ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Universalizability

Universalizability is like sharing your toys with your friends. Imagine you have a toy that your friend really likes and they ask to play with it. You might share your toy with them because you want to be fair and make them happy. However, before you do this, you need to think about how you would feel if your friend never gave your toy back or if everyone started taking your toys without asking.

Universalizability means thinking about whether something is fair or right for everyone. If you share your toy with your friend, it should be fair for them to share their toys with you too. If you take someone else's toy without asking, it's not fair because you wouldn't want someone to take your toys without asking either.

In other words, universalizability is a way of thinking about what is fair and just for everyone, not just for ourselves. It helps us make decisions that are ethical and considerate of others.
Related topics others have asked about: