What is the golden rule of morality? The meaning and meaning of the "golden rule of morality"

It was developed by well-known thinkers and teachers in ancient times, but it is still very relevant at the moment. "Golden Rule of Conduct" fixes a comprehensive moral principle in relation to another person within any practical situation. It extends to everything that concerns 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 Morals" is a fundamental canon that reflects the call of morality. It is most often perceived as the fundamental, its most important truth. The rule of morality in question reads: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" (Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris).

The concentration of practical wisdom in it is one of the aspects of never-ending ethical reflection.

Historical facts regarding the rule under consideration

The period of its occurrence is attributed to the middle of 1 thousand BC. E., When a humanistic revolution was taking place. The status of "gold" it acquired in the XVIII century.

It is known that earlier in the tribal communities there was a custom about blood revenge - talion (retribution equivalent to the perfect crime). He acted as a kind of restrictor of hostility to the clans, as this cruel law demanded an equal punishment.

When tribal relations began to disappear, a difficulty arose in a clear division, so to speak, into strangers and their own. Economic ties outside the community were often more significant than related ones.

So, already the community did not aspire to be responsible for the misdeeds of its individual members. In this regard, talion loses effectiveness, and it becomes necessary to form a completely new principle that allows you to regulate interpersonal relationships that do not depend on gender. It was this principle that was the rule: "Treat people as you would like them to treat you."

Explanation of this ethical rule

In its various formulations there is one common link - "the other." By it is meant any person (nearest or distant relative, friend or unfamiliar).

The meaning of the "golden rule of morality" is the equivalence of all people with respect to their freedom and the opportunity to improve. This is a kind of equality with respect to the best human qualities and optimal norms of behavior.

If you ask yourself the question "The golden rule of morality" - what is it? ", The answer is to disclose not its literal interpretation, but the internal philosophical meaning that brought it to the status of" golden. "

Thus, this ethical rule presupposes an early recognition by the individual of the consequences of his actions in the future with respect to another person by projecting himself into his place. It teaches you to treat others as you do to yourself.

In what cultures has it been 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 and philosophical doctrine (Confucianism). One of the formulations can be seen in the Mahabharata (Buddha's sayings).

It is known that Confucius, answering the question of his pupil 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 want yourself. "

In ancient Greek creations, it occurs in Homer's classic poem 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, the Gospel) and in the conversations of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

In the Sunnah (sayings of Muhammad), the "golden rule of morality" says: "Do to all people what you would wish people would do to you, and do not do to others what you would not want yourself."

The wording of the "golden rule of morality"

In the past, attempts were made to classify its form according to aesthetic or social criteria.

Thus, the German philosopher Christian Tomazi singled out the three basic forms of the rule under consideration, while delineating the spheres of law, morality and politics, which he called the principles of law, decency and respect.

They have the following form.

1. The principle of law is philosophically revealed as a kind of requirement that a person should not commit to another what he does not want to do towards himself.
2. The principle of propriety is presented in the form of an ethical call for the individual to do to another subject what he himself would wish to have done to him.
3. The principle of respect is revealed in the fact that a person always acts with regard to other people as he would like them to do about himself.

The German researcher G. Rainer also proposed three formulations of the "golden rule", which echoed the above interpretations (H.Thomasius).

• The first formulation is a feeling rule that says: "(Do not) do to others what you (do not) want yourself."
• The second - autonomy rule sounds: "(Do not) do yourself what you find (not) commendable in another."
• The third - the rule of reciprocity has the form: "How do you (do not) want people to treat you, (do not) do so to you with them."

"The golden rule of morality" in proverbs and sayings

This moral canon is firmly established in the popular 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.

1. "What you do not love in another, do not do it yourself."
2. "Do not dig a hole to another - you'll get into it yourself."
3. "As it does, it will respond."
4. "How to shout into the forest, and from the forest will respond."
5. "What people want, you yourself get."
6. "Do not spit in the well - most will have to drink water."
7. "Doing evil to people, do not expect good from them", etc.

So, the "golden rule of morality" in proverbs and sayings made it possible to apply it quite often in everyday life and pass from generation to generation in the form of easily memorable folklore.

"The Diamond Rule of Morality"

It is in addition to the previously considered "golden". It was the diamond rule that was named because of the versatility symbolizing human individuality, which is unique in its kind.

So, as mentioned earlier, the "golden rule of morality" reads: "Do not do to others what you do not want to do to you." The "Diamond" supplements: "Do what no one else can do except you." Here emphasis is placed 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" says: "Do your best to serve the greatest needs of others." It is the uniqueness of this individual (the subject of ethical action) that is the 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 refusal of those actions that one would not like himself), the "diamond" canon, on the contrary, emphasizes the irreducibility of the subject of the 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

English philosopher-materialist 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 selfish ambitions and thereby create a basis for the unification of all people within the state.

The English philosopher John Locke did not perceive the "golden rule of morality" as something given to man from birth, but, on the contrary, indicated 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 assessed the traditional formulations of the canon under consideration. In his opinion, the "golden rule of morality" in its explicit form does not provide an opportunity to assess the degree of ethical development of the individual: a person can understate the moral requirements towards himself or take an egoistic position (I will not stop you from living, do not disturb me too) . It includes a person's desire for his moral behavior. However, it is precisely these desires, passions and dreams that often make a person hostage to one's nature and completely cut off its morality - human freedom.

But nevertheless the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant (the central concept of ethical teaching) is purely philosophical refinement of the existing canon. According to Kant, the "golden rule of morality" says: "Do your best so that the maxim of your will can always become the basis of universal legislation." In this definition, the German philosopher tries, 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 possible consequences of his actions.

Two tendencies of the ethical self-determination of man from the point of view of the New European philosophers

The first presents the person as a social individual, who submits to the generally accepted morality.

The second tendency is oriented towards understanding the representative of the human race as a person striving for the corresponding ideal (maturity, integrity, self-development, self-actualization, individualization, realization of the inner essence, etc.), and morality as a way to achieve inner self-improvement.

If in modern society, say to philosophers: "Formulate the" golden rule of morality ", the answer will not be its standard formulation, but a deeper emphasis on the personality 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 all over the world since the beginning of the XX century has essentially become impoverished. This is due to the dominant position to date of economic problems and related ideological and political issues (almost all people's actions are aimed at the accumulation of predominantly material goods).

In a constant race for wealth, a person neglected spirituality, stopped thinking about inner self-improvement, began to ignore the ethical side of his actions. This trend has been outlined since the end of the XIX century. Even F. M. Dostoevsky wrote about the rampant thirst for money, which was taken by people of that era (more than a century ago) to stupefy ("Idiot").

Most people forgot, and many did not even know that the "golden rule of morality" is.

The result of the processes taking place at present can become stagnation in the development of civilization or even evolution will come to a standstill.

An important role in the moribundity of society with respect to Russia and Germany was played by the corresponding ideologies that emerged in all its strata, at the time of the coming to power of the Bolsheviks and the Nazis, respectively.

The low ethical level of mankind, as a rule, is clearly recorded in critical moments of history (revolutions, civil and inter-state wars, instability of state order, etc.). An example is flagrant violations of moral norms in Russia: during the Civil War (1918-1921), during the Second World War (1939-1945), in the era of Stalin's industrialization (20-30-ies) and in Our days 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 ecological consequences).

The unfavorable current situation in our country in almost all areas of people's lives is a direct result of government miscalculations regarding the existing ethical level of society at the time of the next state decision.

The last years were marked by the deterioration of the criminal situation in our country: the number of murders, contract and especially cruel, bullying, theft, rape, bribery, vandalism, etc. increased. Most of all, this is unpunished, since the percentage of crimes disclosed has decreased.

A curious example of the disorder and chaos that prevails in our country today is the sensational story that occurred in 1996: two people were detained for committing an act of stealing from the Government House of Russia a cardboard box containing half a million US dollars. Soon there was an official statement that the owner of the money did not show up, in connection with which the criminal case was closed, and the investigation was terminated. Criminals instantly became "benefactors of the state", as it turns out, they found a "treasure", and the seized money was sent to the state treasury.

Everyone understands that the owner of the money has 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 large amount of money. Why this did not happen - the official authorized persons are tactfully silent. It remains to be assumed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the courts and the prosecutor's office can not cope with the prevailing criminal situation in the country. And the reason for this is, apparently, the corruption of a large number of government officials.