Knowledge Builders

is the golden rule a universal moral principle

by Miss Lelia Marquardt Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

The Golden Rule is a universal principle that says "treat others the way you want to be treated." The message of the Golden Rule is simple, universal and powerful and is the most prevalent and universal moral principle in human history.

Full Answer

Is the Golden Rule an important moral truth?

The viewpoint held in the Golden Rule is noted in all the major world religions and cultures, suggesting that this may be an important moral truth (Cunningham 1998). The Golden Rule underlies acts of kindness, caring, and altruism that go above and beyond “business as usual” or “usual care” (Huang, 2005).

What is the Golden Rule of treating others?

The Golden Rule: Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated. The golden rule is a moral principle which denotes that you should treat others the same way you would like to be treated yourself. For example, the golden rule suggests that if you would like people to treat you with respect, then you should make sure to treat them with respect too.

What are some criticisms of the Golden Rule?

Another notable criticism of the golden rule is the fact that, in certain situations, its application can lead to undesirable outcomes, when it conflicts with other guiding principles, including both moral principles as well as other types of principles, such as social or legal ones.

What is the Golden Rule in the Bible?

The Golden Rule is often described as ‘putting yourself in someone else's shoes’, or ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’(Baumrin 2004). The viewpoint held in the Golden Rule is noted in all the major world religions and cultures, suggesting that this may be an important moral truth (Cunningham 1998).

image

Is the Golden Rule a moral principle?

“Treat others as you would like to be treated” is a moral principle known as the golden rule. In one form or another, this principle is associated with the ethical codes in most religious traditions.

What is the principle of the Golden Rule?

The most familiar version of the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Moral philosophy has barely taken notice of the golden rule in its own terms despite the rule's prominence in commonsense ethics.

What moral theory is similar to the Golden Rule?

The principle of equality is similar to the Golden Rule, or the principle that one should treat others the way one would want them to treat oneself.

Is there universal morality?

No, there is no such thing as a universal morality, and it is somewhat surprising that people are still asking this question in the 21st century. Then again, that doesn't mean that anything goes, a la moral relativism.

Why the Golden Rule is flawed?

The “Golden Rule” is simple, yet shortsighted. By putting this rule up on such a pedestal, the Western world may have inadvertently set itself back over two millennia. The golden rule is fatally flawed because it requires no empathy whatsoever. Sociopaths and psychopaths can easily follow it.

Why is the Golden Rule significant?

It signifies the necessity to: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The concept is derived from the "Ethic Of Reciprocity," which Wikipedia describes as a "reciprocal" or "two way" relationship between one's self and others that involves both sides equally and in mutual fashion.

How does universal law differ from Golden Rule?

Universalizability: Kant & The Golden Rule Kant argued that the Golden Rule is inferior to this imperative: that since the Golden Rule does not contain principles of duties to one's own moral will, nor principles of “strict obligation to one another”, it could not be a universal law.

What does Kant's universal law mean?

One of Kant's categorical imperatives is the universalizability principle, in which one should "act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law.” In lay terms, this simply means that if you do an action, then everyone else should also be able to do it.

Is the Golden Rule virtue ethics?

In the formulation of the Golden Rule that states, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” it is the deed that is important. The alternative approach of virtue ethics focuses on habits, dispositions, character traits, etc.; in other words, not on actions but on the being of the person.

What is universal moral principle?

These fundamental and universal principles of morality include individual rights, freedom, equality, autonomy and cooperation. The theory that has the most cross-cultural empirical support is Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development, a cognitive development theory inspired by the work of Piaget.

What are universal ethical principles?

The Universal Declaration of Ethics Principles for Psychologists describes those ethical principles that are based on shared human values. It reaffirms the commitment of the psychology community to help build a better world where peace, freedom, responsibility, justice, humanity, and morality will prevail.

What is the universal moral code?

A universal moral code might be a set of underlying dispositions we are all born with. Or it might be a set of explicit norms and values humans might one day universally accept.

What is the biblical meaning of the Golden Rule?

Golden Rule, precept in the Gospel of Matthew (7:12): “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. . . .” This rule of conduct is a summary of the Christian's duty to his neighbour and states a fundamental ethical principle.

What does the Bible say about the Golden Rule?

Content. In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

What is the Golden Rule in religion?

The thing is that all major religions have the Golden Rule in Common. 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

What are the 10 golden rules?

10 Golden Rules of Life :Do whatever you want to do. ... Treasure your physical and mental health both. ... Be honest with yourself and take good care of yourself. ... Adapt two Personalities: Creativity and Persistence. ... Be kind to others and yourself. ... Learn good habits from everyone you meet. ... Move fearlessly with positivity.More items...•

What does the Golden Rule say?

The Golden Rule. The most familiar version of the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”. Moral philosophy has barely taken notice of the golden rule in its own terms despite the rule’s prominence in commonsense ethics. This article approaches the rule, therefore, through the rubric of building its philosophy, ...

What seems needed to philosophize ably about the Golden Rule?

As noted, these may be psychological rules for taking certain moral points of view, rules of problem solving, negotiation, making contributions to ongoing practices, interactions, and more unilateral actions. These components would be given a context of use and interrelated in crucially different ways, with suggestions for interrelating them further. Illustrations would be provided of their application and misapplication, at high, medium, and low quality. The resulting combination would be provided overall structure and comprehensibility which would include the rationales needed to explain and justify its components. Rationales for applying the procedures would allow unique and flexible alliances among components fit for particular functions and novel situations. This would encompass the best features of the otherwise inchoate rubric of a conceptual “tool-box.” The illustrations would encompass the best features of philosophically upgraded ethics codes. A range of corollaries would be provided for the rules involved, the golden rule family, for example, capturing the sorts of conventional expectations and practices presumed during the rules’ creation and development. These are of greatest importance to its practicality and success. And, of like importance, background frameworks would be provided for how to practice the rule, indicating the difference in orientation of the novice and expert user. How might we follow a recipe when cooking the way a chef who “knows his way around the kitchen” would?

How to connect agape with the golden rule?

A more likely path to connecting agape with the golden rule is to consider how we’d ideally wish to be treated by others and most wish we could treat them in turn. Wouldn’t we prefer mutual love to mere respect or toleration? This formulation has appeal though it ignores an important reality. Though we might wish to be treated ideally, we might not wish, or feel able to reciprocate in kind. Keeping mutual expectations a bit less onerous—especially when they apply to strangers and possible enemies—may seem more palatable.

What is the Golden Rule of Empathy?

The golden rule’s (emotional) empathy component is as unclear as its role-taking component . To empathize is not really to take another’s perspective. If we truly took that perspective, we would not have to empathize. Being in that perspective would moot an attempt to “feel with” it from another (Noddings 1984, Hoffman 1987). Even if we took the perspective without the associated emotion, our task would then be to conjure up the emotion in the perspective. It would not be to “feel with” anything. We’d be imaginatively in the other’s head and heart, imaginatively feeling their feelings directly. More, in any relevant context, the golden rule urges to think before we act, then imagine how we would feel, not how the other would. Thus any empathy involved would involve imaginatively “feeling with” myself, at a future time, recipient of another’s similar action. The point here is to supplant the other’s perspective and imagined reaction with our own. This is not how one empathizes. Emotionally, the appropriate orientation toward causing someone possible harm is worry or foreboding. Toward the prospect of doing future good, it’s anticipation of shared joy, perhaps. “Feeling with” or empathizing with others would be prescribed as, “Do unto others in a way that brings them the likely joy you’d happily share.”

What is the greatest help that the Golden Rule might seek from philosophy?

The greatest help that the golden rule’s common sense might seek from philosophy is a conceptual analysis of the “as you would have” notion (Matthew 7:12). This is a tricky phrase. Rendering the rule’s meaning in ways that collapses wish and want obscures important differences, as just noted.

What is the silver component of the Golden Rule?

First, the silver component of the golden rule merely bids that we do no harm by mistreating others—treating them the way we would not wish to be treated. There is a general moral consensus in any society on what constitutes harms and mistreatments, wrongs and injustices. So to obey this component of the golden rule is something we typically expect of each other, even without explicitly consulting a hallowed precept. Adhering specifically to the golden rule’s guidelines, then, raises no special difficulty. Its silver role is mostly educative in this context, helping us understand why we expect certain behavior from each other. “See how it feels” when folk violate expectations?

How long has the Golden Rule been around?

The approach is notably uninfluenced by the golden rule’s 2,500 year history. Of course, philosophy need not start from the beginning when addressing a concept, nor be confined by an original intent or design or its cultural development. The argument must be that the rule’s inner logic is the only active ingredient.

How to use the golden rule?

There are many examples of ways in which the golden rule can be implemented, in its various forms. For example: 1 If you want people to be polite to you, then you should be polite to them. (positive form) 2 If you don’t want people to be rude to you, then you shouldn’t be rude to them. (negative form) 3 If you want people to help you in a selfless manner, then you should also help them in a selfless manner. (positive form) 4 If you don’t want people to selfishly deny you help that they can give, then you shouldn’t selfishly deny them the help that you can give. (negative form) 5 If you wish positive things to someone else, then you also wish positive things to yourself. (empathic form)

How to implement the golden rule?

The basic way to implement the golden rule is to treat other people the way that you would want to be treated yourself. To help yourself do this, when considering a certain action toward someone, ask yourself “how would I like to be treated in this situation?”, or “how would I feel if someone treated me the way I’m planning to treat this person right now?”.

What is the negative form of the Golden Rule?

This suggests, for example, that if you don’t want people to say mean things to you, then you shouldn’t say mean things to them. Empathic/responsive form . The empathic formulation of the golden rule states ...

What is the golden rule of wish?

Empathic/responsive form. The empathic formulation of the golden rule states that when you wish something upon others, you also wish it upon yourself. This suggests, for example, that if wish ill toward someone else, then you are also wishing ill toward yourself.

Why is the Golden Rule not enough?

Specifically, in the example described above, the golden rule would not be enough to prevent that person from going to prison, because most individuals and societies choose to place other laws and ethical principles above the golden rule, while still taking the golden rule into account.

How many ways can the golden rule be formulated?

The golden rule can be formulated in three main ways:

What are some criticisms of the Golden Rule?

Another notable criticism of the golden rule is the fact that, in certain situations, its application can lead to undesirable outcomes, when it conflicts with other guiding principles, including both moral principles as well as other types of principles, such as social or legal ones.

What is the Golden Rule?

The Golden Rule guides people to choose for others what they would choose for themselves. The Golden Rule is often described as ‘putting yourself in someone else's shoes’, or ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’(Baumrin 2004). The viewpoint held in the Golden Rule is noted in all the major world religions and cultures, suggesting that this may be an important moral truth (Cunningham 1998). The Golden Rule underlies acts of kindness, caring, and altruism that go above and beyond “business as usual” or “usual care” (Huang, 2005). As such, this heuristic or ‘rule of thumb’ has universal appeal and helps guide our behaviors toward the welfare of others. So why question the Golden Rule? Unless used mindfully, any heuristic can be overly-simplistic and lead to unintended, negative consequences.

Why is the Golden Rule important?

The Golden Rule may also be an important factor in reducing the risk of neglect or mistreatment of residents. For example, a Food Service Director talks about the importance of simple acts that reflect a “Do unto others” perspective:

What is the Golden Rule of Do Unto Others?

The Golden Rule of “Do unto others…” is conveyed by these staff to imply that the highest standard of care possible is a driving force in their day-to-day actions with residents. The following quotation from a Medical Technician also invokes emotional attachment but highlights a significant limitation of the Golden Rule in providing care.

What is the Golden Rule of Direct Care?

Direct Care by “The Golden Rule”. We found multiple references in the data about how “The Golden Rule” guides people in resident care. Direct care staff described the Golden Rule as helping them to see the resident as a person (i.e., this could be my grandfather or some other family member) and this appeared particularly important when a resident was difficult to work with due to cognitive impairment or behavioral symptoms. In this sense, use of the Golden Rule can be beneficial to promote resident dignity and to avoid depersonalization, or production-line, “bed and body” care. This quotation embodies this notion:

When using the Golden Rule, consider the preferences of the person who is affected.?

When using the Golden Rule, consider the preferences of the person who is affected. This is described as “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them” (Bruton 2004; Huang, 2005). A corollary to the Golden Rule is respecting the autonomy of care recipients, engaging in thoughtful reflection and comparison of different courses of action that could be taken, and basing your actions on the known or imagined wishes of that person.

What is a heuristic rule?

A heuristic is a rule of thumb that people use to simplify potentially overwhelming or complex events. These rules of thumb are largely unconscious, and occur irrespective of training and educational level (Gilovich, Griffin & Kahneman 2002). Rules of thumb, such as the Golden Rule, allow a person to reduce a complex situation to something manageable—e.g., ‘when in doubt, do what I would want done’. Because it is a simplifying tool, however, the Golden Rule may lead to inappropriate actions because important factors may be overlooked.

What is the golden rule?

Golden Rule. The Golden Rule is a prominent rule which states that “Do unto others as you would have others to do unto you” which has been applied and referenced in the business literature (Mattingly, 2012). The golden rule requires that we should only do good to others because we expect them to do good to us.

What is the Golden Rule of Virtue Ethics?

In tandem with the Golden Rule, virtue ethics requires that one should reason and make choices based on honesty. That is, one should always act with good intention by doing the right thing (Carroll, & Buchholtz, 2014). Therefore, Virtue ethics necessitate that Luke should act in good faith and that his decision should only be influenced by good ...

What are universal ethics?

Universal ethics are accepted principles. These principles require that what we do should be what is acceptable to all people regardless of religion, gender, race, and other social differences. According to Melé & Sánchez-Runde (2013), Universal ethics can be perceived as a form of moral constitution which is expressed as a set of specific ethical principles that can be applied to each and every individual being, out of the set standards or ‘constitution,’ all other secular groups or religions can come up with or maintain their additional principles that are considered ethical. Examples of such ethical standards which are considered to be self-evident and apply to all individuals regardless of social, political, religion or cultural context include non-aggression principles that limit aggression or using force or violence against other people (Melé & Sánchez-Runde, 2013). Such aggressions include; rape, kidnapping, murder, robbery, and theft among others.

How does the Golden Rule apply to Luke?

This implies that Luke should make a decision that will promote good in the society by ensuring that Owen gets the best deal when selling his property. On the same note, the Golden Rule requires that we should do to others what we expect others to do for us. To apply the Golden Rule, it is important that you imagine yourself in the exact place of another person who you are doing something to. It necessitates that you pause briefly and imagine yourself accurately and vividly in the other person’s position. As such, Luke should put himself on his brother Owen shoes and imagine vividly on what Owen would have done in his position. The decision he makes should be what he expects his brother to do to him if he was in his position.

What is Luke's moral duty?

However, Luke has the moral duty to help his brother make a better decision to make life better and promote good things. Therefore, an ethical dilemma that arises is whether or not Luke should tell his brother about his company plans and how it may affect the real estate market.

What is utilitarianism based on?

Utilitarianism, just like any other forms of consequentialism, is based on the notion that actions are morally right or wrong depending on their effects. To be specific, the only outcomes of actions that are relevant are the good or bad outcome that they produce.

What is the goal of morality?

According to Hayry, (2013), the goal of morality is to make life better by escalating the number of good things, for instance , happiness and pleasure in the society and reducing the number of bad things such as unhappiness and pain.

image

Introduction

Quotes

Significance

Purpose

Assessment

Themes

Issues

Benefits

Status

Analysis

Origin

  • The golden-rules distinctness, here, is seen relative to its origins. The original statement of the golden rule, in the Hebrew Torah, shows a rule, not an ethical principle, much less the sort of universal principle philosophers make of it. It is one of the simpler and most briefly stated dos and donts among long lists of particular rules in Leviti...
See more on iep.utm.edu

Function

Criticism

Advantages

Example

Philosophy

1.The Golden Rule’s power points to a universal moral …

Url:https://scienceandmorality.com/2018/10/02/the-golden-rules-power-points-to-a-universal-moral-principle/

15 hours ago  · Consistent with the title, the Golden Rule is a heuristic (a usually reliable, but necessarily flawed, rule of thumb) that points to the moral theory that “Behaviors that increase …

2.Universal Morality and the Golden Rule(s) - Medium

Url:https://medium.com/swlh/universal-morality-and-the-golden-rule-s-2a05f3939401

12 hours ago  · The golden/silver rule has, of course, been criticized — though whether a given ethical principle is defective in some ways is yet again an entirely different question from …

3.Should the Golden Rule be a universal moral principle?

Url:https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-the-golden-rule-be-a-universal-moral-principle?v=no#!

2 hours ago Should the Golden Rule be a universal moral principle? Add a New Topic; Add to My Favorites Debate This Topic; Report This Topic; Should the Golden Rule be a universal moral principle? ...

4.The Golden Rule | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Url:https://iep.utm.edu/goldrule/

11 hours ago  · The Golden Rule Is Still Not Much of a Moral Principle. Charter for Compassion is yet another group of people who for some reason think the Golden Rule (“do unto others as you …

5.The Golden Rule: Treat Others the Way You Want to Be …

Url:https://effectiviology.com/golden-rule/

28 hours ago The golden rule is a moral principle which denotes that you should treat others the way you want to be treated yourself. For example, the golden rule means that if you want people to treat you …

6.Reflections on the Criticisms of the Golden Rule as a …

Url:https://arjess.org/reflections-on-the-criticisms-of-the-golden-rule-as-a-moral-principle/

8 hours ago  · The term Golden Rule is used in reference to the maxim that dictates do unto others as you would have them do unto you whether positively or negatively. Although the GR is …

7.Should the Golden Rule be a universal moral principle?

Url:https://www.debate.org/opinions/should-the-golden-rule-be-a-universal-moral-principle?v=yes

2 hours ago Should the Golden Rule be a universal moral principle? 71% Say Yes 29% Say No ...

8.“The Golden Rule”: Only a starting point for quality care

Url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636677/

15 hours ago The viewpoint held in the Golden Rule is noted in all the major world religions and cultures, suggesting that this may be an important moral truth (Cunningham 1998). The Golden Rule …

9.Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics, Golden Rule, and Virtue …

Url:https://paperperhour.com/utilitarianism-universal-ethics-golden-rule-and-virtue-ethics/

16 hours ago  · Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics, Golden Rule, and Virtue Ethics. By Evans May 23, 2020. Golden Rule. The Golden Rule is a prominent rule which states that “Do unto others as …

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9