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Individuals interact with each other through a variety of linguistic and behavioral symbols. Social situations are interpreted based on the symbols and the context in which the symbols appear (Burke & Stets, 2009, p. 65). Identity is the key filter through which situations are interpreted and made meaningful (Stets & Carter, 2011, p. 193). Identities are not harmless attributes assigned to a set of characteristics, but rather socially and politically engaged markers that impact many facets of social life, including something as essential as the experience and assignment of agency (Alcoff, 2005, p. 20). This paper will discuss identity from the perspective of four philosophers, Bernard Williams, Charles Taylor, Linda Alcoff and Judith Butler, as well as sociologists Peter Burke and Jan Stets through their identity control theory framework.