I personally believe that e.g. the Maxwell equations, Newtons gravitational laws, even Einsteins equations - do describe special cases of something more general.

I certainly can't, and won't argue with that. The great unifying theory is the Holy Grail of the subject.

I'm not so sure about the rest of it; but then I'm not that sure about anything to do with this subject. Every time I think I've got a handle on some corner or other; I read yet another learned opinion and learn better; or different; or less.

I often find myself thinking, usually late at night or early hours, that I've suddenly had some, fleeting, nebulous, breakthrough in my understanding of some aspect or other; but when I wake up in the morning, I'm all better :)