Moralistic Fallacy: Determining Reality from Morals [#FallacyFridays]
Welcome to #FallacyFridays! Every Friday, I post a logical fallacy, or flaw in reasoning, that we should avoid making. Today’s logical fallacy is the moralistic fallacy. Make sure to read all the way to the end so you can take the quiz to test your understanding of the fallacy. 🤓
But before we get into it, I want you to know about a tool that may help you understand this and other fallacies. I know that some people learn better by writing or typing. If that is you, download this FREE digital copy of “#FallacyFridays: The Workbook.” It was designed to follow alongside #FallacyFridays lessons in order for you to better understand logical fallacies.
What is the Moralistic Fallacy?
The moralistic fallacy makes an assumption about morality and the way a thing exists. It assumes that both will always coincide, specifically that the way it exists can be concluded from our morals. For example, if I believe that monogamy is morally right and polyamory is morally wrong, then monogamy is a biological instinct and polyamory is a social construct. The inverse is also the moralistic fallacy at play: if I say monogamy is morally wrong and polyamory is morally right, then that means monogamy is a social construct and polyamory is a normal part of our biology.
The moralistic fallacy can be seen as someone making a conclusions about an “is” (how something is/isn’t) from an “ought” (our moral position).
The moralistic fallacy is defined as making an assumption that the “is” (or “isn’t”) derives from what someone believes “ought to” (or “ought not to”) be.
More Examples of the Moralistic Fallacy
Gambling is wrong, so obviously, the practice is a diversion from our non-gambling nature.
Stealing is right sometimes, so it makes sense that stealing appears at times in human history.
Lying is obviously wrong, so it does not align with our biology.
The moralistic fallacy is at play when the claim that something is right (or wrong) is followed by the conclusion that it is part of (or not a part of) how things are. Click To TweetQuiz Time
Now that you’ve learned about the moralistic fallacy, here’s a quiz to test your understanding. Which one of the following answer choices contains the moralistic fallacy?
A. Nudity is naturally occurring. Therefore, it is not morally wrong to be in the nude.
B. Smoking is bad for your health. Therefore it should be avoided to preserve your health.
C. Cancer is naturally occurring yet can result in death. Therefore, cancer is morally wrong.
D. It is right to stand up in the face of injustice, so it’s safe to say that standing up in the face of injustice is part of human nature.
Enter your answer choice below! 👇🏾
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