The Ethics of Reciprocity

The golden rule is endorsed by all the great world religions; , Hillel, and Confucius used it to summarize their ethical teachings. And for many centuries the idea has been influential among people of very diverse cultures. These facts suggest that the golden rule may be an important moral truth.

Let's consider an example of how the rule is used. President Kennedy in 1963 appealed to the golden rule in an anti-segregation speech at the time of the first black enrollment at the University of Alabama. He asked whites to consider what it would be like to be treated as second class citizens because of skin color. Whites were to imagine themselves being black -- and being told that they couldn't vote, or go to the best public schools, or eat at most public restaurants, or sit in the front of the bus. Would whites be content to be treated that way? He was sure that they wouldn't -- and yet this is how they treated others. He said the "heart of the question is ... whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated."

The golden rule is best interpreted as saying: "Treat others only in ways that you're willing to be treated in the same exact situation." To apply it, you'd imagine yourself in the exact place of the other person on the receiving end of the action. If you act in a given way toward another, and yet are unwilling to be treated that way in the same circumstances, then you violate the rule.

To apply the golden rule adequately, we need knowledge and imagination. We need to know what effect our actions have on the lives of others. And we need to be able to imagine ourselves, vividly and accurately, in the other person's place on the receiving end of the action. With knowledge, imagination, and the golden rule, we can progress far in our moral thinking.

The golden rule is best seen as a consistency principle. It doesn't replace regular moral norms. It isn't an infallible guide on which actions are right or wrong; it doesn't give all the answers. It only prescribes consistency - that we not have our actions (toward another) be out of harmony with our desires (toward a reversed situation action). It tests our moral coherence. If we violate the golden rule, then we're violating the spirit of fairness and concern that lie at the heart of morality.

The golden rule, with roots in a wide range of world cultures, is well suited to be a standard to which different cultures could appeal in resolving conflicts. As the world becomes more and more a single interacting global community, the need for such a common standard is becoming more urgent.

What Others Are Saying About Reciprocity:


The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule or the ethic of reciprocity is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion. It is often regarded as the most concise and general principle of ethics. It is a condensation in one principle of all longer lists of ordinances such as the Decalogue.

Bahá'í Faith

And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, 30

Hindu Faith

This is the sum of duty: do naught to others which if done to thee would cause thee pain.
The Mahabharata

Jewish Faith

What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.
The Talmud

Zoroastrian Faith

Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29

Buddhist Faith

Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
Udana-Varga

Christian Faith

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
The Gospel of Matthew Matt 7:12, Luke 6:31

Muslim Faith

No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.
Hadith

And yet some other sources:

Do not do unto others what angers you if done to you by others.
Isocrates 436-338 BCE

An it harm none, do what thou wilt.
Wiccan Rede

Tzu-kung asked, "Is there a single word which can be a guide to conduct throughout one's life?" The Master said, "It is perhaps the word shu. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."
Analects, 15.24

Refraining from doing what we blame in others.
By Thales
As quoted in Diogenes Laertius, vol I, page 39
{submitted by Gaylen Bunker}

Christianity: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Summations by the author of this article did not include the following comparable statement of in the New Testament, King James version, which says a bit more that what the author is representing under Christianity. It is found in the book of Matthew, Chapter 7 verse 12, and says:
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18

Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12

Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.
Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.
Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4

One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire.
Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8

Tsekung asked, "Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?" Confucius replied, "It is the word shu -- reciprocity: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you."
Confucianism. Analects 15.23

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.
Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.
African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)

One who you think should be hit is none else but you. One who you think should be governed is none else but you. One who you think should be tortured is none else but you. One who you think should be enslaved is none else but you. One who you think should be killed is none else but you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer. Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.
Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2

The Ariyan disciple thus reflects, Here am I, fond of my life, not wanting to die, fond of pleasure and averse from pain. Suppose someone should rob me of my life... it would not be a thing pleasing and delightful to me. If I, in my turn, should rob of his life one fond of his life, not wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and averse from pain, it would not be a thing pleasing or delightful to him. For a state that is not pleasant or delightful to me must also be to him also; and a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?

As a result of such reflection he himself abstains from taking the life of creatures and he encourages others so to abstain, and speaks in praise of so abstaining.
Buddhism. Samyutta Nikaya v.353

A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to him, Make me a proselyte, on condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot. Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in his hand. When he went to Hillel, he said to him, What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go and learn.
Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Christianity. Bible, Matthew 22.36-40