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.
Integrated Info
Moll’s Multitrack Consciousness Conjecture
Consciousness as Many Selves, Each in Its Own Now
Jorge Moll proposes that in a block universe, where all moments are equally real, a separate instance of each conscious self exists at every moment, and each instance experiences only its own ‘now’. Because these tracks cannot access one another, each feels its moment as the privileged present, which reconciles felt time with eternalist physics.
Jorge Moll
What consciousness is
Moll does not identify consciousness with any substance. He claims that conscious experience is instantiated as many moment-bound tracks spread across spacetime, each confined to a single now.
Mind and body
Left open: materialists can read the tracks as neural information embedded in spacetime, dualists as a further substance of conscious information, and idealists or panpsychists as manifestations of a universal consciousness.
Mechanism
Track isolation: each temporally localized instance of the self lacks access to the others, so each experiences its own moment as the present.
Core claims
- If all moments are equally real and present experience is real, we face the ‘privileged now paradox’ of why one moment feels present.
- Positing many isolated, moment-bound instances of the self resolves the paradox without denying block time.
- The basic conjecture works within a single worldline but may also apply to branching-time interpretations of quantum mechanics.
- Moll speculates that rare interference between tracks could account for déjà vu, altered states, or psi-like experiences.
Criticisms
The conjecture multiplies selves to explain one appearance, and nothing observable distinguishes it from rival accounts of the present. Its suggested link to anomalous experiences rests on phenomena that are themselves controversial.
Implications
- Survival beyond death: Possible
- In a block universe every conscious moment remains real, and Moll speculates that shared conscious information embedded in spacetime may carry continuities of identity.
- Meaning and purpose: Uncertain
- The view reframes identity as a web of conscious states in spacetime but stays neutral on any cosmic purpose.
Related theories
Sources
- Moll’s Multitrack Consciousness Conjecture, Jorge Moll (2025)
Explore all theories on the Consciousness Atlas
