Root of Ethics - Transcendental or Empirical?

I am still reading consilience. I am reading the last few pages of the last section. One of the arguments of Wilson is that the most important consilient integration of the twenty first century would be the unification of natural and social sciences. For example, being able to explain ethics and relegion using the natural sciences will be one aspect of this unification. Herein lies a controversial idea.

Does ethics have a transcendental or empirical origin. In other words is ethics bestowed upon the human beings by a superior power? - which is transcendental or is ethics an uniquely human concept necessiated by genetics and culture?

I am not sure what the correct answer and for many the correct answer will be subjective depending on what camp you belong to.