So because they don't teach, say, the ancient Greek view of mechanics alongside F=ma, physicists don't really believe Newton's laws of motion?
They would have no problem discussing "flat earth" theory, for instance, because they can make an ironclad case that the earth is a sphere while at the same time show those who believe otherwise are crackpots.
Yeah, that's how we teach science - by bringing up ridiculous theories and then demonstrating they're ridiculous. What a productive use of teaching time!
It was in school, geography class probably, that I learned that there used to be a theory that the earth was flat. It was in school, science class probably while learning about the elements that the teacher felt the need to tell us about the theory one of those Greeks had, maybe it was Aristotle, about everything being made of fire,water,etc.
Were my teachers just wasting time?