ChangingMinds Web 

         

Home

Disciplines

Techniques

Principles

Explanations

Theories

Blog!

Quotes

Guest articles

Analysis

Book Reviews

Bookshop

Links

Caveat

Changes

Students!

Webmasters!

Contact

About

Guestbook

Site Map

Share this page:

Add to Google

 

 

Books and
more at:

USA:

In association with amazon.com

UK:

In Association with Amazon.co.uk

Canada:

In Association with amazon.ca

 

 

Appeal to Common Practice

 

Disciplines Argument > Fallacies > Appeal to Common Practice

Description | Discussion | Example | See also

 

Description

Many people do X. Therefore X is right.

If other people do something, then it is a reasonable thing to do.

Example

They were doing it, so I thought it would be ok to do it as well.

Oh come on, it's common practice!

Well then, are you going to join in, or what?

Discussion

This is often used as an excuse. When we uncertain about something, we turn to other people and assume they know what they are doing. This is also a method of influence in social groups, where pressure is put on people to conform.

Classification

Appeal, Deductive

See also

Appeal to Tradition, Appeal to Common Belief, Theories about conforming

 


 

  © Syque 2002-2008

TOP

Massive Content -- Maximum Speed