It was developed by famous thinkers and teachers in ancient times, however, it is also very relevant at present. The “Golden Rule of Conduct” captures a comprehensive moral principle in relation to another person in any practical situation. It applies to everything related to human relations.
What is the golden rule of morality?
It is present, without exaggeration, in every existing religion in one form or another. The Golden Rule of Morality is a fundamental canon reflecting the call of morality. It is most often perceived as its fundamental, most important truth. The moral rule under consideration reads: “Do not do to others what you do not want to be done to you” (Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris).
The concentration of practical wisdom in it is one of the aspects of endless ethical reflection.
Historical facts regarding the rule in question
The period of its occurrence is attributed to the middle of 1 thousand BC. e., when the humanistic revolution took place. The status of "golden" it acquired in the XVIII century.
It is known that before in tribal communities there was a custom regarding blood feud - the talion (retribution equivalent to the crime committed). He acted as a kind of restraint of the hostility of the clans, since this cruel law demanded equal punishment.
When tribal relations began to disappear, it became difficult to clearly distinguish, so to speak, between strangers and friends. Economic ties outside the community were often more substantial than family ties.
So, already the community did not seek to be responsible for the misconduct of its individual members. In this regard, the talion loses its effectiveness, and the need arises for the formation of a completely new principle, which allows regulating interpersonal relations that are not dependent on gender. This principle was the rule: "Treat people as I would like to relate to you."
Decoding of this ethical rule
In its various formulations there is one common link - the “other”. It means any person (closest or distant relative, familiar or unfamiliar).
The meaning of the “golden rule of morality" is the equivalence of all people with regards to their freedom and ability to improve. This is a kind of equality in relation to the best human qualities and optimal norms of behavior.
If one asks the question “The Golden Rule of Morality - What Is It?”, The answer should not reveal its verbatim interpretation, but the inner philosophical meaning, which brought it to the status of “golden”.
Thus, this ethical rule presupposes in advance by an individual person the consequences of his actions in the future regarding another person by projecting himself in his place. It teaches to relate to another as to oneself.
In what cultures is it reflected?
At the same time (but independently of each other) the “golden rule of behavior” appeared in Hinduism, and in Buddhism, and in Judaism, and in Christianity, and in Islam, as well as in ethical-philosophical teachings (Confucianism). One of its formulations can be seen in the Mahabharata (sayings of the Buddha).
It is known that Confucius, answering the question of his student about whether there is such a word that could be guided all his life, said: “This word is“ reciprocity ”. Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself. ”
In ancient Greek creations it is found in the classic poem of Homer "Odyssey", in the prose work of Herodotus "History", as well as in the teachings of Socrates, Aristotle, Hesiod, Plato, Thales of Miletus and Seneca.
In the Bible, this rule is mentioned twice: in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:12; Luke 3:31, Gospel) and in the conversations of the apostles of Jesus Christ.
In the Sunnah (the sayings of Muhammad), the "golden rule of morality" states: "Do to all people what you would like people to do to you, and do not do to others what you would not want for yourself."
The wording of the “golden rule of morality"
In the past, attempts have been made to classify its form according to aesthetic or social criteria.
Thus, the German philosopher Christian Tomasius identified three main forms of the rule in question, while delimiting the spheres of law, morality and politics, which he called the principles of law, decency and respect.
They have the following form.
- The principle of law is philosophically revealed as a kind of requirement, according to which a person should not commit to the other that he would not want to be done in relation to himself.
- The principle of decency is presented in the form of an ethical appeal that an individual does to another subject what he himself would like to be done to him.
- The principle of respect is revealed in the fact that a person always acts with regards to other people in the way he would like them to act in relation to himself.
The German researcher G. Reiner also proposed three formulations of the “golden rule” that resonate with his interpretations discussed above (H. Tomasius).
- The first formulation is the rule of feeling, which states: "(Do not) do to another what you (do not) wish for yourself."
- The second - the rule of autonomy is: "(Do not) do it yourself that you find (un) meritorious in another."
- The third - the rule of reciprocity has the form: "How do you (not) want people to act in relation to you, (not) do so in relation to you."
The Golden Rule of Morality in Proverbs and Sayings
This moral canon is firmly entrenched in the mass consciousness of people mainly in the form of folklore.
So, for example, the meaning of the “golden rule of morality” is reflected in a number of Russian proverbs.
- “What you do not love in another, do not do it yourself.”
- "Do not dig a hole for another - you will fall into it yourself."
- "As far as it comes, it will respond."
- "As you shout into the forest, so it will respond from the forest."
- "What you want for people is what you get."
- “Don’t spit in the well - you’ll have to get drunk yourself.”
- “Doing evil to people, do not expect good from them”, etc.
So, the “golden rule of morality” in proverbs and sayings made it possible quite often to apply it in everyday life and transmit it from generation to generation in the form of easily remembered folklore.
The Diamond Rule of Morality
It is an addition to the previously considered "gold". It was the diamond rule that was called because of the versatility symbolizing the human individuality, which is unique in its kind.
So, as mentioned earlier, the "golden rule of morality" reads: "Do not do to another what you do not want to be done to you." “Diamond” complements: “Do what no one can do except you.” Here, the emphasis is on the benefits (purely individual for a particular person) to the maximum possible number of people.
In other words, the “diamond-golden rule of morality" reads: "Do so that your greatest abilities serve the greatest needs of others." It is the uniqueness of a given individual (subject of ethical action) that acts as a universal criterion.
So, if the “golden rule of morality” is the transformation of the subject into an object (the mental projection of oneself into the place of another person and the conscious rejection of those actions that would not please oneself), the “diamond” canon, on the contrary, emphasizes the irreducibility of the subject of moral actions to the target object, as well as its exclusivity and individuality.
The Golden Rule of Morality as an Object of Close Attention of Philosophers
The English materialist philosopher Thomas Hobbes presented it as the basis of natural laws that play a decisive role in people's lives. It is simple enough for everyone to understand. This rule allows you to limit purely personal egoistic claims and thereby create the basis for the unity of all people within the state.
The English philosopher John Locke did not perceive the “golden rule of morality” as something given from birth to man, but, on the contrary, pointed out that it is based on the natural equality of all people, and if they realize this through this canon, they will come to public virtue.
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant rather critically evaluated the traditional formulations of the canon under consideration. In his opinion, the “golden rule of morality" in its explicit form does not make it possible to assess the degree of ethical development of an individual: a person can underestimate moral requirements in relation to himself or take an egoistic position (I will not interfere with your life, do not bother you too) . It includes a person’s desire in his moral behavior. However, it is precisely these desires, passions and dreams that often make a person a hostage to his nature and completely cut off his morality - human freedom.
Nevertheless, the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant (the central concept of ethical doctrine) is an exclusively philosophical refinement of the existing canon. According to Kant, the “golden rule of morality" reads: "Do so that the maxim of your will can always become the basis of universal law." In this definition, the German philosopher is trying, so to speak, to close the loophole even to the smallest human egoism. He believed that human desires and passions should not replace the true ethical motives of the act. The individual is responsible for all sorts of consequences of his actions.
Two trends in the ethical self-determination of man from the point of view of new European philosophers
The first presents a person as a social individual who obeys generally accepted morality.
The second trend is focused on the understanding of the representative of the human race as a person striving for the corresponding ideal (maturity, integrity, self-development, self-actualization, individualization, realization of an internal essence, etc.), and morality as a way to achieve internal self-improvement.
If in modern society we say to philosophers: “Formulate the“ golden rule of morality ”, the answer will not be its standard formulation, but a deeper emphasis on the person considered in it, acting as the subject of ethical action.
The decline of the moral level in modern society
The spiritual sphere in the life of society throughout the world since the beginning of the 20th century has been significantly impoverished. This is due to the dominant position of economic problems and related ideological and political issues (almost all actions of people are aimed at the accumulation of mainly material wealth).
In the constant race for wealth, man neglected spirituality, stopped thinking about internal self-improvement, and began to ignore the ethical side of his actions. This trend has been emerging since the end of the XIX century. Even F. M. Dostoevsky wrote about an unrestrained thirst for money, which was enchanted by people of that era (more than a century ago) before stupefaction ("Idiot").
Most people forgot, and many did not at all know that the “golden rule of morality” says.
The result of the processes taking place at present can be stagnation in the development of civilization or even evolution will come to a standstill.
The relevant ideologies that arose in all its strata during the coming to power of the Bolsheviks and Nazis, respectively, played a significant role in the fading morality of society regarding Russia and Germany.
The low ethical level of humanity, as a rule, is clearly fixed in critical moments of history (revolutions, civil and interstate wars, instability of the state order, etc.). An example is the flagrant violation of moral standards in Russia: during the years of the civil war (1918-1921), during the Second World War (1939-1945), during the era of Stalin's industrialization (20-30s) and today in the form of an "epidemic" of terrorist acts. All these events led to one deplorable result - the death of a large number of innocent people.
Moral aspects are most often not taken into account in the process of resolving state issues: during economic, social, agricultural and industrial reforms (as a rule, the result is negative environmental consequences).
The unfavorable current situation in our country in almost all areas of people's lives is a direct consequence of government miscalculations regarding the current ethical level of society at the time of the next state decision.
Recent years have been marked by a deterioration in the criminal situation in our country: the number of murders, contracted and especially cruel, bullying, theft, rape, bribery, vandalism, etc. has increased.
A curious example of the disorder and chaos that currently prevails in our country is the sensational story that happened in 1996: two people were detained for committing theft from a government box in a cardboard box containing half a million US dollars. Soon, an official statement was received that the owner of the money had not appeared, in connection with which the criminal case was closed and the investigation was terminated. The criminals instantly became “benefactors of the state”, as it turns out, they found a “treasure”, and the withdrawn money was sent to the state treasury.
Everyone understands that the owner of the money acquired them dishonestly, otherwise he would have immediately claimed his rights to them. In this case, the prosecutor's office had to conduct an investigation to find out the source of the appearance of this box with a very significant amount of money. Why this did not happen - official authorized persons tactfully remain silent. It remains to assume that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the courts and the prosecutor's office cannot cope with the current criminal situation in the country. And the reason for this, apparently, is the corruption of a large number of government officials.