Everyday Morality Part Three
Short and sweet, Just Like I said I Would!
Golden Rule Morality
The final and I feel easiest to understand of my three
current installments is very simply the “Golden Rule” or in slightly fancier
sounding words “the ethic of reciprocity”
Just in case anyone does not know what the Golden Rule is, I
will state it below:
“Treat others as you wish to be treated”
Simple, Elegant, and functional
It is also a common and wide spread idea, Not always in the
same words. It appears in many ways of thought including many (if not all)
religions.
And according to our good friend Wikipedia (just to see how
far the internet claims the rule is spread)
“in 1993 the “Parliament of World
Religions” signed proclaimed the Golden Rule.("We must treat others as we
wish others to treat us") as the common principle for many religions.
The Initial Declaration was signed by 143 respected leaders from all of the
world's major faiths, including Baha'i Faith, Brahmanism, Brahma Kumaris,
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Indigenous, Interfaith, Islam, Jainism,
Judaism, Native American, Neo-Pagan, Sikhism, Taoism, Theosophist, Unitarian
Universalist and Zoroastrian.”
And includes dates of examples of the Golden Rule as far
back as ancient Egypt with dates ranging back to 2040 B.C.E. (that puts us just under 4000 years of
treating others as we wish to be treated!!!)
The only problem that does not appear to be self correcting
with the Golden rule that I can think of would be in people with severe mental
problems. Say someone who desired to die (desiring this beyond all rationality),
so he (Using this principle) he started killing people. For the example I rule out rationality,
because were one to start thinking about forcing a strange desire on others
(because that is what he/she desired) would still not want someone else to
force a conflicting desire on them, therefore would not force her/his desire on
others.
Because, To truly treat someone how you wish to be treated,
you must take into account their tastes just as you desire for others to take
into account your tastes.
A very on topic example.
My friends and I, A mix of theists and non-theists, are
spending time together. None of us attack/joke about the beliefs of the others.
Even though the non-theists would enjoy if others would make theist jokes with
them, they do not make jokes at the expense of religion because they would not
like jokes made at their expense.
I don’t know what more to say about this one. It is the base
of several philosophies, is endorsed by many religions and is reasonable self
correcting.
Hero's, Fables, and what just seems like common sence. None require divinity, Even though some of these methods are used by them.
~Radiance
There are people with pathologies that block recognition of the ethic of reciprocity or the ability to act on it, but you're right: it's nearly universal, and in that respect as "natural" as can be.
ReplyDeleteThere are such people, But as the saying goes. Nothing's Perfect.
ReplyDeleteGlad what i'm saying made some sence. Daniel told me he thought it looked pretty good, but his lack of critisizm made me slightly scared.