Appeal to nature

Practicalphilosophypsychologymedia

Etymology

The fallacy formalizes a folk assumption that the natural order carries a stamp of approval. It is a cousin of the naturalistic fallacy discussed by G.E. Moore, though the two are not identical — Moore’s concerns defining "good" in natural terms at all. Here the error is simply equating "natural" with "good."

  1. noun phrase · /uh-PEEL too NAY-chur/

    Arguing that something is good or right because it is natural, or bad because it is unnatural.

    What it names

    Breaks the reflex that treats "natural" as a synonym for "safe" or "moral," when many natural things are neither.

    Example

    "It’s a natural remedy, so it can’t hurt you" is an appeal to nature — hemlock is natural too.

    Related idea

    It often pairs with an appeal to tradition, which swaps "natural" for "how it’s always been done."

See also

Appeal to authorityAppeal to emotionAppeal to TraditionIs–ought problemNaturalistic fallacy