Throughout history, numerous wise men, masters, sages, prophets, messengers, philosophers have in one form or another stated their own interpretation of the ethic of reciprocity.
In the Book of the Community, published in 1980 by The Community for the Equilibrium and development of the Human Being, the ethic of reciprocity is called the Principle of Solidarity.
"When you treat others as you would have them treat you, you liberate yourself.
This principle has great consequences because it leads to an opening, to a positive communication with other human beings. We know that self-enclosure generates more or less serious problems. What is called "selfishness" can be reduced precisely to a problem of self-enclosure and lack of communication. This principle gives importance to the act of of going positively towards others, and it complements with the other principle that recommends, "Do not harm others." although there is a great difference between the two.
The teaching on action of solidarity is one of the most ancient teachings of humanity." --The Book of the Community
Characteristics of the Golden Rule
The golden rule has developed independendly in different regions and in different cultural contexts. That makes it a principle of universal ethics. Beside its universality, it is an essential aspect of the golden rule, that the reciprocity and the moral responsibility make it possible to build up a relationship with empathy and respect.
Further the golden rule covers two basic aspects of every theory in ethics: In the positive form („Treat others as you like them to treat you.“) contextual benevolence is addressed, in the negative form („Don’t treat others as you don’t like them to treat you.“) the contractually defined limits of intervention into the autonomic sphere of the individual are mentioned, led by the concept of justice. Justice and benevolence come together in the golden rule, meanwhile they where treated separatly in the traditional philosophical debate about deontological or teleological ethics: The claim that an action is right or wrong independent of the consequences (deontological ethics) favors justice as the central term, the claim that an action is right or wrong on the basis of the consequences (teleological ethics) does so with benevolence.
In addition to this important fact the golden rule manifests a valuable progress of civilisation, from the ius talionis to a principle of desirability. Neglecting the talionist principle of the Old Testament, as it is summed up in the famous verse „And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.“ (Deuteronomy 19, 21), covers the knowledge and the experience that continuing with the wrong does not heal any wounds. Only with the moral implications drawn by the golden rule, one can overcome hate and self-hate, installing a new form of relationship by appealing to the desirable – a relationship in tolerance and appreciation. So even in the challenges, fanaticism and extremism put on the open society, the golden rule proves to be a suitable principle, because the dialogue can only be successfull when it strengthens the progressive concept of tolerance and appreciation, which takes into account justice and benevolence.
In spite of all the advantages of the golden rule, the academic philosophical ethics indeed almost ignored it. So the golden rule is not mentioned in the german historical encyclopedia of philosophy. Since the 1960s the interest has been growing both in the continental (e.g. Hans Reiner and Hans-Ulrich Hoche) and the Anglo-Saxon philosophy (e.g. Marcus G. Singer and Richard M. Hare). But before, the most important representatives of academic philosophy had criticized the golden rule sharply. --The Golden Rule as a Global Ethos by Josef Bordat (Berlin) http://www.philosophia-online.de/mafo/heft2007-1/Bor_gol.htm
The ethic of reciprocity
The ethic of reciprocity or the Golden Rule is a fundamental moral value which simply means "treat others as you would like to be treated." It is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights, though it is not without its critics.Ethical teaching interprets the Golden Rule as mutual respect for one's neighbour (rather than as a deontological or consequentialist rule). A key element of the golden rule is that a person attempting to live by this rule treats all people, not just members of his or her in-group with consideration. 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. Principal philosophers and religious figures have stated it in different ways. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethic_of_reciprocity#cite_note-5
On the next post, we will enumerate interpretations of the ethic of reciprocity by some of these philosophers and religious figures.
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