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 › Phylogenetic
Holmgren’s Grainy, Atomic Feels
Consciousness as Discrete Atomic Feels
Holmgren proposes that conscious experience is grainy, built from discrete ‘atomic feels’, each the actualization of a small, brief, localized microprocess in the brain arising out of a continuous natural world. Clusters of these feels, stored as memory engrams, become concepts and abstract thought. He places the view inside an evolutionary framework and a Multi-Aspect Monism that refuses to reduce consciousness to any single science.
Jan Holmgren
What consciousness is
Consciousness is a succession of discrete atomic feels, each corresponding to one short-lived, localized brain microprocess. Large numbers of these feels, ordered in rich spectra of qualities, are all there is to build knowledge from.
Mind and body
Each feel is the actualization of a brain microprocess, so mind and brain are aspects of one natural process. Holmgren holds that this process must be understood from scientific, cultural, and spiritual perspectives together.
Mechanism
The graininess principle: experience is discrete while nature is continuous. Brain microprocesses switch on and off, and each actualization yields one atomic feel.
Core claims
- On waking in a dark room, Holmgren reports seeing rotating light voxels, which he takes as direct evidence that visual consciousness is grainy.
- Similar atomic-feel patterns appear in auditory experience and abstract cognition, so graininess holds for all modalities.
- The persistence of atomic feels across individuals and cultures, along with species differences in brain update rates, points to a conserved evolutionary substrate.
- Concepts are stable clusters of feels stored in memory engrams of the kind identified by Tonegawa and colleagues.
Criticisms
The central evidence is Holmgren's own introspective report, which others may not share or may explain differently. Multi-Aspect Monism adds cultural and spiritual aspects to the ontology without saying how they relate to brain microprocesses.
Implications
- Survival beyond death: No
- Since each atomic feel is the actualization of a brain microprocess, conscious experience depends on a living brain and does not outlast it.
- Meaning and purpose: Uncertain
- Holmgren grounds consciousness in evolution, yet his Multi-Aspect Monism keeps spiritual aspects in view without spelling out any cosmic purpose.
Related theories
Sources
- Holmgren’s Grainy, Atomic Feels, Jan Holmgren (Landscape of Consciousness entry) (2014)
Explore all theories on the Consciousness Atlas
