Final answer:
The OT handbook principle that avoids doing harm is based on the concept of nonmaleficence, akin to the Golden Rule and similar to Socrates's harm principle and the Indian notion of ahimsa.
Step-by-step explanation:
Principles of Conduct to Avoid Doing Harm
The principle of conduct from the Old Testament (OT) that speaks to avoiding harm is rooted in the ethical concept of nonmaleficence, which is closely aligned with the Golden Rule articulated in Leviticus 19:18 and further expounded by Hillel in the Talmud. This concept is echoed across various traditions, not just in Judaism. For instance, the ancient Greeks, as seen through Socrates’s harm principle, professed that doing harm to others ultimately harms the perpetrator's soul. In classical Indian philosophy, the comparable concept is ahimsa, which promotes non-violence and the avoidance of harm to all living beings.
In essence, all these perspectives converge on the idea that ethical conduct involves refraining from acts that cause harm, whether physical, psychological, or spiritual. Such a principle could be considered universal in its call for empathy, respect, and the ethical treatment of others. History provides us with substantial philosophical consensus that causing harm is both morally wrong and potentially damaging to one's own integrity and character.
Resolving conflicts between principles of conduct—such as never telling a lie versus avoiding harm—invokes deep ethical contemplation. A person might have to weigh the consequences of their actions carefully and consider which principle holds greater moral weight in a given circumstance, often a subject of philosophical debate.