The world is managed by hoaxes.
One of the most damaging is Darwin’s theory of evolution. It was “confirmed” as settled science, and the correct conclusion, its corollary, was that the Bible was fiction and there is no God.
However, later science confirmed that Darwin’s writings were fiction, but the fictitious corollary was, ahem, allowed to stay in place, as firm as ever.
Absolutely agreed!
I think that is about right.
I remember debates about the fossil record. Darwin admitted that the fossil record did not support his theory. He argued that someday it would. That is a little peculiar. He was saying, in effect, have faith - though he did not use those words.
With the passage of time many fossils were found. Critics said there were still too many large gaps. Defenders of consensus labelled all critics as “creationists.” They used slander and intimidation, as they still do today.
Gould and Eldredge came up with their punctuated equilibrium theory of evolution. They had the right credentials. They believed in evolution. They slammed “creationists.” They were on the “right” side.
They admitted “the dirty little secret of paleontology”: that the fossil record had too many large gaps to support Darwin’s theory. For the few who paid attention to matters of fact, the critics (so-called creationists) were right all along. No credit was given for being right as this had become a matter of taking sides, not taking the side of truth and civility.