The Golden Rule ? Sense or Bullshit?

[genkaus]

Right is a human concept, and thus, not a scientific question.

Human concepts are not exempt from scientific inquiry. The question of rights is studied under political science.

I think the golden rule just means do unto others as you want them to do unto you. Many cultures have this saying, not just in religion, but also by philosophers.

And many philosophers have criticized it as well.

From an evolutionary viewpoint, this is extremely advantageous behaviour that would help the species survive, so I'm not surprised that humans have come to believe this is the way to act as those who do not act this way (thieves/other criminals) generally do not do well in societies, and a society comprised only of people who do what's best for themselves with no regards for others would break down rather quickly. Nowadays individuals in societies are so dependent on each other that i don't think anyone would argue that's a good idea.

From an evolutionary viewpoint, a lot of other behaviors that do not fit the common moral paradigm are advantageous as well. Are you surprised as to why humans don't believe that they should act that way? You should note that a lot of people who do not follow the golden rule, do happen to do well in societies. A lot of thieves and criminals happen to occupy the highest echelons of our society. And you cannot say that a society composed entirely of people only out for themselves would break down quickly because there has never been such a society in existence. Neither has there ever been a society solely based on the golden rule - so we can't credit the success of the society to it either. And finally, your dependence on other individuals can be resolved without ever bringing in the golden rule by the rule of trade - "Do unto others what they pay you to do unto them".

I think if no one spelled out the golden rule, we'd still live by it anyway, because of the reasons i've outlined above.

Hard to say, given that we barely live by it now even though it has been spelled out.

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I accept what you say but for me you are making a lot of assumptions. First of all the assumption is made that what you see as good and acceptable is also good and acceptable to your neighbor.

I don't know if you ever traveled to other countries that have very different cultures to your own? Well, I did and I burnt my fingers a few times in this respect.

I think my question is really about how practical statements like that are compared to accepting it as a philosophical, spiritual or religious truth that sounds nice and gives us the cosy feeling but are as impractical as can be.

So to my mind it can still be either a statement of sense or bullshit.

Given that this rule is to be applied with appropriate consideration given to the context and situation, I'd say that its a statement of sense sometimes and of bullshit the others.