[split] Authority and the Appeal to it.

[Koen G]

And I'm no less guilty of this, I too take the expert's opinions with fewer grains of salt more often than not

This is the natural thing to do, when you are yourself not well-versed enough in the subdiscipline at hand.

Expertise doesn't have to corelate with a degree or academic position, though it often does. I spent so much time studying fashion of the early 15th century, that I can tell when an entry in Eggy's list is not dated to the correct half of the 15th century. But I would make a huge fool of myself if I were to join in on a conversation between experts on 13th century dress. 

The problem is that being on Dunning-Kruger's "Mount Stupid" and having actual expertise feel just the same, with the only difference that the former provides more self confidence.