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.
Materialism › Electromagnetic
Lewis and MacGregor’s Phase of Energy Resonator Model
Consciousness as a New Phase of Energy
Edwin Lewis and Ronald MacGregor propose that consciousness involves a two-way exchange of energy between the mental domain and the physical brain. They posit a novel ‘dispositional energy’ that rises from ordinary physical energy the way vapor rises from a warmed liquid, and suggest that coupled resonators, possibly at the interface of astrocytes and pyramidal neurons, carry this energy back and forth.
Edwin R. Lewis, Ronald J. MacGregor
What consciousness is
Consciousness is a phase of energy: dispositional energy generated from neural energy, carrying information and able to act back on the brain.
Mind and body
A ‘two-way street’: neural activity gives rise to mental states (P → M), and mental states influence neural activity (M → P), for example by directing attention or vetoing action. Lewis and MacGregor keep energy within the physical domain and picture consciousness as gating its flow.
Mechanism
Resonance: separated resonators tuned to a common frequency phase-lock and share energy through a field, allowing dispositional energy to be stored and moved quickly across the brain.
Core claims
- An evolved consciousness must be a causal agent, so mind and brain must interact in both directions.
- Mental causation requires a novel, information-bearing dispositional energy.
- Resonance provides a way to set energy aside and transfer it quickly across the brain.
- Krebs-cycle activity in astrocytes is a candidate source of dispositional energy.
Criticisms
The model requires a form of energy unknown to physics, and it is unclear how such energy could act on the brain without conflicting with established conservation principles. Lewis and MacGregor present the model as part metaphor, part hypothesis.
Implications
- AI consciousness: Uncertain
- Consciousness depends on specific molecular resonators producing dispositional energy; whether artificial systems could generate it is not addressed.
- Survival beyond death: Unlikely
- Dispositional energy is generated and maintained by molecular processes in living brain tissue, so it should not outlast them.
- Virtual immortality: Unlikely
- If consciousness is a physical phase of energy in particular cells, a software copy would lack the substrate that produces it.
Related theories
Sources
- Lewis and MacGregor’s Phase of Energy Resonator Model, Edwin R. Lewis and Ronald J. MacGregor (2010)
Explore all theories on the Consciousness Atlas
