Appeal to Tradition: "We've Always Done It" Is Not a Moral Argument

Quick Answer

See also: "Eating meat is natural" for the core rebuttal of the appeal to nature. This page focuses specifically on the appeal to tradition -- the argument that because humans have always done something, we should continue doing it. This is a distinct logical error from the appeal to nature, and history is full of abandoned traditions. Many historical practices were common but later rejected when we recognized their harms. “Common” doesn’t equal “justified,” and moral progress often means changing old norms when better options exist. **Bottom line:** Tradition can explain behavior; it doesn’t morally validate it.