I had, also, during many years, followed a golden rule, namely, that whenever a published fact, a new observation or thought came across me, which was opposed to my general results, to make a memorandum of it without fail and at once; for I had found by experience that such facts and thoughts were far more apt to escape from the memory than favourable ones.

Charles Darwin, Autobiography

I've never been much of a rule follower but this is a rule I can appreciate.

What is the difference between following a rule and being guided by principle?

Paul

I am not much of a rule follower of other people's rules that they wish to impose on me (barring professional and legal settings). I'm a better rule follower if I make my own rules, which arise from my own chosen principles.

I don't see what that has to do with Darwin's quote. He doesn't wish to impose his rule on anyone, he just tells us what he found to be a good method to avoid confirmation bias. And if we can learn something from such great minds, we shouldn't dismiss it on the grounds of the fact that we didn't think of it ourselves.

Jenna's statement makes more sense in the context of responding to what I said than responding directly to Darwin's quote. She doesn't strike me as someone who would take Darwin's perspective lightly. What makes more sense is: she wants to understand the principles underlying any set of rules, evaluate them, and create her own rules from these principles. If she chooses to create her own rules from the principles underlying Darwin's stated rule, she would be showing Darwin greater respect than if she were to simply accept his rules as a guide to her life based on his status. If Jenna were to choose the principles underlying Darwin's rules after evaluating them, she wouldn't be dismissing his value. She would be acting with high autonomy and respecting her own value.

Paul

Oh, I wasn't responding to Darwin, I was responding to the question of the difference between following rules and using principles. For me, one follows from the other, and back again. But I do understand what Darwin was doing when he wrote "golden rule". I see Darwin as having learned a lot of value from his golden rule, and through life experience and my own principles is how I establish my golden rules. And, what I learn through these "rules" (I prefer to call them 'guidelines') can influence my principles.