Golden Rule Vs Categorical Imperative
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The Golden Rule and Kant’s Categorical Imperative are both philosophical concepts in moral philosophy that, while seemingly similar, actually represent two differing ideals. Categorical Imperative establishes moral objectivism while the Golden Rule establishes moral relativism.
The main idea for Categorical Imperative is that an action can only be moral if it is universalized without any contradictions. In the scenario of stealing, take the maxim of “it is permissible to steal.” To define stealing, you would need property and ownership. However, because everyone is stealing, there would be no ownership. If there is no ownership, there will be no theft. Therefore, there is a contradiction and thus stealing is immoral. In Kant’s formula, it