DaasYochid:I know very little and would never question a maamar chazal. However, it is difficult for anyone to pinpoint why there are punishments. This is why I never suscribed to the satmarer shittah on the Holocaust.I am not sure why using the word “disturbing” is so…disturbing! Nonetheless, when you say we can never challenge matters of “hashkafa’ coming from chazal- no one can challenge matters that deal with “Ikrey hadas” and certainly not on halacha. Yet,even you may admit that what is written about science, animals, physical functions are not always accurate. Is that “hashkafa”?
Sam2- we are bound rigidly by certain clasifications when it comes to halacha. Mishneh, gemoro, geonim, Rishonim and acharonim. But this is for halacha. When it comes to so-called hashkafa, we see that the Rambam’s views were not accpeted by his contemporaries and even acharonim (see the Gro, for example) and you would be very surprised when you see what some perushim al hatorah by various commentators (Ibn Ezra,Rabi Avrohom be Horamabam, Abarbanel)say. Very drastcially different than the accepted versions.
To ask questions about matters of logic, hashkofo, physical matters is permissible. To dispute matters of halacha of previous rishonim is out of bounds.