Scott Alexander reviews a study on 'enlightenment', finding it involves internal changes in self-perception and cognition, often without noticeable external effects. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews a paper by Jeffery Martin on Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience (PNSE), a scientific term for enlightenment. The study interviewed 50 self-reported 'enlightened' individuals, finding common experiences like changes in sense of self, cognition, and perception. Notably, these internal changes often didn't affect external behavior significantly. The paper highlights discrepancies between participants' self-reported experiences and observable reality, such as claims of no stress contradicted by physical signs. Scott appreciates the paper for providing a minimalist account of enlightenment, suggesting it's more about altered internal experience than drastic personality changes or superhuman abilities. Shorter summary