The Consciousness Atlas
Visualizing the Landscape of Consciousness
The Consciousness Atlas is an interactive web app that visualizes more than 325 theories of consciousness. It is based on Robert Lawrence Kuhn's 2024 paper, "A Landscape of Consciousness". The Atlas maps theories that address phenomenal consciousness - the subjective feel of experience, such as the redness of red.
What the Atlas is
The Atlas is a visual reference built on Kuhn's taxonomy. It presents the full set of theories at once so you can explore the field visually and open any theory to read its entry, like an encyclopedia with structured entries. Each theory entry shows a concise identity line, conceptual ground, suggested mechanism, empirical notes, implications, and sources.
Why this exists
Consciousness is studied across disciplines - neuroscience, philosophy, and sometimes spiritual or anomalous-state research. Kuhn's paper collects and organizes hundreds of theories along a spectrum from most physical to least physical. The Atlas puts that organization into a visual form so readers, students, and researchers can quickly see how different positions relate and where each theory sits on the spectrum.
How it works
Theories are grouped into ten main categories, arranged by their stance on the physical-to-nonphysical spectrum. Examples of categories include Materialism, Non-Reductive Physicalism, Functionalism, Quantum-based theories, Panpsychism, Monism, Dualism, Idealism, Anomalous States, and Challenge Theories. The app shows the whole map at once. Click any theory to read its structured entry, which includes references to canonical sources and named thinkers.
Who it is for
- Students learning philosophy of mind and cognitive science
- Researchers and lecturers looking for an at-a-glance comparative resource
- Journalists and writers who need a quick reference to the range of positions
- Curious readers who want a clear view of what people mean when they talk about consciousness
What the Atlas does not do
The Atlas does not endorse or rank theories. It is a visualization and reference based on Kuhn's taxonomy - collect and present, not judge. It does not attempt to settle the hard problem of consciousness. It is a tool for exploration and comparison.
A note from Kuhn
Kuhn explicitly states the project's purpose: "collect and categorize, not assess and adjudicate." The Consciousness Atlas follows that approach. The data and structure are derived from Kuhn's paper; feedback and suggested corrections are welcome, but the app is a visualization layer on top of Kuhn's work.
FAQ
What is phenomenal consciousness?
Phenomenal consciousness refers to subjective experience - the qualitative feel of being aware, like the taste of coffee or the redness of red.
How many theories does the Atlas include?
The Atlas visualizes over 220 individual theories, grouped into ten broad categories.
Does the Atlas show which theory is true?
No. The Atlas presents theories neutrally. It is a map, not an argument for any single position.
Is the Atlas academic?
The Atlas is based on an academic source - Robert Kuhn's 2024 paper, "A Landscape of Consciousness" - and links to canonical sources where available.
Summary
The Consciousness Atlas is a straightforward visualization tool: it presents Kuhn's taxonomy as a single, explorable map and lets users open individual theory entries to read structured, referenced summaries. It is designed to make this complex field easier to survey and to serve as a practical reference.