Appeal to nature

An appeal to nature is an argument that says a thing is good because it is 'natural', or bad because it is 'unnatural'.Moore, George E.: Principia Ethica, Barnes and Noble Publishing, Inc (1903, 2005) p. 47 It can be a bad argument for two reasons. First, not everyone agrees on what is "natural" or "unnatural". For example, eating meat is natural to some people and unnatural to others. Second, even if something is clearly natural or unnatural, that alone does not mean that the thing is good or bad. For example, many "natural" plants and animals are poisonous, but unnatural things like medicine and vaccines can be helpful against diseases. 

Examples
Some popular examples of the appeal to nature can be found on labels and advertisements for food, clothing, and health products. Labels may use the phrase "all-natural", to suggest that products are environmentally friendly and/or safe. However, a "natural" product may not be safe, environmentally friendly, or effective.

References

Related pages
Cognitive bias
Fallacy


Category:Philosophy