Wednesday 15 September 2010

Ok. Sex between universes aside...


So we have the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you have others do unto you.
And the Supreme Cathegorical Imperative: Act only according to the maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. (Even the name sounds cold! But Kant couldn't help it - he was german)

Both imply the idea that everyone is just as valuable as you and me and so all should be treated morally the same as you and me (particularly me). There is however a difference between them, illustrated in a simple one-liner:
"A sadist is a masochist who follows the golden rule."
Kant would say there's no way a masochist could claim inflicting pain on others could be a universal law for a livable world. Even a masochist would find that unreasonable.

Following this, G.B. Shaw rephrased the Golden Rule: Do not do unto others as you have others do unto you. They may have different taste. 
~~ Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein

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