# Why do so many religions have a "Golden Rule"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-religions-have-a-golden-rule/481327>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 14, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-religions-have-a-golden-rule/481327 "2009-01-14T21:28:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-religions-have-a-golden-rule/481327/21 "2009-01-15T06:51:37Z")

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> [@Bad\_Astronaut](#):
>
> My thinking was not that it is central to all religions, but rather that it’s basic human nature.

> **[Prisoner's dilemma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma#The_iterated_prisoner.27s_dilemma)**
>
> In game theory, the prisoner's dilemma is a thought experiment involving two rational agents, each of whom can either cooperate for mutual benefit or betray their partner ("defect") for individual gain. The dilemma arises from the fact that while defecting is rational for each agent, cooperation yields a higher payoff for each. The puzzle was designed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher in 1950 during their work at the RAND Corporation. They invited economist Armen Alchian and mathematician Jo Al...

> **[News Archives](https://www.findarticles.com/news/)**
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> Explore the News Articles featuring Technology, Business, Entertainment, and Science & Health topics. Access reports, insights, and stories.

Indeed. Ultimately the golden rule works because the profit motive makes it advantageous in the long run to establish friendship and cooperative organizations.

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