SQL & PL/SQL :: Filter Each Row In A Select Statement Based Upon A List?

Is it possible to filter each row in a select statement based upon a list that you loop through. For instance in a where clause having an in statement but rather than selecting any value in the in statement looping the main select through each value in the "in" filter.

Eg:

CREATE TABLE TRANSAC(
Item_id number ,
Transaction_Date DATE,
Category_id number
)

You could then write

SELECT MAX(Transaction_Date)
from TRANSAC
where category_id = '141'

and then where category_id = '142' then '143' etc.

I understand i could use an inline view instead of a where clause but the issue is that i already have the list of values I want to compare against.