TOD 02.29.08

In ethics, there are three different kinds of rules. First, universal rules, which apply to all people in all places, such as, “Do not murder,” or, “Devote time to God in prayer.” Second, particular rules, which apply to all people in a group, such as, “Drive 65 or less on most American interstates,” or, “Obey your superiors in the military.” Finally, personal rules, which apply only to you, usually based on your individual purpose, character, or commitments, such as, “No alcohol because drunkenness tempts you,” or, “No motorcycle riding because your wife hates it.”

Many people wrongly deny one or more of these categories, and this leads them to be mistaken about how a rule applies. Denying personal rules leads people to turn them into universals, such as, “No one should celebrate Halloween.” Likewise, denying universal rules leads others to wrongly reduce them to merely personal, such as, “I would never have an abortion.”

Since the universal rule to love others requires us to assist them in living well, we must also be careful to correctly know whether and how the other rules apply to them as well.