Naturalistic Fallacy
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This page is part of the EvoWiki encyclopedia of fallacies. |
Contents |
Synonyms
- Is-Ought
- Appeal to Nature
Explanation
The naturalistic fallacy is the belief that what is natural is necessarily good (and that what is unnatural is bad). That is, what is is also what ought to be (hence is often called the is-ought fallacy). Creationists often apply the naturalistic fallacy to natural selection ("survival of the fittest"), as part of their continuing campaign of anti-evolutionary propaganda. In nature the weakest (least fit) die, so the naturalistic fallacy says that we should dismantle welfare states and withhold charity and health care, to leave poor and ill people to die, or even to exterminate the weak.
The naturalistic fallacy is often coupled with genetic determinism when applied to sociobiology, and even scientists like Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin can run afoul of it. Gould and Lewontin's opposition to human nature was based on the moralistic fallacy - the fallacy that what ought to be true is true.
The naturalistic fallacy is also used in arguments against genetic engineering, pro-organic/natural foods (which are actually unnatural, having been subject to artificial selection) and in argument for many pseudosciences especially alternative medicine. The naturalistic fallacy has been used in the debate about homosexuality and other alternative lifestyles.
Examples of the naturalistic fallacy
- Cloning and genetic engineering are wrong because they are unnatural.
- Moral arguments for vegetarianism are wrong because animals are eaten in nature.
- Homosexuality is wrong/right because it is unnatural/natural.
- Darwinian selection occurs is a dominating effect in nature and hence ought to be in society as well -see social darwinism.
Related Fallacies
Twin Fallacy
Examples in creationist arguments
- Evolution leads to social darwinism
- Evolution is the foundation of an immoral worldview
- Survival of the fittest implies might makes right
- Evolution encourages promiscuity and lust
- Evolution teaches that we are animals and to behave as such
- Homosexuality receives approval from evolutionists
- Evolution asserts that human thoughts and behaviors are dictated by our biology and environment
- Evolution is racist
