There's no dichotomy. Simply there is calling out a theory.

We look at the horizon and see flat. You're told not to believe that. It's a theory that even though it looks flat that the earth is actually a globe.

So I test the theory if it's a globe.

The theory does not pass common sense or basic math.

This is not dichotomy. Because I do not present another theory. I observe it's flat That's not a theory.

there is no theory of where we really are. Just calling out that we are not on a ball in space.