Help Principle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Help Principle comes in two forms. The basic form is

Help someone if your help is worth more to them than it is to you.

And the more elaborate final form is

Help someone if the all-time direct value of your help is worth more to them than it is to you.

It was set out Iain King, who argues it is the basic principle underlying good action.

It can be contrasted with Rawls’ Difference Principle – hypothetical contractors would adopt King’s Principle over Rawls’ if they were not risk averse. It is also the principle which would be adopted by two utilitarians, and complies with the requirements on principles set out by R. M. Hare.