Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site grkermit.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!grkermit!larry From: larry@grkermit.UUCP (Larry Kolodney) Newsgroups: net.philosophy Subject: Re: "Golden Rule" as the basis for morality Message-ID: <483@grkermit.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Jul-83 08:56:47 EDT Article-I.D.: grkermit.483 Posted: Thu Jul 7 08:56:47 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Jul-83 18:57:31 EDT References: mit-eddie.403 <828@ittvax.UUCP> Organization: GenRad Inc., Concord, MA Lines: 33 From: wex@ittvax.UUCP (Alan Wexelblat) It has been suggested that we use a form of the Golden Rule as a basis for morality. As I take it, the Golden rule (GR) says: "Do unto others what you would like them to do unto you." Does this mean that a worshipper of the Crocodile god is intended to go about sacrificing everyone in sight to his god, simply because (for him) that is the ultimate bliss, and he really wishes someone would sacrifice him? Should a heroin addict go and shoot up everyone he can find, since he would *love* to have a fix himself? A better definition of the Golden Rule is: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you in similar circumstances. Basicly, this means take the context into account. If I'm a heroin addict and you are not, I should not give you heroin because you don't want it. If I felt that I should give you heroin anyway because that is the only way to find true happines and you don't know what's good for you than I have made a mistake about heroin, but my moral basis is still correct. If I felt that heroin is the best thing for my friend, I would be morally obliged to give it to him. -- Larry Kolodney #13 (I try harder) (USENET) decvax!genrad!grkermit!larry allegra!linus!genrad!grkermit!larry harpo!eagle!mit-vax!grkermit!larry (ARPA) rms.g.lkk@mit-ai