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Not to be confused with the
For other uses, see .
Book with "Dieu, la Loi, et le Roi" ("God, the law and the king") on one page and the golden rule on the other, by .
The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a ,
that essentially states either of the following:
One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (directive form).
One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (cautionary form, also known as the ).
This concept describes a "reciprocal", or "two-way", relationship between one's self and others that involves both sides , and in a mutual fashion.
This concept can be explained from the perspective of psychology, philosophy, sociology and religion. Psychologically, it involves a person
with others. Philosophically, it involves a person perceiving their neighbor as also an "I" or "self". Sociologically, this principle is applicable between individuals, between groups, and also between individuals and groups. (For example, a person living by this rule treats all people with consideration, not just members of his or her .) Religions figure prominently in the history of this concept.
As a concept, the Golden Rule has a history that long predates the
"Golden Rule", or "Golden law", as it was called from the 1670s in England and Europe. As a concept of "the ethic of reciprocity," it has its roots in a wide range of world cultures, and is a standard way that different cultures use to resolve conflicts. It has a long history, and a great number of prominent religious figures and philosophers have restated its reciprocal, "two-way" nature in various ways (not limited to the above forms).
notes that the Golden Rule can be found in the early contributions of . Kidder notes that this concept's framework appears prominently in many religions, including ", , , , , and the rest of the world's major religions". According to , " 'do unto others' ... is a concept that essentially no religion misses entirely."
also states that the Golden Rule can be "found in some form in almost every ethical tradition". All versions and forms of the proverbial Golden Rule have one aspect in common: they all demand that people treat others in a manner in which they themselves would like to be treated.
(1780 BC) dealt with the
in ways such as limiting retribution, as they did concepts of
(literally "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth").
existed among all the major philosophical schools of : , , and . Examples of the concept include:
"Zi Gong asked, saying, "Is there one word that may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not reciprocity such a word?" –
"Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." –
"If people regarded other people's families in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incite their own family to attack that of another? For one would do for others as one would do for oneself." –
"The sage has no interest of his own, but takes the interests of the people as his own. He he is also kind to the unkind: for Virtue is kind. He is fait he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful." –
"Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." –
An early example of the Golden Rule that reflects the Ancient Egyptian concept of
appears in the story of , which dates to the
BC): "Now this is the command: Do to the doer to cause that he do thus to you." An example from a
(c. 664 BC – 323 BC) papyrus: "That which you hate to be done to you, do not do to another."
The Golden Rule in its prohibitive form was a common principle in
. Examples of the general concept include:
"Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing." –
(c. 624 BC – c. 546 BC)
"What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either. " – . The oldest extant reference to Sextus is by Origen in the third century of the common era.
"Do not do to others that which angers you when they do it to you." – (436–338 BC)
"It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly (agreeing 'neither to harm nor be harmed'), and it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life." –
"...it has been shown that to injure anyone is never just anywhere." – , in 's . Plato is the first person known to have said this.
, maybe following , told "ab alio expectes alteri quod feceris" ("expect from others what you did to them") and "non est quod credas quemquam fieri aliena infelicitate felicem" ("it is not so, as you might believe, that one is made happy through the unhappiness of others").
In , the ancient epic of India, comes a discourse where the wise minister Vidura advises the King Yuddhi?h?hira thus, “Listening to wise scriptures, austerity, sacrifice, respectful faith, social welfare, forgiveness, purity of intent, compassion, truth and self-control — are the ten wealth of character (self). O king aim for these, may you be steadfast in these qualities. These are the basis of prosperity and rightful living. These are highest attainable things. All worlds are balanced on dharma, dharma encompasses ways to prosperity as well. O King, dharma is the best quality to have, wealth the medium and desire (kāma) the lowest. Hence, (keeping these in mind), by self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself."
tasmād_dharma-pradhānéna bhavitavyam yatātmanā | tathā cha sarva-bhūté?hu vartitavyam yathātmani || (??????????????????? ???????? ????????? ??? ? ?????????? ?????????? ????????? Mahābhārata Shānti-Parva 167:9)
In the Section on Virtue, and Chapter 32 of the
(c. 200 BC – 500 AD),
says: Why does a man inflict upon other creatures those sufferings, which he has found by experience are sufferings to himself ? (K. 318) Let not a man consent to do those things to another which, he knows, will cause sorrow. (K. 316) He furthermore opined that it is the determination of the spotless (virtuous) not to do evil, even in return, to those who have cherished enmity and done them evil. (K. 312) The (proper) punishment to those who have done evil (to you), is to put them to shame by showing them kindness, in return and to forget both the evil and the good done on both sides. (K. 314)
Main article:
The "Declaration Toward a Global Ethic" from the
(1993) 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 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. In the folklore of several cultures the Golden Rule is depicted by the .
The Writings of the Bahá'í Faith while encouraging everyone to treat others as they would treat themselves, go further by introducing the concept of preferring others before oneself:
O SON OF MAN! Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is M be then abashed before Me.
—Bahá'u'lláh
Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.
—Bahá'u'lláh
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.
—Bahá'u'lláh
Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.
Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe.
(Siddhartha Gautama, c. 623 – c. 543 BC) made this principle one of the cornerstones of his ethics in the 6th century BC. It occurs in many places and in many forms throughout the .
Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill.
One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.
— 10. Violence
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
According to , although the Golden Rule "can be found in some form in almost every ethical tradition", the rule is "sometimes claimed by Christianity as its own". The "Golden Rule" has been attributed to , though he himself uses it to summarize the : "Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets" (, see also ). The common English phrasing is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". A similar form appeared in a Catholic
around 1567 (certainly in the reprint of 1583). The Golden Rule also has roots in the two old testament edicts, found in
("Forget about the wrong things people do to you, and do not try to get even. Love your neighbor as you love yourself."; see also ) and
("But treat them just as you treat your own citizens. Love foreigners as you love yourselves, because you were foreigners one time in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.").
and , accepted as part of the Scriptural canon by , , and the
Churches, also express a negative form of the golden rule:
"Do to no one what you yourself dislike."
—Tobit 4:15
"Recognize that your neighbor feels as you do, and keep in mind your own dislikes."
—Sirach 31:15
At the time of , an elder contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, the negative form of the golden rule already must have been proverbial, perhaps because of Tobit 4:15. When asked to sum up the entire Torah concisely, he answered:
"That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole T the res go and learn."
—Talmud, Shabbat 31a
Two passages in the
espousing the golden rule:
Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
Do to others what you would want them to do to you.
A similar passage, a parallel to the , is
25And one day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
26What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you understand it?” 27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.’(Deuteronomy 6:5) And, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ” 28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do that, and you will live.”.
The passage in the book of Luke then continues with Jesus answering the question, "Who is my neighbor?", by telling the parable of the , indicating that "your neighbor" is anyone in need. This extends to all, including those who are generally considered hostile.
Jesus' teaching, however, goes beyond the negative formulation of not doing what one would not like done to themselves, to the positive formulation of actively doing good to another that, if the situations were reversed, one would desire that the other would do for them. This formulation, as indicated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasises the needs for positive action that brings benefit to another, not simply restraining oneself from negative activities that hurt another. Taken as a rule of judgment, both formulations of the golden rule, the negative and positive, are equally applicable.
In one passage of the
refers to the golden rule:
14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
In the view of John Topel, Jesus' formulation of the golden rule was unprecedented in the thought world of his day and remains unique. 'Among most exegetes it has become commonplace that the golden rule as a general moral maxim existed before Jesus, not only in the negative form, but also in the positive formulation. [..] A careful study of the texts usually cited as predecessors of Jesus' usage does not support this contention. What emerges rather is the originality of his positive formulation'.
It was the first clear positive formulation of the general moral maxim of altruistic mutuality. Its uniqueness finds its ground in the literary context in which Jesus' rule is located in the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:27-36); the command to love one's enemies (Luke 6:27-30); the rejection of the Greek ethic of reciprocity (Luke 6:32-34) and the disciples' Imitatio Dei (Luke 6:35c-36)
己所不欲，勿施於人。
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others."
子貢問曰：“有一言而可以終身行之者乎”？子曰：“其恕乎！己所不欲、勿施於人。”
Zi gong (a disciple of Confucius) asked: "Is there any one word that could guide a person throughout life?"
The Master replied: "How about 'shu' [reciprocity]: never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself?"
XV.24, tr. David Hinton (another translation is in the online )
The same idea is also presented in V.12 and VI.30 of the , which can be found in the online
When we say that man chooses for himself, we do mean that every one of us but by that we also mean that in choosing for himself he chooses for all men. For in effect, of all the actions a man may take in order to create himself as he wills to be, there is not one which is not creative, at the same time, of an image of man such as he believes he ought to be. To choose between this or that is at the same time to affirm the value of
for we are unable ever to choose the worse. What we choose
and nothing can be better for us unless it is better for all.
—, , pgs. 291–292
One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one’s own self. This, in brief, is the rule of dharma. Other behavior is due to selfish desires.
(Anusasana Parva, Section CXIII, Verse 8)
???????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????????
?????? ??????????? ?????? ? ??????????
If the entire "Dharma" (spiritual and moral laws) can be said in a few words, then it is — that which is unfavorable to us, do not do that to others. (Padmapuraana, shrushti 19/357–358)
In Mahābhārata, the ancient epic of India, comes a discourse where the wise minister Vidura advices the King Yuddhi?h?hira thus, “Listening to wise scriptures, austerity, sacrifice, respectful faith, social welfare, forgiveness, purity of intent, compassion, truth and self-control — are the ten wealth of character (self). O king aim for these, may you be steadfast in these qualities. These are the basis of prosperity and rightful living. These are highest attainable things. All worlds are balanced on dharma, dharma encompasses ways to prosperity as well. O King, dharma is the best quality to have, wealth the medium and desire (kāma) the lowest. Hence, (keeping these in mind), by self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself."
"tasmād dharma-pradhānéna bhavitavyam yatātmanā | tathā cha sarva-bhūté?hu vartitavyam yathātmani ||" (??????????????????? ???????? ????????? ??? ? ?????????? ?????????? ????????? Mahābhārata Shānti-Parva 167:9)
Many different sources claim the Golden Rule as a humanist principle:
Trying to live according to the Golden Rule means trying to empathise with other people, including those who may be very different from us. Empathy is at the root of kindness, compassion, understanding and respect – qualities that we all appreciate being shown, whoever we are, whatever we think and wherever we come from. And although it isn’t possible to know what it really feels like to be a different person or live in different circumstances and have different life experiences, it isn’t difficult for most of us to imagine what would cause us suffering and to try to avoid causing suffering to others. For this reason many people find the Golden Rule’s corollary – “do not treat people in a way you would not wish to be treated yourself” – more pragmatic.
—Maria MacLachlan, Think Humanism
Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you. [is] (...) the single greatest, simplest, and most important moral axiom humanity has ever invented, one which reappears in the writings of almost every culture and religion throughout history, the one we know as the Golden Rule. Moral directives do not need to be complex or obscure to be worthwhile, and in fact, it is precisely this rule's simplicity which makes it great. It is easy to come up with, easy to understand, and easy to apply, and these three things are the hallmarks of a strong and healthy moral system. The idea behind it is readily graspable: before performing an action which might harm another person, try to imagine yourself in their position, and consider whether you would want to be the recipient of that action. If you would not want to be in such a position, the other person probably would not either, and so you should not do it. It is the basic and fundamental human trait of empathy, the ability to vicariously experience how another is feeling, that makes this possible, and it is the principle of empathy by which we should live our lives.
—Adam Lee, Ebon Musings, "A decalogue for the modern world"
In the view of , a
at , " 'do unto others' ... is a concept that essentially no religion misses entirely. But not a single one of these versions of the golden rule requires a God".
The Golden Rule is implicitly expressed in some verses of the , but is explicitly declared in the sayings of . A common transliteration is: ?Aheb li akheek ma tuhibu li nafsik. This can be translated as "Wish for your brother, what you wish for yourself" or "Love your brother as you love yourself".
From the Qur'an: the first verse recommends the positive form of the rule, and the subsequent verses condemn not abiding the negative form of the Golden Rule:
“...and you should forgive And overlook: Do you not like God to forgive you? And Allah is The Merciful Forgiving.”
(, "The Light," v. 22)
“Woe to those... who, when they have to receive by measure from men, they demand exact full measure, but when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due”
(, "The Dealers in Fraud," vv. 1–4)
“...orphans and the needy, give them something and speak kindly to them. And those who are concerned about the welfare of their own children after their death, should have fear of God [Treat other people's Orphans justly] and guide them properly.”
(, "The Women," vv. 8-9)
“O you who believe! Spend [benevolently] of the good things that you have earned... and do not even think of spending [in alms] worthless things that you yourselves would be reluctant to accept.”
(, "The Calf," v. 267)
From the , the collected oral and written accounts of Muhammad and his teachings during his lifetime:
A Bedouin came to the prophet, grabbed the stirrup of his camel and said: O the messenger of God! Teach me something to go to heaven with it. Prophet said: “As you would have people do to you, and what you dislike to be done to you, don't do to them. Now let the stirrup go! [This max go and act in accordance with it!]”
—, vol. 2, p. 146
“None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”
—An-Nawawi's Forty Hadith 13 (p. 56)
“Seek for mankind that of which you are desirous for yourself, that you may be a believer.”
—Sukhanan-i-Muhammad (Teheran, 1938)
“That which you want for yourself, seek for mankind.”
“The most righteous person is the one who consents for other people what he consents for himself, and who dislikes for them what he dislikes for himself.”
Islam, and first
Islam) says:
“O' my child, make yourself the measure (for dealings) between you and others. Thus, you should desire for others what you desire for yourself and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others as you would like good to be done to you. Regard bad for yourself whatever you regard bad for others. Accept that (treatment) from others which you would like others to accept from you... Do not say to others what you do not like to be said to you.”
—, Letter 31
Other hadiths calling for the golden rule are:
Anas related that Muhammad said: "None of you is truly a Muslim until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself". (Reported in Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari).
Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and to enter paradise should treat other people as they wish to be treated themselves. (reported by Sahih Muslim).
Do unto all men as you would wish t and reject for others what you would reject for yourself. (Reported by Abu Dawud)
, the founder of the
movement in Islam says:
Everyone who looks down upon a brother because he esteems himself more learned, or wiser, or more proficient than him is arrogant, inasmuch as he does not esteem God as the Fountainhead of all intelligence and knowledge and deems himself as something. Has God not the power to afflict him with lunacy and to bestow upon his brother whom he accounts small better intelligence and knowledge and higher proficiency than him? So also he who, out of a mistaken conception of his wealth, or status, or dignity, looks down upon his brother, is arrogant because he forgets that his wealth, status and dignity were bestowed upon him by God. He is blind and does not realize that God has power to so afflict him that in a moment he might be reduced to the condition of the lowest of the low, and to bestow upon his brother whom he esteems low greater wealth than him. In the same way he who takes pride in his physical health, or is conceited of his beauty, or good looks, or strength, or might and bestows a scornful designation on his brother making fun of him and proclaims his physical defects is arrogant, for he is unaware of God Who has power to afflict him with such physical defects as to render him worse than his brother and to bless the latter so that his faculties should not suffer decline or be stultified over a long period, for He has power to do all that He wills. So he who is neglectful of Prayer on account of his dependence upon his faculties is arrogant for he has not recognized the Fountainhead of all power and strength and relies upon himself. Therefore, dear ones, keep all these admonitions in mind lest you should be accounted arrogant in the estimation of God Almighty unknowingly. He who out of pride corrects the pronunciation of a word by his brother partakes of arrogance. He who does not listen courteously to his brother and turns away from him partakes of arrogance. He who resents a brother sitting next to him partakes of arrogance. He who mocks and laughs at one who is occupied in Prayer partakes of arrogance. He who does not seek to render full obedience to a commissioned one and Messenger of God partakes of arrogance. He who does not pay full attention to the directions of such a one and does not study his writings with care also partakes of arrogance. Try, therefore, that you should not partake of arrogance in any respect so that you may escape ruin and you and yours may attain salvation. Lean towards God and love Him to the utmost degree possible and fear Him as much as anyone can be feared in this life. Be pure hearted and pure intentioned and meek and humble and free of all mischief so that you may receive mercy.
In Jainism, the golden rule is firmly embedded in its entire philosophy and can be seen in its clearest form in the doctrines of
The following quotation from the
sums up the philosophy of Jainism:
Nothing which breathes, which exists, which lives, or which has essence or potential of life, should be destroyed or ruled over, or subjugated, or harmed, or denied of its essence or potential.
In support of this Truth, I ask you a question – "Is sorrow or pain desirable to you ?" If you say "yes it is", it would be a lie. If you say, "No, It is not" you will be expressing the truth. Just as sorrow or pain is not desirable to you, so it is to all which breathe, exist, live or have any essence of life. To you and all, it is undesirable, and painful, and repugnant.
gives further insight into this precept:-
All the living beings wish to that is why unattached saints prohibit the killing of living beings.
—Suman Suttam, verse 148
Just as pain is not agreeable to you, it is so with others. Knowing this principle of equality treat other with respect and compassion.
—Suman Suttam, verse 150
Killing a living being is killing one' showing compassion to a living being is showing compassion to oneself. He who desires his own good, should avoid causing any harm to a living being.
—Suman Suttam, verse 151
The earliest known text of the positive form of the Golden Rule is the following Biblical verse, written c. 1300 BCE:
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
(c. 110 BCE – 10 CE), used this verse as a most important message of the
for his teachings. Once, he was challenged by a
who asked to be converted under the condition that the Torah be explained to him while he stood on one foot. Hillel accepted him as a candidate for
but, drawing on , briefed the man:
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole T the res go and learn.
Hillel recognized brotherly love as the fundamental principle of Jewish ethics.
agreed and suggested that the principle of love must have its foundation in Genesis chapter 1, which teaches that all men are the offspring of Adam who was made in the image of God (, ?edoshim, iv.; Yer. Ned. ix. 41c;
24). According to , the first man
represents the unity of mankind. This is echoed in the modern preamble of the .[] And it is also taught, that Adam is last in order according to the
character of God's creation:
"Why was only a single specimen of man created first? To teach us that he who destroys a single soul destroys a whole world and that he who saves a single soul furthermore, so no race or class may claim a nobler ancestry, saying, 'Our father was born first'; and, finally, to give testimony to the greatness of the Lord, who caused the wonderful diversity of mankind to emanate from one type. And why was Adam created last of all beings? T for if he be overbearing, let him remember that the little fly preceded him in the order of creation."
The Golden Rule originates in a well-known Torah verse (Hebrew: "????? ???? ????"):
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
The Jewish Publication Society's edition of Leviticus:
Thou shalt not hate thy brother. thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbour, and not bear sin because of him. 18 Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
This Torah verse represents one of several versions of the Golden Rule, which itself appears in various forms, positive and negative. It is the earliest written version of that concept in a positive form.
At the turn of the eras, the Jewish rabbis were discussing the scope of the meaning of Leviticus 19:18 and 19:34 extensively:
shall be to you as
you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the LORD am your God.
Commentators summed up foreigners (= Samaritans), proselytes (= 'strangers who resides with you') (Rabbi Akiba, bQuid 75b) or Jews (Rabbi Gamaliel, yKet 3,1; 27a) to the scope of the meaning.
formulated a negative form of the golden rule. When asked to sum up the entire Torah concisely, he answered:
That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole T the res go and learn it.
—, Shabbat 31a, the "Great Principle"
On the verse, "Love your fellow as yourself," the classic commentator
quotes from Torat Kohanim, an early Midrashic text regarding the famous dictum of Rabbi Akiva: "Love your fellow as yourself — Rabbi Akiva says this is a great principle of the Torah."
quoted from the previous Leviticus verse when it commemorated the
on a 1958 .
If people regarded other people's families in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incite their own family to attack that of another? For one would do for others as one would do for oneself.
Mozi regarded the golden rule as a corollary to the cardinal virtue of impartiality, and encouraged
and selflessness in relationships.
The Golden Rule appears to be present in at least one of Plato's dialogues:
One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter how one has been mistreated by him.
(, 49c) (c. 469 – 399 BC)
Consistent with the observation by
"that 'doing as you would be done by' includes taking into account your neighbor's tastes as you would that he should take yours into account" (see ),
addresses the issue concerning differences in values or interests by focusing on the values and interests of the recipient of the conduct:
Thus today we have two golden rules for happiness: 1. Be able to and 2. Cause only those things which others are able to experience easily.
—Scientology: A New Slant on Life, Two Rules for Happy Living
Whom should I despise, since the one Lord made us all.
—p.1237, Var Sarang, Guru Granth Sahib, tr. Patwant Singh
The truly enlightened ones are those who neither incite fear in others nor fear anyone themselves.
—p.1427, Slok, Guru Granth Sahib, tr. Patwant Singh
I am a stranger to no one, and no one is a stranger to me. Indeed, I am a friend to all.
—p.1299, Guru Granth Sahib
The sage has no interest of his own, but takes the interests of the people as his own. He he is also kind to the unkind: for Virtue is kind. He is fait he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful.
—, Chapter 49
Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.
—T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien
expresses the Golden Rule both in its negative/prohibitive form and in its positive form. The negative/prohibitive form is expressed in Precept 19 as:
19. Try not to do things to others that you would not like them to do to you.
—, Precept 19
The positive form is expressed in Precept 20 as:
20. Try to treat others as you would want them to treat you.
—, Precept 20
These eight words the Rede fulfill, 'an ye harm none do as ye will.
Here ye these words and heed them well, the words of Dea, thy , "I command thee thus, O children of the Earth, that that which ye deem harmful unto thyself, the very same shall ye be forbidden from doing unto another, for violence and hatred give rise to the same. My command is thus, that ye shall return all violence and hatred with peacefulness and love, for my Law is love unto all things. Only through love yea and verily, only peace and love will cure the world, and subdue all evil."
—, Devotional Wicca
According to , and William E. Paden, the Golden Rule is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of , in which each individual has a
to just treatment, and a reciprocal responsibility to ensure justice for others.
argued that the notion that the Golden Rule pertains to "rights" per se is a contemporary interpretation and has nothing to do with its origin. The development of human "rights" is a modern political ideal that began as a philosophical concept promulgated through the philosophy of
in 18th century France, among others. His writings influenced , who then incorporated Rousseau's reference to "inalienable rights" into the
in 1776. Damrosch argued that to confuse the Golden Rule with human rights is to apply contemporary thinking to ancient concepts.
If the negative/prohibitive form of the Golden Rule would stand alone, it would simply serve as a proactive motivation against wrong action. But the Golden Rule in general actually serves as a motivation toward . As Dr. Frank Crane put it, "The Golden Rule is of no use to you whatsoever unless you realize that it's your move!"
in , has a Mrs Do-As-You-Would-Be-Done-By (as well as the converse, a Mrs Be-Done-By-As-You-Did).
Many people have critic
once said that "the golden rule is that there are no golden rules". Shaw suggested an alternative rule: "Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same" (Maxims for R 1903).
wrote: "The golden rule is a good standard which is further improved by doing unto others, wherever reasonable, as they want to be done by" (, Vol. 2). This concept has recently been called "." Philosophers, such as , , and ,[] have objected to the rule on a variety of grounds. The most serious among these is its application. How does one know how others want to be treated? The obvious way is to ask them, but this cannot be done if one assumes they have not reached a particular and relevant understanding.
One satirical version the Golden Rule makes a political and economic point: "Whoever has the gold, makes the rules."
Shaw's comment about differing tastes suggests that if your values are not shared with others, the way you want to be treated will not be the way they want to be treated. Hence, the Golden Rule is "dangerous in the wrong hands," according to philosopher , because "some fanatics have no aversion to death: the Golden Rule might inspire them to kill others in suicide missions."
famously criticized the golden rule for not being sensitive to differences of situation, noting that a prisoner duly convicted of a crime could appeal to the golden rule while asking the judge to release him, pointing out that the judge would not want anyone else to send him to prison, so he should not do so to others. Kant's , introduced in , is often
Philosopher
has argued that “(although) the idea of mirroring your treatment of others with their treatment of you is very widespread indeed… most ancient wisdoms express this negatively – advice on what you should not do, rather than what you should.”
He argues this creates a bias in favour of inertia which allows bad actions and states of affairs to persist. The positive formulation, meanwhile, can be “incendiary”, since it “can lead to cycles of tit-for-tat reciprocity,” unless it is accompanied by a corrective mechanism, such as a concept of forgiveness. Therefore, he concludes that there can be no viable formulation of the Golden Rule, unless it is heavily qualified by other maxims.
, in The Concept of Morals (1937), wrote:
Mr. Bernard Shaw's remark "Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may be different" is no doubt a smart saying. But it seems to overlook the fact that "doing as you would be done by" includes taking into account your neighbor's tastes as you would that he should take yours into account. Thus the "golden rule" might still express the essence of a universal morality even if no two men in the world had any needs or tastes in common.
observed that there are two importantly different ways of looking at the golden rule: as requiring (1) that you perform specific actions that you want others to do to you or (2) that you guide your behavior in the same general ways that you want others to. Counter-examples to the golden rule typically are more forceful against the first than the second.
In his book on the golden rule, Jeffrey Wattles makes the similar observation that such objections typically arise while applying the golden rule in certain general ways (namely, ignoring differences in taste, in situation, and so forth). But if we apply the golden rule to our own method of using it, asking in effect if we would want other people to apply the golden rule in such ways, the answer would typically be no, since it is quite predictable that others' ignoring of such factors will lead to behavior which we object to. It follows that we should not do so ourselves—according to the golden rule. In this way, the golden rule may be self-correcting. An article by Jouni Reinikainen develops this suggestion in greater detail.
It is possible, then, that the golden rule can itself guide us in identifying which differences of situation are morally relevant. We would often want other people to ignore any prejudice against our race or nationality when deciding how to act towards us, but would also want them to not ignore our differing preferences in food, desire for aggressiveness, and so on. The platinum rule, and perhaps other variants, might also be self-correcting in this same manner.
Further information:
There has been research published arguing that some 'sense' of fair play and the Golden Rule may be stated and rooted in terms of
principles.
, social norm of in-kind responses to the behavior of others
, way of defining people's informal exchange of goods and labour
, mechanisms for the evolution of cooperation
, principle that favours, benefits, or penalties that are granted by one state to the citizens or legal entities of another, should be returned in kind
, concept of reciprocity as in-kind positive or negative responses for t related ideas such as gratitude, mutuality, and the Golden Rule
, in-kind positive or negative responses of individuals towards the actions of others
, where the benefactor of a gift or service will in turn provide benefits to a third party
, ed. (1979). "golden rule". A Dictionary of Philosophy. London:
in association with . p. 134.  . This dictionary of philosophy contains the following exact quote under the entry for "golden rule": "The maxim 'Treat others how you wish to be treated'. Various expressions of this fundamental moral rule are to be found in tenets of most religions and creeds through the ages, testifying to its universal applicability." (end quote).
argued that the Golden Rule was much more than simply an . Instead, he posits, it "express[es] the essence of a universal ." The rationale for this crucial distinction occupies much of his book The Concept of Morals (1937): – Stace, Walter T. (1937, Reprinted 1975 by permission of MacMillan Publishing Co. Inc., Also reprinted January 1990 by Peter Smith Publisher Inc). The Concept of Morals. New York: The MacMillan C and also reprinted by Peter Smith Publisher Inc, January 1990. p. 136.  .
(above quote found p. 136, ch. 6)
Stace, Walter T. (1937, Reprinted 1975 by permission of MacMillan Publishing Co. Inc., Also reprinted January 1990 by Peter Smith Publisher Inc). The Concept of Morals. New York: The MacMillan C and also reprinted by Peter Smith Publisher Inc, January 1990. pp. 178, 179 (ch. 7).  .
, "Generalization in Ethics," Mind LXIV (1955), p. 119
Stace, Walter T. (1937, Reprinted 1975 by permission of MacMillan Publishing Co. Inc.). The Concept of Morals. New York: The MacMillan Company.  . (See chapters on Ethical Relativity (pp 1–68), and Unity of Morals (pp 92–107, specifically p 93, 98, 102)
W.A. Spooner, "The Golden Rule," in James Hastings, ed. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. 6 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1914) pp. 310–12, quoted in Rushworth M. Kidder, How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living, Harper, New York, 2003. . p. 159.
also notes the connection between Confucious and the Golden Rule. Simon, Blackburn (2001). Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 101.  .
Esptein, Greg M. (2010). Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. New York: HarperCollins. p. 115.  .
(2001). Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 101.  .
Quote from Kenneth Bond: "...Code of Hammurabi. I used a translation by L.W. King with Commentary by Charles F. Horne (1915). My version was a 1996 electronically enhanced version of the 1910 ." (end quote).Kenneth Bond (1998). .
. . . Chinese Text Project 2010.
The entry for "golden rule" in A Dictionary of Philosophy, in giving examples, states: "... , for instance, was asked whether the true way could be summed up in a single word...."Editorial consultant (for seventeen contributors): , ed. (1979). A Dictionary of Philosophy. London:
in association with . p. 134 (entry for "golden rule").  .
XV.24 (tr. David Hinton)
, Chapter 49
T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien ()
"The Culture of Ancient Egypt", John Albert Wilson, p. 121, , 1956,
", Richard Jasnow, p. 95, University of Chicago Press, 1992, .
, "The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers", I:36
Isocrates, Nicocles or the Cyprians,
(); cf. , , .
Tim O'Keefe, , Cambridge University Press, 2005, p.134
, tranls. by Robert Drew Hicks (1925)
, translator, Great Dialogues of Plato, Signet Classics, 2008, p. 150 (Republic, 335e).
Uchenna B. Okeja, Normative Justification of a Global Ethic: A Perspective from African Philosophy, Lexington Books, 2013, .
, Epistulae ad Lucilium, 94, 43.
, Sententiae, .
, Ep., 94, 67.
Vincent Barletta, Death in Babylon: Alexander the Great and Iberian Empire in the Muslim Orient, The University of Chicago press, 2010, .
– Urban Dharma - Buddhism in America (This link includes a list of 143 signatories and their respective religions.)
. Parliamentofreligions.org. 16 August .
. Parliamentofreligions.org. 16 August .
(An Initial Declaration) ReligiousTolerance.org. - Under the subtitle, "We Declare," see third paragraph. The first line reads, "We must treat others as we wish others to treat us."
(PDF) 2013.
. Reference.bahai.org. 31 December .
. Replay.waybackmachine.org. 11 April .
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p71
. Info.bahai.org 2013.
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p30
See: The Golden Rule
Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, LXVI:8
Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p10
Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 73
. Unz.org. 28 November .
. Booksie. 8 July .
by Elizabeth J. Harris (enabling.org)
(2001). Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 101.  .
The Holy Bible, New Century Version. 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Vaux, Laurence (1583, Reprinted by The Chetham Society in 1885). . Manchester, England: The Chetham Society. p. 48 (located in the text just before the title, "Of the Five Commandments of the Church." Scroll up slightly to see a section saying: "The sum of the ten Commandments does consist in the love towards god, and our neighbor (Ephe. 4., Matt. 7.). In the first Table be three Commandments: which take away and forbid sin and vice against the worshipping of God. They forbid idolatry, apostasy, heresy, superstition, perjury, blasphemy, and move us to the pure and true worshipping of God in heart, word and deed. In the Second table be seven Commandments, which command us to give reverence and honor to every man in his degree, to profit all, and hurt none: to do unto others, as we would be done to ourselves.").
. Christnotes.org 2013.
Moore: Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian E Cambridge, Harvard University Press, ; Vol.2, p.87, Vol.3, p.180.
Topel, John 'The Tarnished Golden Rule. The Inescapable Radicalness of Christian Ethics'. Theological Studies 59 (1998) pps 475-485
Sartre, Jean-Paul (2007). Existentialism Is a Humanism. Yale University Press. pp. 291–292.  .
. . 13 November .
. Web.archive.org. 15 March .
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. Ebonmusings.org. 1 January .
Esptein, Greg M. (2010). Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe. New York: HarperCollins. p. 115.  . Italics in original.
Wattles (191), Rost (100)
[English Title: Conversations of Muhammad]
Wattles (192)
Rost (100)
Donaldson Dwight M. 1963. Studies in Muslim Ethics, p.82. London: S.P.C.K
another translation: "My dear son, so far as your behavior with other human beings is concerned, let your 'self' act as scales to judge its goodness or wickedness: Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you. Whatever you like for yourself, like for others, and whatever you dislike to happen to you, spare others from such happenings. Do not oppress and tyrannize anybody because you surely do not like to be oppressed and tyrannized. Be kind and sympathetic to others as you certainly desire others to treat you kindly and sympathetically. If you find objectionable and loathsome habits in others, abstain from developing those traits of character in yourself. If you are satisfied or feel happy in receiving a certain kind of behavior from others, you may behave with others in exactly the same way. Do not speak about them in the same way that you do not like others to speak about you... [A]void scandal, libel and aspersion as you do not like yourself to be scandalized and scorned in the same manner." &&
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. . Islam International publications. pp. 24–25.
Jacobi, Hermann (1884). . Sutra 155-6
*Varni, J Ed. Prof. Sagarmal Jain, Translated Justice T.K. Tukol and Dr. K.K. Dixit (1993). Sama? Sutta?. New Delhi: Bhagwan Mahavir memorial Samiti.
, The Torah — A Modern Commentary; Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York 1981; pp.892.
New JPS Hebrew/English Tanakh
: "His activity of forty years i and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 B.C.E. -10 C.E."
"Leviticus". . Jewish Publication Society. p. 19:17.
Gensler, Harry J. (1996). Formal Ethics. Routledge. p. 105.  .
Kedoshim 19:18, Toras Kohanim, ibid. See also Talmud Yerushalmi, Nedarim 9:4; Bereishis Rabbah 24:7.
. . Archived from
on 7 April 2008.
(2007). Scientology: A New Slant on Life. Los Angeles: Bridge Publications, Inc. p. 176, see also p. 173.  .
Hubbard, L. Ron (2012). . LRonHubbard.Org. Church of Scientology International 2012.
Hubbard, L. Ron (2006). . Church of Scientology International 2012.
Hubbard, L. Ron (2012). . The Way to Happiness. The Way to Happiness Foundation International 2012.
Hubbard, L. Ron (2007). The Way to Happiness: A Common Sense Guide to Better Living. Los Angeles: L. Ron Hubbard Library. p. 59.  .
Hubbard, L. Ron (2012). . The Way to Happiness. The Way to Happiness Foundation International 2012.
Hubbard, L. Ron (2007). The Way to Happiness: A Common Sense Guide to Better Living. Los Angeles: L. Ron Hubbard Library. p. 61.  .
Defined another way, it "refers to the balance in an interactive system such that each party has both rights and duties, and the subordinate norm of complementarity states that one's rights are the other's obligation."Bornstein, Marc H. (2002). Handbook of Parenting. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. p. 5.  . See also: Paden, William E. (2003). Interpreting the Sacred: Ways of Viewing Religion. Beacon Press. pp. 131–132.  .
Damrosch, Leo (2008). Jean Jacques Russeau: Restless Genius. Houghton Mifflin Company.  .
. . 15 February .
. . 24 May .
(13 June 2009). .
Source: Page 76 of 'How To Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time', , 2008, Continuum, ISBN 9-781-847-063472.
Source: Page 76 of 'How To Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time', Iain King, 2008, Continuum, ISBN 9-781-847-063472.
Kant, Immanuel Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, footnote 13. Cambridge University Press (28 April 1998).
Source: Page 110 of ‘How to Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time’, Iain King, Continuum, 2008, . Accessed 20 March 2014.
Source: Page 112 of ‘How to Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time’, Iain King, Continuum, 2008, . Accessed 20 March 2014.
Source: Page 114 of ‘How to Make Good Decisions and Be Right All the Time’, Iain King, Continuum, 2008, . Accessed 20 March 2014.
Stace, Walter T. (1937, Reprinted 1975 by permission of MacMillan Publishing Co. Inc., Also reprinted January 1990 by Peter Smith Publisher Inc). The Concept of Morals. New York: The MacMillan C and also reprinted by Peter Smith Publisher Inc, January 1990. p. 136 (ch. 6).  .
M. G. Singer, The Ideal of a Rational Morality, p270
Wattles, p6
Jouni Reinikainen, "The Golden Rule and the Requirement of Universalizability." Journal of Value Inquiry. 39(2): 155–168, 2005.
Pfaff, Donald W., "The Neuroscience of Fair Play: Why We (Usually) Follow the Golden Rule", Dana Press, The Dana Foundation, New York, 2007.
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