The Consciousness Atlas is an interactive web app that visualizes more
than 450 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.
Kuhn was not involved in the design or content of the Consciousness
Atlas, other than his original paper, 'A Landscape of Consciousness,'
which is the sole source.
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.
Challenge
Hartford’s Eternal Conjecture
Consciousness Grounded in an Eternal Minded Source
Andrew Downing Hartford argues that if anything ever exists, something always existed, since nothing comes from absolute nothing. This single eternal Source grounds everything, including our first-person consciousness, and because a minded Domain cannot come from a mindless Source, he concludes the Source itself is Minded.
Andrew Downing Hartford
What consciousness is
Our consciousness is mindedness participating in the Domain of a single, eternal, Minded Source, the ‘always-existor’.
Mechanism
A new reading of ‘always’ as prior to time: eternity is distinct from past and future time, which are concepts from the middle. Necessity, uniqueness, and invariance together yield one eternal Source and one Domain.
Core claims
- If there is ever Something, there always was Something, because no existence comes from absolute Nothing.
- There can be only one always-existor, and it is both before and beyond all time.
- A minded Domain cannot be separated from its Source, so the Source must be Minded.
- A Minded Source that is not computational undercuts the assumption that computation produces consciousness.
Implications
- AI consciousness: Unlikely
- Since the Source of consciousness is not computational, Hartford sees no reason to expect computers to be conscious, though he says it remains to be seen.
- Meaning and purpose: Cosmic/Ultimate
- All existence, including our minds, belongs to the Domain of one eternal Minded Source, which Hartford sets against claims that the universe is meaningless.
Related theories
Sources
- The EP Conjecture (Eternal Past Conjecture), Andrew Downing Hartford (2019)
- The Eternal Conjecture (eternalconjecture.com), Andrew Downing Hartford (2026)
- Hartford’s Minded Always-Existor (Landscape of Consciousness entry), Andrew Downing Hartford (2017)
Explore all theories on the Consciousness Atlas
