Briefly reflecting on Philosopher Blackburn & The Golden Rule

Briefly reflecting on Philosopher Blackburn & The Golden Rule

Photo: Simple Things In Life, October 20 2022 

I came across this issue recently...

Blackburn

British philosopher, Simon Blackburn explains that the golden rule is 'Any form of the dictum, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 'In some form this is found in almost all religions and ethical systems.' (160).

'The rule is sometimes parodied as. 'Do unto others as you have them do unto themselves.' (160). This example is very similar (at least) to forms of the Platinum Rule. 

Platinum rule/Religions Wiki 

Cited:

'The platinum rule is the ethical principle to "Do unto others as they themselves would have done unto them" and coined by Milton Bennett in 1979. (1).' From Milton J. Bennett, Overcoming the Golden Rule: Sympathy and Empathy, 1979. 'It emphasizes the importance of empathy with other people.' 

The philosopher Karl Popper stated it without calling it by this name: "doing unto others, wherever reasonable, as they want to be done by (2)."' 

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Theology

The New Testament ethic:

Jesus Christ within the great commandment (Mathew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10), mentions that the second commandment is to love all persons as neighbours as one loves self. The first commandment to love of God with the fullness in mind and spirit. This is the God of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Some 'gospel' light can be shed even to those outside of the Christian Community.

Further from the New Testament...

Galatians 5: 14-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

John 13 from the Gospel of John:

John 13:34-35

New American Standard Bible (NASB) 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

I John 4:20 the Epistle 

New American Standard Bible (NASB) 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 

A gospel approach requires the highest, divinely inspired, values of love and truth in human approaches to both God and humanity. The New Testament ethic is its own perspective, within the Christian worldview, whether it is philosophically and theologically referred to as a form of the Golden Rule or not, and with the similarities and differences with other variants of the Golden Rule.

BENNETT J, MILTON (1979) Overcoming the Golden Rule: Sympathy and Empathy In: Nimmo, D., Ed., Communication Yearbook 3, International Communication Association, Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ, 406-422.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

COAD, F. ROY (1986) 'Galatians' in F.F. Bruce (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. 

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

ORR, R.W. (1986) 'The Letters of John' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

POPPER, KARL (1971) The Open Society and Its Enemies, Vol. 2: The Hide of Prophecy, Princeton, Princeton University Press; 5th Rev ed. edition.

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.