Because of their professional preparat ion and experiences with science, physics teachers
have their own ideas about the nature of physics. They may perceive physics as universal and
objective or multicultural and subjective, or consider scientific knowledge as solid or in constant
flux. Physics teachers may see scientific truth as unreachable or accessible given enough time
and sophisticated instruments. They may see theories as permanent and powerful explanations or
temporary rat ionalizations. Physics teachers may see science and religions as complementary or
antagonistic, or see experiments as controlled and infallible or biased and impossible to
demarcate. They may see science and technology as independent constructs (theory versus
practice) or in close association (technology driven by science/science driven by technology).
Physics teachers may or may not differentiate between science and pseudo-science. Needless to
say, there is not necessarily a “right” way of thinking about the nature of our discipline.
Although not everybody agrees on the details of what should be included in a definiti on