Is Race Like Phlogiston?

Is race real? If so, what exactly is it? These questions have captivated both philosophers and social scientists alike. Participants in these debates frequently appeal to race’s role in explaining various social phenomena, though they rarely engage with empirical social science. In this paper, we will argue that the kinds of empirical success that race enjoys in the social sciences do not support the claim that races, as used in social science research, are accurately represented. In fact, we shall argue that race's empirical success appears to be less than that of the phlogiston theory.