithandi zobulumko zamaEpikure nezamaStoyike, nazo ngokufanayo ‘nabo bonke abemi baseAtene, nabasemzini ababedlula apho ezazingazonwabisi nganto yimbi, ngaphandle kokuxela nokuva olona daba lutsha.’—IZenzo 17:18-21.

Ngoko akumangalisi ukuba kubo bonke abantu bakudala, amaGrike engawona ashiya elona galelo likhulu kwezenzululwazi. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica icacisa isithi: “Ilinge lentanda-bulumko yamaGrike lokunikela ingcamango yendalo iphela ukuze ithabathel’ indawo iintsomi ezimalunga nendalo nemvelaphi yayo ekugqibeleni lakhokelela ekufumanekeni kwezinto ezisebenzisekayo zenzululwazi.”

Enyanisweni, ezinye zezithandi zobulumko zamaGrike zaba negalelo eliphawulekayo kwiphulo lokufuna inyaniso yenzululwazi. Zalwela ukususa iingcamango nezimvo zabanduleli bazo ezazingachananga, ngoxa kwangaxeshanye zazisakhela phezu kwesiseko soko zakufumanisa kuchanile. (Bona imizekelo esebhokisini.) Ngaloo ndlela, izithandi zobulumko zamaGrike zangaphambili kunaye nawuphi na umntu wamandulo zezona zaphantse zacinga ngokufanayo nezazinzulu zanamhlanje. Ngokuzenzekelayo, de kwangala maxesha akutshanje, ibinzana elithi “intanda-bulumko yendalo” lalisetyenziswa ukuchaza amaca- ndelo awahlukahlukeneyo enzu-lulwazi.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha iGrisi ethanda intanda-bulumko yabhukuqwa ngokwezobupolitika buBukhosi bamaRoma obabusandul’ ukusekwa. Ngaba oku kwayichaphazela inkqubela yenzululwazi? Okanye ngaba ukufika kobuKristu kwakuza kwenza umahluko? Icandelo 3 kwakule nkupho liya kukuphendula oko.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 15]

“Izazinzulu” ZamaGrike Zangaphambi Kwexesha LobuKristu

UTHALES of Miletus (ngenkulungwane yesithandathu), waziwa ngokukodwa ngomsebenzi wakhe kwimathematika nangenkolelo yokuba amanzi abaluleke kwinto yonke, wayenendlela yokubuhlolisisa ngenyameko ubume bendalo, nto leyo iThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ethi “yayibalulekile ekuveleni kwengcamango yenzululwazi.”

USocrates (ngenkulungwane yesihlanu) iThe Book of Popular Science imbiza ngokuthi “ngumseki wenkqubo yokuphanda—owayesazi iilwimi ezininzi—nto leyo esondeleyo kumgaqo wenzululwazi yokwenene.”

UDemocritus of Abdera (ngenkulungwane yesihlanu ukuya kweyesine) wancedisa ekulungiselelweni kwesiseko sengcamango yeatom yendalo iphela kunye nengcamango yokungonakali kwezinto ezithile nokulondolozwa kwamandla.

UPlato (ngenkulungwane yesihlanu ukuya kweyesine) waseka iMfundo eyongezelelekileyo eAtene njengeziko lokwenza uphando olulungelelanisiweyo lwentanda-bulumko nolwenzululwazi.

UAristotle (ngenkulungwane yesine), igcisa elinolwazi lwebhayoloji, waseka iZiko Lemfundo, iziko lenzululwazi elaliphanda ngemibandela emininzi. Ngaphezu kweminyaka eli-1 500, iimbono zakhe zazibalasele kwiingcamango zenzululwazi, yaye wayegqalwa njengegunya eliphakamileyo lezenzululwazi.

UEuclid (ngenkulungwane yesine), eyona ngcali ibalaseleyo yemathematika yakudala, waziwa kakhulu ngokuqokelela ulwazi oluphathelele i-“geometry,” gama elo elivela kwelesiGrike elithetha “ukulinganiswa komhlaba.”

UHipparchus of Nicaea (ngenkulungwane yesibini), isazi ngeenkwenkwezi esibalaseleyo, nomseki wesifundo setrigonometry, wahlulahlula iinkwenkwezi ngobukhulu bokukhanya kwazo, nkqubo leyo ngokusisiseko esasetyenziswayo. Wayesandulela uPtolemy, ingcaphephe ebalaseleyo yesifundo sobume belizwe nesazi ngeenkwenkwezi senkulungwane yesibini ngeXesha Eliqhelekileyo nowandisa uphando lukaHipparchus waza wafundisa ukuba umhlaba usisazulu sendalo iphela.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Umsimelelo obhijelwe yinyoka ka-Asclepius, isikhumbuzo sokuba inzululwazi ivele kwiimpembelelo zonqulo