Appeal to Tradition Fallacy
Also known as: Ad Antiquitatem, Argument from Tradition
What is Appeal to Tradition?
An appeal to tradition occurs when someone argues that a practice, belief, or policy is correct, valid, or superior simply because it is traditional or has been done for a long time. The assumption is that longevity equals validity — if something has persisted for a long time, it must be good. However, many traditions have been abandoned precisely because they were found to be harmful, inefficient, or unjust upon closer examination.
Example
A company discussion about updating their hiring process.
“We've always done interviews this way for 30 years and it's worked fine. There's no reason to change the process now.”
The fact that a process has been used for 30 years does not mean it is optimal or even effective. Hiring practices have evolved significantly with new research on bias, structured interviews, and skills assessment. The longevity of a process is not evidence of its quality.
How to Spot It
- Longevity or tradition is cited as the main argument for maintaining a practice.
- Phrases like 'we've always done it this way' or 'it's tradition' are used as justification.
- No evaluation of the practice's actual effectiveness is provided.
- Change is resisted simply because it is change, not because of specific problems with the proposed alternative.
How to Counter It
- Ask for evidence that the traditional approach is actually effective, not just long-standing.
- Provide examples of traditions that were abandoned for good reason.
- Point out that 'it's always been this way' is a description, not a justification.
- Compare the traditional approach's outcomes with the proposed alternative's evidence base.
Related Fallacies
Check your arguments for logical fallacies
Try the Fallacy Checker