'Nature of geographical science' : diagnosis and possibilities of the insertion of epistemology in geography education in school and teacher training

EnglishAbstract: Absent from the discussions about science teaching, Geography continues to transmit to the general public the degrading image of a purely descriptive discipline, with a merely recording role. However, given the nature of its object (the complex interface of natural phenomena and socioeconomic dynamics), it has a remarkable potential for an epistemological type of reading - a fact that should normally give rise to more insightful and elucidating teaching modalities. We present a general diagnosis of the content of current texts on (and for) Geography teaching, highlighting the still minimal incorporation of themes associated with philosophy and the history of science. portuguesResumo: Ausente das discussoes sobre ensino de ciencia, a Geografia continua transmitindo ao grande publico a imagem desabonadora de disciplina meramente descritiva e catalografica. No entanto, dada a natureza de seu objeto (a interface complexa de fenomenos naturais e dinâmicas socioeconomicas), ela possui notavel potencial para uma leitura do tipo epistemologica - fato que, normalmente, deveria oportunizar modalidades de ensino mais instigantes e elucidativas. Apresentamos um diagnostico geral sobre o conteudo veiculado em textos correntes sobre (e para) o ensino da Geografia, ressaltando a ainda discreta incorporacao de temas associados a filosofia e a historia da ciencia.