This is so true. There is an awesome Terry Tao / 3blue1brown collaboration that explicates the epistemological basis: Terence Tao on the cosmic distance ladder

Pt 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdOXS_9_P4U

Pt 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFMaT9oRbs4

Commentary and Corrections: https://terrytao.wordpress.com/2025/02/13/cosmic-distance-la...