Moralistic fallacy
Also called: Ought implies is
Assuming that because something would be good, it must be true, or that because it would be bad, it can't be.
How to spot it
“That can't be true; it would be terrible” given as the reason.
Example
“It can't be true that hard work doesn't always pay, because that would be unfair.”
How to answer it
Separate what you would like from what is. Check the facts first, then decide what to do about them.
Related
- Is-ought: Moving from how things are to how they should be without saying why.
- Wishful thinking: Believing something because you want it to be true.
- Appeal to nature: Claiming something is good because it is natural, or bad because it isn't.
- Appeal to consequences: Judging whether something is true by whether its results are pleasant.