The Intensity of an Experience Does Not Prove Its Value / La intensidad de una experiencia no demuestra su valor
Juan Segurola
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) October 31, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23842378 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that intense experiences, though personally meaningful, do not by themselves establish functional benefit, causal mechanisms, or generalizable efficacy. The essay distinguishes three inferential leaps (experience to benefit, improvement to causation, individual case to general rule) across bodily, contemplative, and creative domains, and proposes five guiding questions to clarify what type of claim is being made and what evidence it would require. |
Abstract
ENGLISH An intense experience can have profound personal meaning without, on that basis alone, demonstrating functional benefit, a causal mechanism, or generalizable efficacy. This interdisciplinary conceptual essay distinguishes three inferential transitions: from lived experience to benefit, from observed improvement to causal attribution, and from an individual case to a general rule. It compares these transitions across bodily, contemplative, and creative experiences, drawing on a focused selection of research on emotional memory, meaning-making, perceived personal growth, interoception, challenging meditation experiences, and the feeling of insight. Five guiding questions are offered to clarify the type of claim and the evidence it would require. These questions do not constitute an original or validated measurement instrument. The essay discusses conceptual and evidentiary limits; it reports no new experiments or clinical findings. Version 1. English and Spanish editions deposited together. ESPAÑOL Una experiencia intensa puede poseer un significado personal profundo sin que esa intensidad demuestre por sí sola un beneficio funcional, un mecanismo causal o una eficacia generalizable. Este ensayo conceptual interdisciplinar distingue tres transiciones inferenciales: de la vivencia al beneficio, de la mejoría observada a la atribución causal y del caso individual a la regla general. Examina esas transiciones en los ámbitos corporal, contemplativo y creativo, a partir de una selección focalizada de estudios sobre memoria emocional, construcción de significado, crecimiento personal percibido, interocepción, experiencias meditativas difíciles y sensación de descubrimiento. Propone cinco preguntas para precisar el tipo de afirmación y la evidencia necesaria. No constituyen un instrumento de medida original ni validado. El ensayo analiza límites conceptuales y probatorios; no presenta nuevos experimentos ni resultados clínicos. Versión 1. Ediciones inglesa y española depositadas juntas.