ading
Since: Jan, 2011
Oct 15th 2011 at 5:26:56 AM
•••
I think it really is only a fallacy if there was no actual reason to do the thing in question. Snakes do bite, babies do scream, and bears do maul, but in Real Life, they have a reason to do it. Also, I would say a lot of people probably DO blame snakes and bears for biting and mauling people. Noone blames babies for screaming, but that's because babies are really cute.
Edited by ading I'm a Troper!!!
ading
Since: Jan, 2011
Aug 10th 2012 at 6:06:43 AM
•••
Actually, maybe a better distinction would be to say it only applies to sentient creatures, who have the intelligence to make moral distinctions. Snakes, bears, and babies have no sense of morality, so this does not apply to them.
I'm a Troper!!!
Is this really a logical fallacy? After all, do we really blame snakes for biting, babies for screaming and bears for mauling? Any single claim of course about inherent nature might be factually wrong, and thus should not be taken seriously, but if a claim about inherent nature is right factually then I don't see how it's a fallacy to say that's the way x are, so we can't hold it against them. Perhaps we might take actions to limit the damage, but that's different.
Hide / Show Replies