What is race? An exploration of race as a biological, social, and ethical identity

Abstract

Race has been, and continues to be, an integral part of American history. It is important in how we identify and understand ourselves. Furthermore, racial classifications are important in how interact with others and how they interact with us. In this thesis, I seek to understand what exactly racial identity is by examining it from a biological, social, and ethical point of view. I discover that race is both a social and ethical identity which is important in our self-conception. Additionally, I argue that in a world with racial equality, race will remain an important ethical identity, especially for African Americans, as it provides information about one’s ancestral history.