Forget about Science, did Chazal even know Torah?

It is well accepted within Modern Orthodoxy that Chazal did not know modern science, but rather relied on the (wrong) science of their day. Likewise, Chazal's values and beliefs were inevitably influenced by their surrounding culture, hence they believed in magic, demons, and whatever else. Of course it's also provable that Chazal did not know ANE history. All this is no chiddush (nore Kefirah), at least in MO.

But the real question is, did Chazal even know Torah?

According to the MO, Breishis is metaphorical - 'It's teaching you spiritual truths, it's not a science book' etc etc. However it is abundantly clear that Chazal took much of Breishis literally. So it turns out, according to the MO, Chazal didn't know basic peshat in Torah.

Of course according to Biblical scholars, and people who actually study evidence and try to be objective, it's clear that the Bible's authors meant Breishis about as literally as Chazal took it, at least in most parts. I suppose it's possible that certain Breishis stories e.g. Gan Eden, were initially meant as myth, but over time that aspect of it was lost, however the basic creation story of 6 days, firmament, waters etc was the generally accepted cosmology of ancient Mesopotamia, and there's no reason to assume it was originally written as myth. So it turns out, according to the skeptics, that Chazal did know Torah. Funny how things turn out.

Anyways, according to MO, Chazal didn't know science, didn't know history, didn't even know basic peshat in Breishis! So why do we accord them special privilege? Why do we go to great length to sacrifice, to even make life or death decisions based on people whose knowledge of anything wasn't very good? How rational is that?

I think the answer is that le'maaseh, we are not really doing that. Sure we keep up an appearance of following the mesorah, but that's a religious language game. In reality, we are using our sechel, the best modern science has to offer, and a cholent of values from 3000 BCE, 2000 BCE, 1000 CE, what we learned in day school and what the guy on TV said last night to try and figure it all out. And what's wrong with that?