I love Ted Chiang and that story is a banger. The movies like Limitless, Lucy or Phenomenon don't really take the concept to its conclusions. Limitless posits day trading, or politics, as the highest goal. Lucy goes post human in a silly, fantasy way. Phenomenon was pretty cool except for the telekinesis. But Understand sort of hits all the bases and I really like the thesis that there is an irreducible, existential struggle between Utilitarianism and Aesthetics. And of course, the realization that the protag is actually the bad guy. Not a huge fan of the idea of "programming" another person with engrams and random stuff in the environment, to like, die, but it's more plausible than telekinesis!

He also wrote the best, IMHO, time-travel story ever written: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_and_the_Alchemist.... A gorgeous little tale.

Ah yes I read that one too and it's another good example.

Incredible story. Would love if anyone has any similar recommendations.

Maybe Awakenings?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awakenings

Awakenings is still fiction, but it's based on real events. Which makes it even more poignant to me.

I actually found this story from a previous HN thread and was absolutely blown away. Such an excellent short story.