There isn't a universally agreed-upon "second golden rule." The term "golden rule" most commonly refers to the ethical principle of treating others as you would want to be treated. However, depending on the context, "second golden rule" can have different meanings:
Interpretations of "Second Golden Rule"
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A Different Version of the Golden Rule: Some sources mention variations on the golden rule, sometimes called the Platinum Rule. This emphasizes understanding and responding to individual needs rather than applying a universal standard. As noted in the Headspace article "What do we get wrong about the Golden Rule?", the golden rule is not absolute and a modified approach may be more effective in certain situations.
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A Secondary Ethical Principle: In some religious or philosophical systems, a second, related principle might be considered secondary to the primary golden rule. For example, the article "How is the Second Greatest Commandment Related to the Golden Rule?" explores the connection between the Golden Rule and another significant commandment. The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina blog post "Disciple: Two Golden Rules" suggests two versions of the golden rule exist, implying a 'second' version.
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Context-Specific Rules: In fields like accounting, visual storytelling, or economics, the phrase "golden rule" is sometimes used metaphorically to describe key principles. For instance, the article "The Three Golden Rules of Accounting" uses "golden rule" to denote fundamental accounting practices, which could imply the existence of a "second" rule within that specific context. Another example is the "second golden rule of visual storytelling" mentioned in "This is the golden rule of visual storytelling (and life)", which is a rule of thumb for visual media creators.
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Fermi's Second Golden Rule: In physics, Fermi's Second Golden Rule (R = 2π ¯h | < f|H1|i |2 ρ(E)) is a formula describing transition rates in quantum mechanics, completely unrelated to the ethical principle.
Therefore, a definitive answer to "What is the second golden rule?" depends entirely on the context.
