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INVENTING MORALITY (2 of 4)

A Roman Catholic view of morality is expressed in an article in the encyclopedia, Advent:

Every people, even the most uncivilized and uncultured, has its own morality or sum of prescriptions which govern its moral conduct.

The title of the article is "Ethics," and about ethics, the article continues:

Ethics takes its origin from the empirical fact that certain general principles and concepts of the moral order are common to all people at all times.

The author of the article describes "the proper method of ethics is at once speculative and empirical; it draws upon experience and metaphysics." And in concluding what is ethical and what is not, "the Christian philosopher" ought not "ignore supernatural revelation." The author adds,

God is the fountain-head of all truth. As our intellect is an image of the Divine Intellect, so is all certain scientific knowledge the reflex and interpretation of the Creator's thoughts embodied in His creatures, a participation in His eternal wisdom.

Regarding ethics, the Advent's article has a description of the basic position of the Church on intellectual matters:

A conflict, therefore, between faith and science is impossible, and hence the Christian philosopher has to refrain from advancing any assertion which would be evidently antagonistic to certain revealed truth.