Extreme States and Extreme Conditions: On Homelessness and the Ontico-ontological Difference

Abstract

This article briefly examines the intersections between extreme psychological states and extreme structural conditions of the world. Drawing on the work of Martin Heidegger and Louis Sass, I argue that heightened focus on ontological–existential matters during extreme states often comprises (rather than eschews) a meaningful and humanistic response to extreme worldly conditions. At the center of this article are the stories of two persons who offered generosity and hospitality toward the everyday community of other humans while experiencing both extreme psychological states and extreme structural conditions.