Appeal to Tradition

What is Appeal to Tradition?

Appeal to tradition involves claiming something is correct just because it has always been done that way, in other words, by appealing to tradition.

Example

"It’s been our tradition to marry within our own race, so whoever doesn’t follow it is wrong and disrespectful."

This is an appeal to tradition because it argues that a practice must be right or good just because it has always been done that way. The reasoning doesn’t consider whether the tradition is fair, ethical, or suitable in the present — it assumes tradition itself is the only justification.