Loob as Relational Interiority: A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Albert E. Alejo, S.J., Julz E. Riddle
Social Transformations Journal of the Global South May 31, 2018 DOI: 10.13185/2866 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe paper explores the Filipino philosophical concept of 'loob,' which literally means 'inside' or 'interior' but carries deeper cultural and relational significance. It argues that loob has an inner structure comprising three ambits: abot-malay (ambit of consciousness), abot-dama (ambit of feeling), and abot-kaya (ambit of strength). From its literal meaning to its spatial metaphor of relational interiority, loob opens an anthropological and moral discourse of pagpapakatao (being and becoming human), enriching alternative philosophical discussions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Sociology Philosophy |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key finding | Argues that the Filipino concept of 'loob' has an inner structure of three domains—ambit of consciousness, feeling, and strength—and offers a discourse on being and becoming human that enriches alternative philosophical thought. |
Abstract
This paper is a meditation on the Filipino philosophical concept of ‘loob.’ Literally, loob means ‘inside’ or ‘interior,’ but within the horizon of the Tagalog language and the culture that has nourished my interior conversation, my social relation, and my ecological conversion, loob has meant so much more than a circumscribed space, or a container of discursive baggage, or an object for academic project. As the paper reveals, loob has an inner structure that consists of the abot-malay (ambit of consciousness), the abot-dama (ambit of feeling), and the abot-kaya (ambit of strength). From its literal image to its spatial metaphor of a relational interiority, loob opens up a whole anthropological and moral discourse of pagpapakatao (being and becoming human) that promises to enrich our growing literature on alternative philosophical discourse.