Research Review: What if everyone did that?
Rob Hamshar | Portfolio Construction Forum | 20 April 2026 | 1.50 CE
When evaluating the morality of a given course of action, individuals often rely on a combination of two basic approaches: they consider the potential outcomes and consequences of an action; or, they consider if an action is in accordance with relevant rules and norms. A complementary third approach, the logic of universalisation, invites us to ask “What if everyone did that?”. A prominent theme in works of moral philosophy (e.g., Immanuel Kant) and the psychology of moral development (e.g., Lawrence Kohlberg), universalisation logic guides individuals to abstract fro...