The Golden/Silver Rule precepts and associated maxims are the pillars upon which most major religious and philosophical traditions, moral and legal codes, are founded, that also relate to science. Dating back almost to the beginnings of civilized culture in ancient Africa over 5,000 years ago, and elsewhere, the rules are among the earliest oral civil precepts/codes to be committed to print regarding appropriate social conduct across most situations. This wisdom inquiry offers, some background, an integrative theory for most of the versions of the precepts found amongst the worlds cultures, in addition to, some newly created reciprocity labels, and maxims, based on mutuality, generosity, altruism and ethical levels. A draft integration of some new mutuality rules, and interaction relations, for science, religion, and philosophy, are offered, along with some sample optimums for various life style types on an altruism-egotism ethics scale. New relations between the Great Law and golden rules are found, and a new Inverse Corrollary is created.
HOWARD TERRY (aka Dr. “Q C Terry”) is a researcher, and co-author of several published and presented research papers in psychology, human development, and research methodologies. He was trained and did research at U. C., Berkeley, Stanford U., U.C.L.A., and U.S.C., and other universities, and also received his PhD at U. C. Berkeley. He’s a humanist, science writer, naturalist, and teacher! His interests are in philosophy and wisdom, ethics in science, and ethical maturity. His education has been in general psychology, research methods, adult aging, and lifespan development, and he’s now interested in the moral perennial verities, ecology and human development. He has been affiliated in the past with The Institute of Personality and Social Research, and with The Institute of Human Development, both located at U.C. Berkeley, and with the Institute of Health and Aging at U. C. San Francisco. He has taught at Ca. State Univ., at Northridge, and CSU Hayward. He is a disabled author. He now resides, part of the year, doing research, in Berkeley, and the other, is spent, in San Francisco California. He is merging the popular edition of this book, with finishing a second volume, “Perennial Truths and Wisdom”. Contact the author at email; drqcterry@gmail.com.
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Golden Rules and Silver Rules of Humanity©
Universal Wisdom of Civilization
"Do to others as you would have others do to you" Golden Rule
"Do not do to others as you would not have others do to you" Silver Rule
Introduction, Precepts, Opening Ethical Dilemma Tale
The Golden and Silver Rules are ubiquitous, obvious, simple, and ancient, and yet, there is no deep complete theory underlying the precepts. They are self evident, intuitive doctrine principles of ethics found throughout the history of civilization in one form or another.
Only recently, have near comprehensive books, chapters, or articles appeared, and yet there is still no deep overall theory upon which all the precepts are grounded or based, except partially for some modern work in formal logic or the ethics of reciprocity.
Although one might defer to the authority of Confucius or Buddha, or the divinity of Jesus, or the philosophy of Socrates, it is not until Mencius in the east, and St. Augustine, and I. Kant in the west, that we find a learned treatment of the precepts. These sagacious personages, however sought no more than to modify or expand in some incomplete manner the actual interpersonal ethical principles.