How did you decide to get up this morning? Were you following a written script, a set of rules that you refer to each morning to make sure you do what you need to do? Not likely.
No, you got up and did what you meant to do that day, living your life via a sense of what you want to do (or need to do), but not strictly rule-bound.
Who lives a rule-bound life? People who are institutionalized:
No, we prefer to have as few rules as possible, but we are not able to get away from principles.
What is a principle?
A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of beliefs or behavior or a chain of reasoning. That is a guide for behavior or evaluation.
It’s a guide, not a set of bars. For example, when you go to a wilderness area, what might you see
Aren’t those rules? Yes, but very general, like ‘do to others as you would have them do to you.’ Beyond what that sign says, you are on your own to do as you please.
But without rules won’t you have a chaotic society? In societal terms, sure, and that’s why we have rules in the first place — and future essays will talk about that.
But as individuals? No, you do not need rules, as long as you lead a principled life.