Talk:Silver rule

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm not sure, but it looks to me that, in the handshake example, the Silver Rule (Treat others in the way that they wish to be treated) can be reduced to the Golden rule (Treat others in the way you wish to be treated). If you want that people shake your hand the way you like, then even if you don't like a firm handshake you would be treating someone like you want to be treated if you use a firm handshake when handshaking someone that likes it.

A.Z. 01:25, 23 June 2006 (UTC)


That's not what I was taught the silver rule was. I was taught it was 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all'. Are you SURE the silver rule is to treat others as they wish to be treated? Unknown contributor

Comment #3 According to Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., President of Gonzaga University, the "Silver Rule" is "Do no harm" (The Life Principles, 1999). This Silver Rule, "Do no harm" is similar to the rule of reciprocity as taught by most major religions, and can be researched easily with consistent results that refute this wikipedia article. The first commentator above perfectly states the absurdity and uselessness of this wikipedia definition which has no history or references. Daveheathr@aol.com 02/07

[edit] Silver Rule major revision

The previous entry was a fabrication with no historical references. This entry is reference to the President of Gonzaga University and can be validated in historical literature and many websites. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Daveheathr (talkcontribs) 06:36, 16 February 2007 (UTC).

[edit] passive reciprocity vs no harm

There is also a book "Golden Rules And Silver Rules Of Humanity: Universal Wisdom Of Civilization" by Q. C. Terry. You can find it on amazon.com. The both (golden and silver) rules are written on its cover: amazon.com/image.

I do not like the "do no harm" definition of the silver rule. It is shorter, but the "harm" is not defined and ambiguous. I would put the reciprocal interpretation "do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you" first. Spitzer has it in "Examining Trends in Ethics". This would relate the silver rule more to thegolden rule and separate it from non-agression and harm principle. Kopovoi 10:53, 4 April 2007 (UTC)