ABSTRACT
Golden-Rule (GR) is widely held too, across different religions and cultures, and can be expressed in a clear way that resists objections. GR and other consistency norms are socially approved almost everywhere, perhaps because a society needs them to survive and flourish. So cultural relativists can accept GR and other consistency norms as somewhat universal cultural conventions. GR promotes cooperation, which benefits everyone and brings social rewards. Groups were asked to list persons they knew well and label them as "happy" / "unhappy" and "altruistic" / "selfish." The GR consistency view straddles the metaethics/normative ethics divide. GR is a powerful tool for arguing about moral rights and was central in the American debate about slavery. GR is part of practically every religion and culture, it can provide common ground in global discussions about human rights. People have different motives for living GR consistency. Judaism's classic GR source is a popular story in the Talmud about the Rabbi Hillel.
