I like the way you explain your positions. You're a refreshingly clear writer.

However, one question: How do you know you are indeed perceiving the whole elephant, and not just one of its parts?

The nature of science is that it evolves as we discover more. What was considered good science in 1920 is not necessarily considered accurate today.

The idea that 2024 science is the absolute truth, and will not change in the future I think is an equally dangerous mentality, often driven by human ego. When one asserts that "X does not cause Y," it often does this based on the underlying logic that what we know in 2024 is absolute truth.