(Commonly expressed as “It’s Like This Everywhere.”)[1]
When the existence or prevalence of a phenomenon is taken as evidence that it is right, natural, or unchangeable
Definition:
The Appeal to Nature Fallacy occurs when someone concludes that a situation, trait, or behaviour is right, justified, or inevitable simply because it exists in nature or is widespread among humans.
Philosophically, this reasoning reflects the is–ought problem—the mistake of moving from describing what is to prescribing what ought to be without valid justification.
In everyday conversation, it often appears in the form “It’s like this everywhere,” which assumes that if a phenomenon is universal or natural, it must therefore be right or unchangeable.
This fallacy is closely related to the Appeal to Popularity Fallacy, but instead of relying on what most people believe, it relies on what most people do or what simply exists in nature.
Typical structure of this fallacy:
- Phenomenon X exists and is common everywhere, or in nature.
- Therefore, phenomenon X is right, natural, or unchangeable.
Examples from real life:
1. In politics:
“In every country in the world, entering politics and becoming a politician does not require the wise education demanded by the second paragraph of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Therefore, it is pointless, you say, to insist that such education should be a prerequisite for becoming a politician.”
Here, it should be noted that the global prevalence of an educational deficiency does not necessarily mean that entering politics without such wisdom-based education is right or acceptable. Ignoring this education is a clear violation of the commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the conventions related to Article 26—a commitment which, in most countries, has been formalised into national law through government signatures and parliamentary approval. The absence of any requirement for this education is not a sign that it is unnecessary, but rather evidence of neglect or structural resistance to reform. Without confronting this fallacy and advancing the educational reform in question, achieving lasting peace among human beings and between humanity and nature will remain impossible, due to the lack of wisdom among politicians.
2. In social relations:
“Violence among humans has always existed and can be found in every society, so we can’t talk about a society without violence.”
Here, it should be noted that the long history or widespread occurrence of a behaviour is not, in itself, a reason for it to be justified or inevitable.
3. In general culture:
“All cultures have some form of gender discrimination, so it is natural.”
Here, it should be noted that the mere existence of a phenomenon in different cultures does not mean it is right or morally acceptable.
4. In lifestyle:
“All animals eat meat, so humans should too.”
Here, it should be noted that similarity between a human behaviour and that of animals is not, in itself, a valid logical or moral reason for that behaviour.
Why is this fallacy dangerous?
- It can present unjust or harmful situations as “natural” and block reform.
- By cloaking human behaviour in the “laws of nature”, one can make any criticism or change appear meaningless or impossible.
- It is often used alongside the appeal to popularity fallacy, drawing the conclusion “it should be this way” from the prevalence or general acceptance of a phenomenon.
How can we recognise and respond to it?
If you see that the existence or prevalence of a phenomenon is being used as the sole reason to consider it justified or inevitable, ask yourself:
– Is there evidence that this situation benefits everyone or is morally right?
– Are there examples of this situation being changed or reformed?
A suitable response might be: “The existence or widespread occurrence of a phenomenon is not, in itself, a reason for it to be right or unchangeable. We should look at independent evidence and reasoning.”
Conclusion:
The appeal to nature fallacy (“It’s like this everywhere”) is one of the most common reasoning errors and can prevent reform and progress. It draws a “should remain this way” conclusion from an existing reality, without offering any logical or moral justification. Its closeness to the appeal to popularity fallacy means that, in many discussions, the two combine to create a false sense of persuasiveness.
The fallacies of appeal to the majority(Appeal to Popularity), appeal to nature(It’s Like This Everywhere), and appeal to tradition can overlap, as all three rely on some form of uncritical external authority instead of independent reasoning.
[1] Philosophically, this fallacy is related to the “Is–Ought Problem” (David Hume), which refers to the invalid jump from describing what is to prescribing what ought to be.