Ultracrepidarianism and Challenging Academia

Mihaela Mfarej | Editor

An ultracrepidarian is a person who criticizes, judges or gives advice outside of their area of expertise. This word I often associate with anyone who criticizes Graham Hancock and his work on ancient societies. By simply introducing new and intriguing theories into modern archaeology he has uprooted traditional schools of thought and has been completely outcasted by academic communities.

Graham Hancock is often regarded as a pseudoarchaeologist with his theories of ancient civilizations and the sophisticated megalithic structures that accompany them. Due to this label his research and publications are often criticized with scholars claiming them to be filled with logical arguments and fallacies. Within the past decade his efforts and theories have forced academia to question what they know and support.

Hancock doesn't regard himself as an archaeologist rather an investigative journalist. His focus has blossomed into extensive research around ancient civilizations as he challenges academia’s claims of when civilizations began. He most famously researches Göbekli Tepe and its sister site, Karahan Tepe in Turkey, the Younger Dryas climate event and Atlantis. Modern archaeology will claim no civilization more advanced than hunter-gatherers existed more than 5,000 years ago however, Hancock proposes that more elaborate societies existed over 12,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.

Authoritarian people feel threatened when they are questioned, they become defensive and dig their heels in to reinforce their thinking. They seek out individuals that will exist in an echo chamber with them. Individuals in power often exploit their authority within academics when they are consistently highly regarded and never challenged. The point of academics and studying is to question everything. The intention is not to believe everything or nothing but to cultivate a deeper understanding and enhance intellectual growth.

“The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or

question.” - Stephen Jay Gould