From Apple Dictionary: metaphysics - the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space. [race, religion, etc.]

ontology - a branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of being.

ontological status - they ways in which people define, characterize, and categorize a lived/experienced/observed phenomenon is that phenomenon's "ontology." The observed phenomena in this case are physical differences between various social groups from different geographic locations.

putative |ˈpyo͞otətiv| adjective [ attrib. ] generally considered or reputed to be: the putative father of a boy of two.