The Appeal to Tradition: Cultural Evolution and Logical Soundness

Abstract

The Appeal to Tradition, often considered to be unsound, frequently reflects sophisticated adaptations to the environment. Once developed, these adaptations are often transmitted culturally rather than as reasoned argument, so that people mayor may not be aware of why their traditions are wise. Tradition is more likely to be valid in a stable environment in which a wide range of variations have been available for past testing; however, traditions tend to become obsolete in a rapidly changing environment.

When normal is normative: The ethical significance of conforming to reasonable expectations

“…The existence of a longstanding norm might also imply that the practice is sustainable and effective-that it succeeds in achieving the goals of those who participate in it, like playing basketball, or ordering food. (A stronger claim posits that a longstanding practice, in surviving a type of natural selection, is likely to be adaptive (Harpine, 1993)).…”

Functionalism, Normativity and the Concept of Argumentation

“…Thus argumentation, like other communicative innovations like poetry, storytelling, and symbolic painting, seems to answer a need that human beings have that transcends the particularities of culture, language, or social, historical, or temporal context. For an overview of traditional forms of argumentation in diverse cultures see Harpine (1993). For a contemporary account of argumentation across cultures see Liu (1999). as to why we would still have argument in addition to these other communicative practices.…”