The golden rule says: ‘Treat others as you want to be treated’. This article organizes contemporary interpretations of the rule into three groups: the ‘material’ golden rule, the ‘relativistic’ golden rule, and the ‘formal’ golden rule. The article also argues that (a) the relativistic golden rule is the weakest, (b) the formal golden rule is virtually irrefutable, (c) the material golden rule is less evident than the formal one, but not necessarily false and (d) the formal golden rule and the (...) material golden rule are not incompatible—they can complement each other. This assumes that the substantive assumptions of the material golden rule are real. (shrink)

It is worthy to mention that this book is entitled "Metaethics of Golden Rule" which is an academic Persian book of Philosophy and it stems from my M.A. dissertation: Lotfi Yazdi, Mohammad Reza (2015), Survey of Meta-ethical Foundation of Golden Rule, Tehran: Payame Noor University, M.A. in Ethics (Moral Philosophy). --- I have been working on Golden Rule since ten years ago, directly and indirectly. It has included an introduction to Metaphilosophy and generalities of Ethics. In addition, I have presented (...) the following here: 1) My interpretation of Golden Rule; 2) Presenting three arguments for selecting Golden Rule as a deontological normative theory; 3) Arguing that respect is a moral value and then combining respect as a valued content at three human nature's levels with Golden Rule to resolve ethical dilemmas and improve Golden Rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself, respectably; 4) Understanding Metaethics of Golden Rule with root in universalizability by 1. Conceptual analysis of Golden Rule and universalizability, then finding and revealing law of non-contradiction in both of them through a deduction 2. Arguing that moral reasoning is their connection 3. Normative universalizability is the same as Golden rule, and so, Golden Rule has been connected to metaethical universalizability by normative universalizability; 5) Presenting an argument which contradicts Relativism and Nihilism with Golden Rule and its metaethical foundation: universalizability; 6) Studying and comparing theories of Moral Metaphysics with Golden Rule and understanding their consistency or inconsistency or neutralization with Golden Rule and its root in universalizability; 7) Studying and presenting an argument that Skepticism is in challenge with universalizability or Golden Rule. --- I have published this book owing to two reasons. First and foremost, Iran is one of the most ancient countries for Golden rule and its root in universalizability. Secondly, this book has been written due to my constant moral worries and considerations. --- Pouya Lotfi Yazdi --- Spring 2017. (shrink)