Teaching the Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is endorsed in one form or another by most cultures and major religions and is still espoused by philosophers, business ethicists, and popular business authors. Because it also resonates with undergraduate business majors, it can be an effective teaching tool. This paper describes a way of teaching the Golden Rule through a series of business-oriented examples intended to bring out its strengths and weaknesses. The method described also introduces students to some basic moral reasoning skills and acquaints them with a wide range of moral issues that arise in business. Kant's Formula of Humanity is discussed in the final section as a principle that overcomes at least some of the Golden Rule's defects.