Golden Rule | moral code, universal law, reciprocity (2024)

ethical precept

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Print

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

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. In its negative form, “Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourselves,” it occurs in the 2nd-century documents Didachē and the Apology of Aristides and may well have formed part of an early catechism. It recalls the command to “love the stranger (sojourner)” as found in Deuteronomy. It is not, however, peculiar to Christianity. Its negative form is to be found in Tob. 4:15, in the writings of the two great Jewish scholars Hillel (1st century bc) and Philo of Alexandria (1st centuries bc and ad), and in the Analects of Confucius (6th and 5th centuries bc). It also appears in one form or another in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates, and Seneca.

Golden Rule | moral code, universal law, reciprocity (2024)

FAQs

Golden Rule | moral code, universal law, reciprocity? ›

The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity, meaning that you should reciprocate to others how you would like them to treat you (not necessarily how they actually treat you).

What is the Golden Rule of reciprocity? ›

Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence. One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality.

What is the Golden Rule of the universal law? ›

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This seems the most familiar version of the golden rule, highlighting its helpful and proactive gold standard.

What is the Golden Rule answer? ›

Answer:
  • Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
  • Treat others with kindness and respect, just as you would want to be treated.
  • Show empathy and understanding towards others, as you would want someone to do for you.
  • Help others in need, as you would hope for assistance if you were in a similar situation.
Sep 2, 2023

What is the main problem with the Golden Rule? ›

In his chapter on the Golden Rule, for example, Gensler is quick to note that one of the problems with it is that it does not take into account the fact that people stand in different relations to each other and in different sets of circ*mstances: it does not take it into account that you and I will be in a different ...

What is the universal rule of reciprocity? ›

The Universal Law of Reciprocity ensures that all that is sent out is reciprocated. For humans, we may give more than we receive, or we may take more than we give – in either case, we violate the Law of Reciprocity. And, in either case, we are likely operating from an imbalance of self-worth.

What are the 3 main points for reciprocity? ›

Marshall Sahlins, an American cultural anthropologist, identified three main types of reciprocity (generalized, balanced and negative) in the book Stone Age Economics (1972).

How is the golden rule universal? ›

The Universality of the Golden Rule

At the very least, the Golden Rule seems to address the very widespread tendency to think that morality means equity: that everyone should be treating everyone else in the same way. Perhaps even if we agree upon nothing else, we can be said to agree upon this rule.

What is the golden rule explained? ›

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).

What is the golden rule theory of law? ›

Golden rule argument is an argument made by a lawyer during a jury trial to ask the jurors to put themselves in the place of the victim or the injured person and deliver the verdict that they would wish to receive if they were in that person's position.

What is golden rule with example? ›

Example: A company, PQR buys Rs 10,000 worth of goods from company ABC. In the financial books of company PQR, the accountant will debit the company's purchase account and credit company ABC. It is because company PQR will have to incur an expenditure of Rs 10,000 to buy the goods, which under the rule must be debited.

What is the Golden Rule really saying? ›

Most people grew up with the old adage: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Best known as the “golden rule”, it simply means you should treat others as you'd like to be treated.

What is the Golden Rule the best rule? ›

The “Golden Rule”—“Love your neighbor as yourself”—is doubtless the most widely known and affirmed ethical principle worldwide. At the same time, it has its serious, quasi-serious, and jocund critics.

Is the Golden Rule enough? ›

The Golden Rule is used as a tool to direct the behavior of people towards an end that we assume is positive – if you want to be treated well, you should treat others well. But if we dig a bit deeper, we find that the Golden Rule is really selfish and not selfless. It is about ourselves.

How is the Golden Rule flawed? ›

The “golden rule” is usually expressed as “treat others as you yourself would wish to be treated”. Its flaw is that it rests upon an assumption that everybody has the same desires as to how they would like to be treated … and they don't.

Why is the Golden Rule limited law? ›

Courts are mindful of not overstepping their role as interpreters of legislation and interfering with the legislative function. The golden rule is seen as a limited exception to the literal rule and is invoked only when necessary to prevent absurd or unreasonable results.

What are the rules of reciprocity? ›

The Law of Reciprocity, described by “Godfather of Influence” Robert Cialdini in his book Influence, is the human tendency to feel obligated to do something in return when someone does something for you first. In other words, it's human nature to feel obligated to reciprocate when someone does something for you.

What is the basic principle of reciprocity? ›

The principle of reciprocity involves permitting the application of the legal effects of specific relationships in law when these same effects are accepted equally by foreign countries. In international law, reciprocity means the right to equality and mutual respect between states.

What is the rule of reciprocate? ›

The rule of reciprocation, which states that we should attempt to repay in kind what another person has given us, is the most compelling weapon of influence that humanity possess.

Is the golden rule an example of moral reciprocity? ›

The Golden Rule illustrates the ethical theory of reciprocity. Reciprocity is when two parties each do something that is good for the other party. For example, in world politics, reciprocity is when one country lifts taxes on another country's imports in return for the other country reducing customs restrictions.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Ms. Lucile Johns

Last Updated:

Views: 6088

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ms. Lucile Johns

Birthday: 1999-11-16

Address: Suite 237 56046 Walsh Coves, West Enid, VT 46557

Phone: +59115435987187

Job: Education Supervisor

Hobby: Genealogy, Stone skipping, Skydiving, Nordic skating, Couponing, Coloring, Gardening

Introduction: My name is Ms. Lucile Johns, I am a successful, friendly, friendly, homely, adventurous, handsome, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.