KHUET : ON SARTRE’S PHENOMENOLOGY

Abstract

          “Khuet” is Lanna ancient term which has been addressed in northern region of Thailand and considered to be a significant belief that plays the important role for Lanna people. Generally, the definition of “Khuet” is “being not good”, “evil”, “calamitousness”, or “inauspiciousness” which leads to the conception of “taboo” that one should not to violate. The belief of “Khuet” is, if considered, understood as an “idea”, but it can’t even relate to the empirical object. It, consequently, leads to the unacceptance of existence of Khuet. However, with Sartre’s Phenomenology that lays emphasis on “consciousness” which is the essential key for humans’ perception and understanding of the world, revealed that Khuet's "idea" possibly appear in consciousness. Besides, that such idea is both from sense-experiencing and also from meaning that humans fill to. It is, thus, plausible to recognize and understand the meaning of “Khuet”.