Keutuhan

Keutuhan is an Indonesian noun that denotes the state or quality of being whole, complete, or intact. The term can refer to physical integrity of objects, the coherence of a system, or the moral, cultural, or political wholeness of a person, community, or nation. In philosophy and social thought, keutuhan is often associated with holism, which emphasizes the interdependence of parts within the whole rather than merely summing parts.

Etymology: keutuhan is formed from utuh (whole, intact) with the prefix ke- and the suffix -an to express a state or condition, and it is used across contexts to express the idea of completeness or integrity.

Contexts and usage: keutuhan wilayah expresses territorial integrity of a nation; keutuhan bangsa can refer to national unity; keutuhan identitas budaya to the coherence of cultural identity; keutuhan pribadi to personal integrity. In design, engineering, or systems, keutuhan describes the unbroken functionality and coherence of a design or mechanism. In ethics and character formation, it connotes consistency between beliefs and actions.

Distinctions: keutuhan differs from kelengkapan (completeness) or kesatuan (unity) by focusing on the quality of coherence and indivisibility of the whole, not just the addition of parts or mere aggregation.

Maintenance and challenges: Keutuhan is maintained through aligned institutions, norms, and practices, and can be challenged by fragmentation, internal conflicts, or external pressures that threaten coherence among parts of a system or society.