Today’s Logical Fallacy is… Appeal to Nature!



This fallacy stems from the idea that just because something is “natural” means that it is good, valid, justified, inevitable, or ideal. While many “natural” things are “good,” that doesn’t mean that all natural things are good and all unnatural things are bad. For example, infanticide is “natural;” that doesn’t mean it should be considered “good” or acceptable.




This is very popular with those who appeal to all-natural foods and alternative medicines and with those who reject medical intervention, especially the anti-vaccination crowd.

Examples:

You’ll never find any additives in our tobacco. What you see is what you get. Simply 100% whole-leaf natural tobacco. True authentic tobacco taste. It’s only natural.

Bob: “My father is terribly ill at the moment, but the doctors say this new treatment will save his life.”
Alice: “That treatment is unnatural. You need to accept that it’s your father’s time rather than trying to fight it.”

In-vitro fertilization or other medical interventions for infertility should not be an accepted practice because it’s not natural. If God wanted you to have children, he wouldn’t have made you infertile.

Humans get immunity to diseases without vaccines, and since vaccines are unnatural, we shouldn’t give them to children.

Natural drugs that come from the ground like cocaine aren’t really that harmful. Just stay away from the man-made stuff like meth.

High-fructose corn syrup is better for you than any artificial sweetener that a lab can produce.

“Rape is less sinful than masturbation because procreation is natural.”

“This granola bar is made from entirely natural ingredients. It’s good for you!”