Natural and Unnatural: Appeal to Nature Fallacy

[DISCLAIMER]

In my blog entry Philosophy Consists of Three Parts: The Moral, the Natural, and the Rational, I discussed the notion of philosophy being comprised of “the moral, the natural, and the rational” aspects of life. Regarding the current blogpost, I’ll focus on the component of nature.

Because this term may be comprehended in various ways, it may be useful to define how it’s used in this post. For clarity, the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines nature:

1. the entirety of physical reality.

2. the phenomena of the natural world, including plants, nonhuman animals, and physical features, as opposed to human beings and their creations.

3. the fundamental or inherent qualities of something.

4. the innate, presumably genetically determined, characteristics and behaviors of an individual. In psychology, the characteristics most often and traditionally associated with nature are temperament, body type, and personality.

Noteworthy, the APA highlights “nonhuman animals,” inferring that humans are a category of animal. According to one source, “Although the word animal is colloquially used as an antonym for human, and contrary to a common biological misconception, humans are animals.”

I note this distinction, because in childhood I was taught that humans weren’t animals. Given the religious tenets up with which I was raised, humans were said to have been uniquely different to our nonhuman animal contemporaries. As an example of this worldview, one source states:

Despite the claims and beliefs of many, humans are not animals. At the heart of this issue lies this question—where did humans come from? In other words, did we evolve or were we created? This question is foundational to both evolution and Christianity, two worldviews that are in direct opposition to one another.

I was taught a similar perspective which, as it turns out, is self-contradictory. Nonhuman animals and humans, if one chooses to draw a meaningful distinction between the two, are both created by some process and have evolved to some degree over time.

However, the purpose of the current blogpost isn’t to litigate this matter. Rather, I note that people have contrasting views regarding nature. For the sake of the current entry, as it pertains to philosophy, I’m operating from the framework that nature defined by the APA simply exists.

Also worth noting, “natural” may be defined as being in accordance with or determined by nature (e.g., natural impulses), as well as based on an inherent sense of right and wrong (e.g., natural justice), or formulated by human reason alone rather than revelation (e.g., natural rights).

Just as there are conflicting perspectives on nature, people maintain differing views on what is or isn’t natural. For instance, I invite you to consider a relatively controversial outlook which is based on views of what is or isn’t of nature and which is or isn’t natural. Per one source:

Past theorizing on the evolution of rape adduced the hypothesis that this act constitutes the behavioral expression of a mechanism which has evolved to enable men of low mate value to circumvent female choice.

This has recently been questioned on the grounds that during human evolution, women’s mate choices were controlled by their parents. It, therefore, remains unclear which were the evolutionary forces likely to have shaped this mechanism and whether such a mechanism exists in the first place.

Regarding scientific examination, charitably granting the premise that anthropology is a valid form of retrospective science, discussing whether or not rape is or was a natural mating strategy in a state of nature regards conjecture (inference formed without proof or sufficient evidence).

For the sake of argument, let’s suppose that rape is a vile, though effective, mating strategy for nonhuman and human animals alike. Even as we may agree that humans preferably shouldn’t rape one another, rape occurs in virtually all cultures, nations, and social settings.

We may also consider that rape isn’t more prevalent, because of socially-constructed binding customs or practices of a communities, states, nations, and so forth. From this view, behavior which is plausibly of nature (physical reality) has been deemed unnatural (unacceptable).

Perhaps our earlier human ancestors employed rape as a natural mating strategy, perhaps not. I have no way of traveling back in time to gather evidence to support or refute this claim. Still, in modernity, rape is deemed an unnatural act that warrants punishment for offending parties.

Photo credit, Designed by Magnific, fair use

Thus, while nonhuman animals may naturally rape one another, human animals are expected to overcome our nature in this regard. If you’re able to sit with this uncomfortable consideration, I applaud your effort. With this framing of the topic, I now turn to a book that I’ve been reading.

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius who stated, “You’ll more quickly find an earthly thing kept from the earth than you will a person cut off from other human beings” (page 327). Providing their view of this quote, the authors state (page 327):

Naturally, Marcus Aurelius and the rest of the Stoics were not familiar with Newtonian physics. But they knew that what went up must come down. That’s the analogy he’s using here: our mutual interdependence with our fellow human beings is stronger than the law of gravity.

Philosophy attracts introverts. The study of human nature can make you aware of other people’s faults and can breed contempt for others. So do struggle and difficulty—they isolate us from the world.

But none of that changes that we are, as Aristotle put it, social animals. We need each other. We must be there for each other. We must take care of each other (and to allow others to care for us in return). To pretend otherwise is to violate our nature, to be more or less than what it means to be a human being.

At this point, you may wonder why I began by discussing what is of nature and what is natural, and why I addressed the controversial topic of rape—framed through the unfalsifiable hypothesis of rape serving the function of a mating strategy for nonhuman and human animals.

If you’re able to tolerate discomfort regarding the conflicting views of human nature, in particular what is or isn’t viewed as naturally acceptable or unacceptable, then I invite you to consider that what authors of The Daily Stoic propose is a matter of subjectivity.

Whereas “subjective” regards what is characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind, “objective” relates to expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations.

From a subjective view, human nature is a matter of perception (understanding or interpretation of physical sensation) which is unique to each individual. Ergo, although the entirety of physical reality (i.e., nature) may be objective, human nature isn’t as straightforward as Stoics posit.

Specifically, some humans may be “social animals,” though others simply aren’t. For example, in a blogpost entitled Asocial Togetherness: Me, Myself, and I, I stated, “I prefer a ‘me, myself, and I’ way of life.” Subjectively, for the most part, I don’t like spending time with other people.

Some people rape as a mating strategy. Some people find rape to be a repugnant act. Some people socialize. Some people aren’t “social animals.” Given this framing of the matter, I propose that authors of The Daily Stoic have committed a fallacy, about which one source sates:

Appeal to Nature

Argumentum ad Naturam

Description: When used as a fallacy, the belief or suggestion that “natural” is better than “unnatural” based on its naturalness. Many people adopt this as a default belief. It is the belief that is what is natural must be good (or any other positive, evaluative judgment) and that which is unnatural must be bad (or any other negative, evaluative judgment).

The appeal to nature fallacy is often confused with the naturalistic fallacy and the moralistic fallacy because they are quite similar. The appeal to nature, however, specifically references “natural” or “unnatural” and can also make a non-moral judgment such as “beautiful” or “destructive.”

Logical Forms:

X is natural.

Y is not natural.

Therefore, X is better than Y.

That which is natural is good, right, beautiful, etc.

X is natural.

Therefore, X is good, right, beautiful, etc.

That which is unnatural is bad, wrong, destructive, etc.

X is unnatural.

Therefore, X is bad, wrong, destructive, etc.

Example #1:

I shop at Natural Happy Sunshine Store (NHSS), which is much better than your grocery store because at NHSS everything is natural including the 38-year-old store manager’s long gray hair and saggy breasts.

Explanation: I can appreciate natural food and products as much as the next granola-eating guy, but to make any claim of “betterness”, one needs to establish criteria by which to judge. Perhaps not paying almost twice as much for the same general foods is “better” for me. Perhaps I prefer a little insecticide on my apple to insects inside my apple, and maybe I like faux brunettes with perky breasts due to “unnatural” bra support.

Natural is not always “better”.

Imagine that in nature rape is a natural mating strategy. I argue that natural in this regard isn’t better. Likewise, authors of The Daily Stoic posit that humans need each other, must be there for each other, must take care of each other, and that to pretend otherwise is to violate our nature.

This proposition infers that it’s natural to behave in accordance with their postulation of human nature, as it appeals to betterness. I reject this appeal to nature fallacy! Understandably, my stance is peculiar when considering that I’m a counselor and social worker by trade.

My subjective human nature may be deemed unnatural for a psychotherapist, in contrast to what the authors ostensibly posit is objectively natural, yet this is as I am. I’m an asocial individual who considers rape a reprehensible act, as I apparently exist in defiance of supposed nature.

Explicitly, I don’t need to appeal to nature—evaluating what is natural or unnatural—in order to arrive at my subjective conclusion. I simply exist as is, recognize that others maintain contrasting views, and I unconditionally accept that not all human animals are the same. How about you?

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

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