What can the life sense of people with Heightenings sense?

[echaozh he/him]

 

Q:  Could a Kandra pretend to be Returned on Nalthis by using the bones of a recently deceased person?

 

A: Heightenings would still recognize them as being alive, as their flesh is alive–even if they’re pasting it over dead bones.

 

I've just run into this Q&A, and cannot help but wonder what can be recognized as alive and be detectable to the people with Heightenings.

 

It looks like the Returned is not alive, which is OK, as they're merely "Spontaneous Sentient BioChromatic Manifestations in a Deceased Host"s. However, spren can be sensed, so they should be considered alive? Then what about Nightblood? It's defniitely less alive than the Returned, right?

 

Also, if spren can be sensed by life sense, what about ghosts on Threnody? Or dead but still active people like Kelsier? What about splinters like Seons and Skaze?

 

[Master_Moridin he/him]

Perhaps it's a matter of any innate Investiture related to the body itself still being active?  Like, perhaps Returned are sort of...puppeteering their bodies?

 

There's something from Stormlight Archive that might be relevant here but I'm unsure of cross-series spoiler policy...

[Argent he/him]

There's something from Stormlight Archive that might be relevant here but I'm unsure of cross-series spoiler policy...

 

I believe the proper handling would be hide your post behind a spoiler tag. Like such:

[spoiler]
Spoilery text goes here
[/spoiler]

[Master_Moridin he/him]

In that case

Stormlight Archives spoiler

Shardblades would apparently treat hair as not alive. Maybe there's something there?

[Argent he/him]

I know somebody has asked the hair question. I don't remember the answer though, you'll have to search the forums and/or Theoryland or wait for someone who actually remembers. 

[Master_Moridin he/him]

I...do remember the answer though.  That's what I was saying in my post.