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.
Quantum
Shiah’s Cryptochrome Theory
Consciousness as a Non-Local Force Received by Cryptochrome
Shiah proposes that cryptochrome, a light-sensitive flavoprotein found in bacteria, plants, and humans, acts as a biological transducer that turns consciousness-driven information into physical effects. The mechanism is a quantum radical-pair reaction, in which even very weak signals can shift electron spin states and trigger chemistry. He treats psi phenomena such as telepathy and clairvoyance as evidence that consciousness is a non-local force acting this way.
Yung-Jong Shiah
What consciousness is
Consciousness is both information-based and energy-based, and acts as a non-local force that can influence matter directly.
Mind and body
Following von Neumann's conjecture that consciousness plays a role in quantum measurement, Shiah holds that ‘extra-physical’ factors let mind act on the quantum world. Cryptochrome is the point of contact where conscious signals become biochemical change.
Mechanism
A radical-pair mechanism in cryptochrome: weak magnetic fields or energies alter transitions between electron spin states, letting conscious signals switch chemical reactions on.
Core claims
- In double-blind studies, seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana watered with water that senior Buddhist monks had focused positive intention on showed enhanced growth, with the strongest effects in cryptochrome gain-of-function mutants.
- Intention-treated water increased growth of human mesenchymal stem cells and influenced expression of NANOG, a gene that maintains pluripotency.
- Meditation lowers body temperature and somatic noise, raising the signal-to-noise ratio of the radical-pair mechanism and so favoring psi.
Criticisms
The theory takes the reality of psi as given, which mainstream science disputes, and its supporting experiments would need independent replication. The step from von Neumann's measurement conjecture to a non-local mental force acting on proteins is a large one.
Implications
- Survival beyond death: Possible
- Shiah counts mediumship among the psi abilities showing that consciousness transcends space and time, which leaves room for survival, though he does not argue the point directly.
Related theories
Sources
- Shiah’s Cryptochrome Theory (Landscape of Consciousness), Yung-Jong Shiah (2023)
Explore all theories on the Consciousness Atlas
