What is the foundation of moral life?

A:

Some say that religious instruction is the foundation of moral life. If this were true, we should find higher moral standards among religious people than among those of no faith, but the evidence is that there is no such distinction.

One foundation of moral life must be our conscience, whether this is innate or an attribute learnt as children. It is those with a clear sense of conscience who demonstrate honest behaviour. Another foundation of moral life is a sense of empathy. Empathy distinguishes us, at the extreme, from psychopaths. Empathy also gives us reason to help others.