Here's why:
* It's not a proper noun: It's a noun describing a person who studies or works with pretology, which is likely a field of study or practice.
* It's not a title: Unlike titles like "Professor" or "Doctor," which are capitalized when used before a name, "pretologist" is simply a descriptive term.
Example:
* Incorrect: The Pretologist presented their findings at the conference.
* Correct: The pretologist presented their findings at the conference.
Note: If "Pretology" is the name of a specific organization or institution, then it would be capitalized.