What are your beliefs about the nature of reality?

This short interview is designed to be a fun way to help you identify your fundamental beliefs about the nature of reality (aka your cosmology), and attempts to get kind of specific about it. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive survey of all possible cosmologies, but rather a tool to help you identify your own cosmology and perhaps to spark a fun conversation with others.

STEP 1: Identify your beliefs about the nature of reality at a high level

Start at Question 1. Follow the instructions after each answer until you reach your initial cosmology. Then proceed to Step 2 to refine your result.

1. Which statement best captures your beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality?

• Reality is the creation of one supreme being → go to Question 2.
• Reality involves the interaction of multiple gods or spiritual entities → go to Question 3.
• Reality, God, the supreme being, Source, the universe, etc are all synonyms for the same thing → Continue to refine by going to Pantheism in Step 2.
• Reality consists primarily of physical processes and natural laws → go to Question 5.
• Reality is primarily consciousness or mind, not physical matter → go to Question 4.
• None of the above, but reality does have accessible metaphysical energies or supernatural forces that go beyond what can be strictly defined as natural → go to Question 6.
• None of the above, but I do have beliefs about reality that differ significantly from mainstream scientific or religious consensus → go to Question 11.
• I don’t really have any strong beliefs about the nature of reality → go to Question 12.

2. Which best describes your view of the supreme being’s relationship to the universe?

• The supreme being exists entirely separate from creation → go to Question 7.
• The universe exists within the supreme being, who both permeates and transcends it → Continue to refine by going to Panentheism in Step 2.
• The supreme being created the universe but is no longer involved → Continue to refine by going to Deism in Step 2.

3. What kind of gods or spirits primarily influence the world?

• Multiple deities or gods → Continue to refine by going to Polytheism in Step 2.
• Nature spirits exist in all things (animals, plants, mountains, etc.) → Continue to refine by going to Animism in Step 2.

4. How would you characterize the relationship between consciousness and reality?

• Consciousness is the foundation from which all physical reality appears Like a screen on which all movies appear—the screen exists independently of any particular movie and is more fundamental than the images → Continue to refine by going to Consciousness-First Cosmology in Step 2.
• The apparent separation between self and world is an illusion; reality is unified beyond concepts Like waves and water—not two separate things, just different ways of experiencing the same reality. The wave isn’t created by the water; it is the water in motion. → Continue to refine by going to Non-Dual & Beyond-Concept Traditions in Step 2.
• The entire universe is divine or sacred in nature Like a cosmic mind dreaming or thinking the universe, where everything that exists is a divine thought or idea within universal intelligence → Continue to refine by going to Pantheism in Step 2.
• Reality is a vast web of relationships between all beings (human and non-human) in a living system where place, ceremony, and ancestral knowledge are central, requiring respect and reciprocity. → Continue to refine by going to Indigenous Relational Worldview in Step 2.
• The physical world conceals or distracts from a higher spiritual reality Like being trapped in a convincing virtual reality created by a flawed programmer, with liberation requiring awakening to the deception. → Continue to refine by going to Gnosticism/Esoteric Dualism in Step 2.

5. Do you generally trust mainstream science on the fundamental nature and history of the universe (e.g. Big Bang ~13.8 billion years ago, Earth is a globe orbiting the Sun)?

• Yes, and I believe physical processes operate without the need for supernatural meaning to be applied → go to Question 8.
• Yes, and I find spiritual meaning within the natural world → Continue to refine by going to Spiritual Naturalism in Step 2.
• No → go to Question 11.

6. Which approach to accessing metaphysical energies resonates with you the most?

• Energy healing, astrology, manifesting with intention, crystal work, etc. → Continue to refine by going to New Age Spiritualism in Step 2.
• I’m exploring various spiritual paths while maintaining healthy skepticism → Continue to refine by going to Agnostic Spiritual Seeker in Step 2.

7. Which best describes your view of God’s relationship to creation?

• God created the universe according to literal scriptural accounts (e.g., in 6 days, or only a few thousand years ago) → Continue to refine by going to Young Earth Creationism in Step 2.
• God works through natural processes like evolution, while remaining separate from creation** → Continue to refine by going to Theistic Evolution in Step 2.

8. Do you believe that we likely live in an artificial simulation or experiment created by more technologically-advanced beings?

• Yes → Continue to refine by going to Simulation Hypothesis in Step 2.
• No → go to Question 10.

10. Do you believe our universe is just one of many universes (part of a larger Multiverse)?

• Yes → Continue to refine by going to Multiverse Theory in Step 2.
• No → Continue to refine by going to Scientific Materialism in Step 2.

11. Which of the following perspectives do you align with most? Pick the closest match. - Flat Earth/Geocentrism – You reject the globe model and believe Earth is flat or the unmoving center of the universe, with mainstream astronomy being a deception. → Continue to refine by going to Flat Earth Conspiracy in Step 2. - Ancient Aliens – *You believe extraterrestrials visited Earth in antiquity and shaped human civilization, with humanity’s past and possibly our origins being interwoven with advanced alien species. → Continue to refine by going to Ancient Astronaut Theory in Step 2.
- None of the above – You’re skeptical of mainstream narratives about reality but don’t commit to any one alternative theory, preferring to question established explanations while remaining open to multiple possibilities. → Continue to refine by going to Unconventional Skeptic in Step 2.

12. [Add instructions here acknowledging this perspective as valid, and gently suggesting that they go back to question 1 and take a path “just for fun” to see if anything resonates.]

If you’ve been directed to Step 2, proceed to the next section to refine your cosmology!

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STEP 2: Refine your initial cosmology

Congratulations! You’ve identified your initial cosmology from a broad range of possibilities. If you feel your initial result doesn’t match your beliefs, feel free to go back to Question 1 and try a different path. If it feels generally correct, find your cosmology below and answer one final question to pinpoint your precise view of the cosmos.

Young Earth Creationism

Unlike frameworks that accommodate evolutionary timeframes, Young Earth Creationism upholds the integrity of scriptural accounts by recognizing Earth’s recent creation (typically 6,000-10,000 years ago) as revealed in divine revelation rather than reinterpreting these texts to match scientific consensus.

Which of these best describes your perspective on young Earth creationism?

a. Biblical Literalism – You believe in a strict, literal reading of Genesis as God’s inerrant word, with Earth being approximately 6,000-10,000 years old, created in six 24-hour days. You see apparent scientific evidence for an older Earth (like radiometric dating or distant starlight) as either flawed due to incorrect assumptions or created “with age” by God as part of His perfect design.

b. Appearance of Age Theory – You believe God created the universe recently with a fully-functioning, mature appearance, just as Adam was created as an adult rather than an infant. The entire cosmos was created with a “history” already built in for functional and theological purposes, reflecting God’s wisdom and sovereignty.

c. Catastrophism – You believe Earth is young, but its geology has been dramatically shaped by catastrophic events (especially Noah’s global Flood), which explain phenomena like the fossil record, geological strata, and features that mainstream scientists wrongly attribute to long ages. This framework provides a scientifically coherent alternative to uniformitarian geology that remains faithful to scripture.

Theistic Evolution

While maintaining that God purposefully created life (unlike purely materialistic evolution), Theistic Evolution sees natural processes like evolution as God’s method of creation, avoiding both the scriptural literalism of Young Earth Creationism and the divine detachment of Deism.

Which aspect of theistic evolution resonates most with you?

a. Evolutionary Creationism – You believe God created through natural processes, with evolution being God’s method of creating biological diversity. Science describes “how” while faith explains “why” and “who.” You see no conflict between well-established scientific findings and belief in divine purpose.

b. Progressive Creation – You believe God intervened at key moments in Earth’s history, particularly to create new “kinds” of life or to guide evolution at critical junctures. While accepting the universe’s ancient age, you may be skeptical of some evolutionary mechanisms being sufficient without divine guidance.

c. Teilhardian Evolution – Following Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s vision, you see evolution as a divinely guided process moving toward greater complexity and consciousness, ultimately culminating in the “Omega Point” where creation reaches divine unification. Evolution has a spiritual direction, not just a material explanation.

Deism

Unlike traditions that emphasize ongoing divine intervention, Deism recognizes that the supreme being established perfect natural laws at creation and then stepped back, allowing the universe to unfold according to these rational principles without requiring miracles or supernatural disruptions.

Which form of deism best represents your view?

a. Classical Deism – You believe God created the universe with perfectly designed natural laws and then stepped back, letting it run like a cosmic clock. God neither intervenes nor desires worship; reason and observation of nature are the paths to understanding the Creator.

b. Modern Deism – While you believe a creator initiated the universe, you’re open to limited divine interaction or periods of involvement. You might accept ideas like a creator who occasionally fine-tunes cosmic parameters or who evolves along with creation.

c. Scientific Deism – You see the fundamental laws and constants of physics as evidence of design, particularly their fine-tuning that permits life. Your concept of God is more abstract—perhaps as the ground of mathematics or the source of natural law—rather than a personal being.

Polytheism

Unlike monotheistic frameworks that reduce divine complexity to a single being, Polytheism recognizes multiple distinct gods with different domains and personalities who interact with humanity and each other in a rich tapestry of relationships that better reflects the diversity and complexity of existence.

Which polytheistic framework best reflects your understanding?

a. Classical Polytheism – You believe in multiple distinct deities with different domains, personalities, and powers, similar to ancient traditions like Greek, Norse, or Egyptian pantheons. These gods interact with each other and with humanity in complex ways.

b. Henotheism – While acknowledging many gods exist, you primarily worship or connect with one deity, perhaps as your patron or as particularly relevant to your life. Other gods are real but not the focus of your spiritual practice.

c. Reconstructionist Polytheism – You practice a revived form of ancient polytheistic religion, attempting to reconstruct historical worship practices while adapting them to contemporary life. You seek authentic connection to ancestral traditions and deities.

d. Hard Polytheism – You believe each deity is absolutely distinct, with separate consciousness, will, and essence. Gods are not archetypes or aspects of a single divine force but truly independent beings with their own agendas and personalities.

Animism

Unlike perspectives that see consciousness as exclusive to humans or that separate spirit from matter, Animism recognizes that consciousness, personhood, or spiritual essence dwells within all natural entities (animals, plants, mountains, rivers), creating a community of beings deserving moral consideration and relationship.

Which animistic perspective best captures your worldview?

a. Traditional Animism – You believe all things (animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems) possess spirits, consciousness, or personhood, forming a community of beings with agency beyond humans. Proper relationships with these beings involve respect, reciprocity, and ritual acknowledgment.

b. Neo-Animism – You’ve developed a contemporary animistic practice that recognizes consciousness or personhood in natural entities, perhaps blending traditional ideas with modern ecological awareness, phenomenology, or systems thinking.

c. Panpsychism – You believe consciousness is a fundamental feature of the universe, present to some degree in all things, even at the subatomic level. Unlike idealist views that see matter as emergent from consciousness, panpsychism maintains that consciousness is an intrinsic property of matter itself, varying in complexity and expression across the physical spectrum.

Panentheism

Unlike pantheism where God and the universe are identical, or traditional theism where God stands apart from creation, Panentheism recognizes that while the divine permeates everything in the universe, God also transcends it—the world exists within God, yet God is greater than the world.

Which understanding of panentheism most resonates with you?

a. Process Panentheism → Following Alfred North Whitehead’s vision of reality as dynamic process rather than static substance, you see God and the world in mutual becoming, with God including yet transcending the universe. God experiences the world and is affected by it, while still maintaining aspects beyond creation.

b. Emanationist Panentheism → You understand the cosmos as flowing from or emanating from divine reality while remaining within it. Creation unfolds in descending levels of reality (like light radiating from a source), with each level reflecting divine being according to its capacity while remaining connected to its source.

c. Participatory Panentheism → You see the universe as participating in divine reality through consciousness. Through contemplative awareness or mystical experience, beings can recognize their existence within God while acknowledging God’s transcendence, experiencing union without complete identity.

Pantheism

Unlike theistic perspectives that separate divinity from nature, Pantheism recognizes that the universe itself is divine and sacred, with no distinction between God and natural reality—divinity is directly experienced in the wonder, complexity, and interconnectedness of the cosmos itself.

Which form of pantheism best describes your view?

a. Classical Pantheism – Following Spinoza, you believe God and Nature are identical—there is only one substance which can be called either “God” or “Nature.” Everything that exists is a mode or expression of this single divine reality.

b. Scientific Pantheism – You revere the universe and nature as revealed by science, finding spiritual fulfillment in contemplating cosmic evolution, natural beauty, and the laws of physics, without supernatural beliefs. The universe itself is worthy of reverence.

c. Monistic Pantheism – You believe all apparent diversity and multiplicity are ultimately illusory; there is only one reality, and that reality is divine. Individual existence is a kind of dream or misperception of the fundamental oneness.

d. If none of these categories quite fit, check out the section on Spiritual Naturalism.

New Age Spiritualism

Unlike dogmatic religious traditions, New Age Spiritualism embraces direct personal engagement with spiritual energies, consciousness transformation, and metaphysical practices drawn from multiple wisdom traditions, emphasizing individual experience and intuitive knowing over institutional authority.

Choose one or more of these New Age paths that resonate with your perspective.

a. Consciousness-Focused – You believe consciousness creates reality, with thoughts and intentions directly affecting the material world. Practices like the Law of Attraction, manifestation techniques, and visualization are central to your worldview.

b. Energy-Based – You focus on subtle energies, chakras, auras, and vibrational frequencies. You might work with crystal healing, Reiki, or other energy modalities, seeing reality as fundamentally vibrational in nature.

c. Evolutionary Consciousness – You believe humanity is evolving toward higher consciousness and greater spiritual awareness. We are in a planetary shift (like the Age of Aquarius), where collective awakening will transform society and our relationship with the cosmos.

d. Eclectic Synthesis – You draw from multiple spiritual traditions, ancient wisdom, and modern metaphysics, creating a personalized path. You value direct experience over dogma and believe in finding your own truth among many valid perspectives.

Spiritual Naturalism

Unlike supernatural worldviews, Spiritual Naturalism finds profound meaning, wonder, and value within the natural universe as revealed by science, recognizing that spiritual experiences like awe, connection, and transcendence emerge from natural processes rather than requiring divine intervention.

Which approach to finding spiritual meaning within a natural universe best represents your view?

a. Scientific Spirituality – You find profound spiritual meaning in scientific understanding itself, experiencing awe and wonder through cosmology, evolution, and natural processes. You see the scientific narrative of the universe—from the Big Bang to the emergence of life and consciousness—as a sacred story that connects us to something larger than ourselves, without requiring supernatural elements.

b. Naturalistic Buddhism – You embrace Buddhist insights and practices while interpreting them in naturalistic terms. You see concepts like impermanence, non-self, and causality as empirical realities rather than metaphysical claims. You might interpret karma as psychological patterns and rebirth as moment-to-moment change rather than literal reincarnation. Meditation serves as a practical tool for understanding mind patterns and fostering well-being rather than achieving supernatural states.

c. Philosophical Naturalism – You find meaning, value, and purpose within a fully natural cosmos through philosophical reflection. Following thinkers like Spinoza or the Stoics, you see ethical development and rational understanding as spiritual practices in themselves. You might describe your approach as “rational spirituality” or “ethical naturalism,” recognizing that profound values like love, justice, and beauty emerge naturally from the universe without requiring divine origins.

d. Embodied Spirituality – You experience spirituality primarily through the body and its connection to the natural world. Your practice might include movement, dance, wilderness experiences, or somatic awareness as pathways to transcendence and meaning. You find that direct physical experience of being alive in the natural world provides a form of spiritual nourishment that doesn’t require supernatural beliefs.

e. Naturalistic Taoism – You appreciate the Taoist emphasis on harmony with natural processes, the balance of complementary forces, and the wisdom of non-action (wu-wei). Rather than viewing the Tao as a metaphysical force, you see it as a powerful metaphor for the patterns and processes of nature. Your practice focuses on aligning with natural rhythms and finding wisdom in the natural world without supernatural elements.

d. If none of these categories quite fit, check out the section on Pantheism.

Non-Dual & Beyond-Concept Traditions

Unlike frameworks that operate within conceptual boundaries, Non-Dual & Beyond-Concept Traditions recognize that reality transcends ordinary dualistic thinking and language-based understanding, pointing to direct insight beyond the subject-object divide as the path to ultimate truth.

Which approach to transcending dualistic thinking and conceptual frameworks most resonates with your understanding?

a. Buddhist Emptiness Approach – You recognize that all phenomena lack inherent existence (svabhāva) and arise interdependently. You use philosophical analysis and meditation to reveal how apparent reality is empty of independent existence. Through realizing emptiness, you find freedom from attachment to fixed views, experiencing reality beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence.

b. Direct Experience Zen/Chan – You emphasize immediate, direct experience of reality beyond words and concepts. Your practice involves breaking through dualistic thinking through meditation, koans, and spontaneous awareness. You find the sacred in ordinary activities with complete presence, recognizing your original nature in sudden moments of insight when conceptual thinking drops away.

c. Vedantic Non-Dualism – You recognize that Brahman (ultimate reality) and Atman (your true self) are fundamentally identical. The apparent plurality and separateness we experience is maya (cosmic illusion), and liberation comes through directly realizing “Tat Tvam Asi” (That Thou Art). This approach emphasizes the illusory nature of the manifest world and physical existence, seeking transcendence through knowledge and meditation that reveals the unchanging reality behind appearances.

d. Tantric Non-Dualism – You understand reality as the dynamic play of consciousness (Shiva) and energy (Shakti), where the universe is consciousness expressing and knowing itself. Through recognition of your true nature, you experience the world as inseparable from your own awareness. Unlike Vedantic approaches that may view the world as illusion to transcend, Tantric non-dualism embraces the physical world as sacred manifestation, using ritual, embodied practices, and energy work to realize the divine within everyday experience rather than beyond it.

e. Taoist Harmony – You perceive the cosmos as the natural flow of complementary forces (yin and yang) that form an indivisible whole. The Tao cannot be grasped conceptually but can be aligned with through naturalness and non-action (wu-wei). By transcending dualistic thinking and following the way of nature, you find harmony within the ever-changing patterns of existence.

f. Contemporary Non-Dualism – Influenced by various traditions but without their historical-cultural elements, you focus on the direct recognition that awareness is not personal but universal, and that all apparent separation is conceptual. Your approach emphasizes practical insights that dissolve the subject-object division in everyday experience, seeing through the illusion of a separate self without elaborate metaphysical frameworks.

Gnosticism/Esoteric Dualism

Unlike conventional religious approaches, Gnostic and Esoteric traditions recognize that the physical world is a flawed creation or illusion that conceals higher spiritual reality, with liberation coming through acquiring secret knowledge (gnosis) rather than through faith or standard religious practice.

Which form of Gnostic or dualistic thought resonates most with you?

a. Classical Gnosticism – You believe the material world was created by an imperfect or malevolent Demiurge, not the true God. The divine spark within humans is trapped in matter, and salvation comes through secret knowledge (gnosis) of your divine origins.

b. Philosophical Dualism – You see reality as fundamentally divided between mind/spirit and matter, or between good and evil principles. These opposing forces exist in tension, and spiritual progress involves aligning with higher principles against lower ones.

c. Modern Matrix Skepticism – You suspect everyday reality is a sophisticated illusion or control system hiding a more fundamental reality. Unlike the Simulation Hypothesis which proposes technological creators running a computer simulation for research or entertainment, Matrix Skepticism sees our false reality as spiritually oppressive or metaphysically deceptive, with liberation requiring spiritual awakening rather than scientific understanding.

Agnostic Spiritual Seeker

Unlike those committed to specific metaphysical frameworks, Agnostic Spiritual Seekers pursue meaningful growth and understanding while acknowledging the inherent uncertainty of ultimate claims, valuing direct experience and practical wisdom over fixed doctrine or dogma.

Which approach to spiritual seeking best describes your path?

a. Mystical Agnosticism – You believe in ineffable spiritual reality beyond human comprehension. You value direct mystical experience over doctrine and remain open to moments of transcendence while acknowledging the limitations of language and concepts in capturing the divine.

b. Pragmatic Spirituality – You focus on what “works” experientially, valuing practices and ideas that produce positive transformation in your life, regardless of their metaphysical truth claims. Your spirituality is practical and results-oriented.

c. Philosophical Spirituality – You approach spiritual questions through philosophical inquiry, valuing rigorous thinking about ultimate reality while remaining open to mystery. You might draw from existentialism, phenomenology, or perennial philosophy.

d. Transitional Seeking – You’re actively exploring multiple traditions and perspectives, intentionally maintaining uncertainty as you investigate different paths. You see your current agnosticism as a journey rather than a destination.

Simulation Hypothesis

Unlike traditional religious or naturalistic cosmologies, the Simulation Hypothesis recognizes our reality as a sophisticated digital or programmed environment created by more advanced beings, explaining apparent fine-tuning and peculiarities of quantum physics better than conventional frameworks.

Which version of the simulation hypothesis best matches your thinking?

a. Technological Simulation – You believe our reality is a computer simulation created by an advanced civilization (perhaps our own descendants). Unlike spiritual Matrix views, this is a scientific/technological hypothesis about how the universe works, not a spiritual claim about liberation from an oppressive illusion.

b. Divine Simulation – You see the simulation as created by a god-like entity, making this perspective similar to certain religious views but framed in technological terms. The “programmer” serves a role analogous to God in traditional theology.

c. Nested Realities – You suspect we exist in just one level of many nested simulations, with simulators themselves being simulated. Reality consists of worlds within worlds, with no clear “base reality” accessible to us.

d. Conscious Simulation – You believe the simulation isn’t computational but consciously generated—more like a vast shared dream or mental construct than a computer program. Reality emerges from consciousness rather than from code. While this shares elements with Consciousness-First cosmologies, the key difference is that you believe this conscious creation has the specific structure and purpose of a simulation created by other beings, rather than being the natural expression of universal consciousness with no designer or creator behind it.

Consciousness-First

Unlike materialist views where mind emerges from matter, Consciousness-First approaches recognize consciousness as the fundamental reality from which physical phenomena appear or manifest, and unlike panpsychism, they see matter itself as an appearance within consciousness rather than its bearer.

Note: Consciousness-First cosmologies differ from Conscious Simulation views in that they don’t posit our reality as being specifically designed as a simulation or created by other beings. Rather, they see physical reality as the natural expression or appearance of consciousness itself without requiring creators, designers, or simulators.

Which perspective on consciousness as fundamental best represents your view?

a. Yogācāra Buddhism – You understand consciousness as having eight aspects, including store-consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) that contains the seeds of all phenomena. The apparent external world is a manifestation of mind, not separate from it. This scholarly, philosophical Buddhist approach analyzes the structures of consciousness, emphasizing that we only ever experience our mental representations, not an independent external world.

b. Vajrayana Luminosity – You experience reality as the inseparable unity of emptiness and luminous awareness. Through tantric practices, you directly realize the nature of mind as primordially pure, spontaneously present, and unobstructed. This experiential Tibetan Buddhist approach emphasizes transformative practices rather than philosophical analysis, using visualization, mantra, and energy work to realize consciousness as fundamental.

c. Analytical Idealism – You understand the universe as the extrinsic appearance of processes in universal consciousness. Individual minds are “dissociated alters” of this cosmic mind, similar to how multiple personalities can emerge within one psyche. This view resolves paradoxes of consciousness while remaining compatible with scientific evidence.

d. Quantum Idealism – You recognize that quantum physics suggests a universe where consciousness and observation play a fundamental role. Observer effects, non-locality, and wave function collapse all indicate that mind is primary, not secondary. This is not just interest in quantum physics, but specifically the view that quantum phenomena demonstrate the primacy of consciousness over matter. If you believe quantum physics is fascinating but still fundamentally describes a material world, consider Scientific Materialism instead.

e. Transcendental Idealism – Following Kant’s insight, you recognize that the structures of consciousness shape our experience of reality in ways we cannot transcend. Space, time, and causality are features of how minds organize experience, not objective features independent of consciousness. This isn’t denying a real world, but acknowledging the critical role of consciousness in constituting the world we experience.

d. Neutral Monism – You understand reality’s fundamental nature as neither exclusively mental nor physical but a neutral substance that manifests as both mind and matter depending on how it’s observed. Consciousness and physicality are two aspects of the same underlying reality—a perspective that harmoniously bridges the apparent divide between subjective experience and objective description.

Multiverse Theory

Unlike single-universe cosmologies, Multiverse Theory recognizes our universe as one among many in a larger cosmic structure, explaining fine-tuning and quantum peculiarities through scientific mechanisms rather than the supernatural frameworks of religious cosmologies or the technological ones of simulation theories.

Which multiverse concept aligns most closely with your understanding?

a. Quantum Many-Worlds – You believe every quantum event (like the measurement of a particle) creates branch universes where each possible outcome occurs. This means that for every decision or random event, all possibilities exist in some universe. This is the idea that reality continually splits into parallel versions whenever quantum events occur, creating countless branching timelines.

b. Cosmic Bubble Universes – You accept the model where our universe is one bubble in an eternally expanding space, with other universe “bubbles” having potentially different physical laws, constants, and dimensions. This is like multiple soap bubbles forming in cosmic foam, each bubble a separate universe with its own physics, possibly very different from our own.

c. Higher-Dimensional Branes – Based on string theory, you believe our universe exists on a membrane (“brane”) in higher-dimensional space, with other universes potentially existing on other branes that occasionally interact with ours. Think of this as pages in a book (each page a universe) that usually don’t touch, but sometimes can ripple and bump into each other.

d. Cyclical Universe – You believe our universe undergoes endless cycles of expansion and contraction (or similar rebirth patterns), with each cycle potentially having different properties, effectively creating a temporal multiverse. This is like a cosmic heartbeat of big bangs and big crunches, each cycle a universe with its own history and possibly different physical laws.

Scientific Materialism

Unlike idealist or dualist perspectives, Scientific Materialism recognizes physical matter, energy, and their interactions as the most fundamental reality from which all phenomena—including consciousness—emerge through entirely natural processes without requiring immaterial substances or supernatural explanations.

Which form of scientific materialism best describes your perspective?

a. Reductive Materialism – You value the elegance and explanatory power of understanding all phenomena, including consciousness, as ultimately reducible to fundamental physical particles and forces. This empirically-grounded position has consistently advanced human knowledge by revealing the underlying physical mechanisms of increasingly complex systems, from chemical reactions to neural activity, without requiring additional non-physical elements.

b. Emergent Materialism – You recognize that while the universe is fundamentally physical, complex systems develop genuinely novel properties not predictable from analysis of their components alone. Consciousness, life, and social phenomena represent emergent levels of organization requiring their own descriptive frameworks. This nuanced position honors both the physical foundation of reality and the genuine novelty that arises at higher levels of complexity.

c. Pragmatic Instrumentalism – You see scientific theories as powerful tools for prediction and control rather than literal descriptions of an ultimate reality. The value of materialism lies in its extraordinary practical utility and predictive success, not in metaphysical claims about what “really” exists. This pragmatic approach sidesteps unresolvable metaphysical debates while maintaining the full practical power of scientific methodology.

d. Poetic Naturalism – Following Sean Carroll’s approach, you embrace multiple valid ways of talking about reality at different levels (physical, biological, psychological), all compatible with a fundamental physical world. These aren’t merely convenient fictions but genuine ways of capturing real patterns in nature that matter for different purposes. This layered approach provides a rich, scientifically grounded framework for understanding reality at multiple scales.

Flat Earth Conspiracy

Unlike those who accept mainstream cosmology without question, Flat Earth proponents recognize that sensory evidence and practical observation suggest Earth is flat, with evidence for a globe representing deliberate deception maintained by powerful institutions for control purposes.

Which of these variations of Earth skepticism best captures your view?

a. Biblical Flat Earth – You hold that scripture clearly describes a stationary Earth with the firmament above, the waters below, and the sun and moon as luminaries that move across the sky. You see this not as primitive misunderstanding but as divine revelation that should take precedence over human scientific claims that contradict God’s word. The globe model represents human wisdom standing against divine authority.

b. Conspiratorial Flat Earth – You’ve discovered compelling evidence that powerful institutions are deliberately concealing the true flat nature of Earth. This deception serves various agendas—from maintaining authority over cosmological understanding to hiding additional land beyond Antarctica’s ice wall. Your position isn’t based on ignorance but on critical analysis of claimed evidence for Earth’s curvature, space travel, and satellite imagery.

c. Experiential Flat Earth – You prioritize your direct sensory experience over abstract scientific claims. In your daily observation, the Earth appears flat, water always finds its level, and the horizon rises to eye level regardless of altitude. You question whether complex explanations involving curves and forces are necessary when the simplest explanation—that Earth is flat—matches what we actually see and experience.

Ancient Astronaut Theory

Unlike conventional archaeology that misinterprets or ignores evidence, Ancient Astronaut Theory recognizes that extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in antiquity, explaining advanced ancient achievements, cross-cultural mythological parallels, and anomalous artifacts that traditional history cannot adequately address, and have frequently mis-attributed to God or gods.

Which ancient astronaut perspective best matches your beliefs?

a. Intervention Origins – You believe extraterrestrials genetically engineered or modified early humans, explaining the “missing link” in evolution and humanity’s rapid cognitive development.

b. Technological Guidance – You believe aliens provided advanced knowledge to early civilizations, explaining seemingly impossible ancient achievements like precise megalithic structures or sophisticated astronomical knowledge.

c. Religious Foundations – You see major religions as based on misunderstood extraterrestrial contact, with gods actually being advanced aliens, miracles being technology, and religious artifacts (like the Ark of the Covenant) being alien devices.

d. Ongoing Presence – You believe ancient astronauts never fully left Earth and continue to monitor or influence human development, possibly from hidden bases or through ongoing genetic programs.

Indigenous Relational Worldview

Unlike Western perspectives based on abstraction and universalism, Indigenous worldviews recognize reality as a living web of relationships between humans and other-than-human persons tied to specific places, where knowledge emerges from generations of direct experience rather than theoretical frameworks.

Which aspect of Indigenous cosmology most resonates with your understanding?

a. Place-Based Knowledge – You participate in a living relationship with the specific lands and ecosystems that have sustained indigenous people for countless generations. You know that authentic understanding comes from this deep connection to particular places, each with their own needs, spirits, and teachings that reveal themselves to those who approach with proper respect and attentiveness over time.

b. Kinship Cosmology – You recognize humans as just one kind of person in a vast extended family that includes animal persons, plant persons, stone persons, and other beings. This isn’t metaphorical but literal—these other-than-human persons have their own languages, societies, and intentions. Proper living requires maintaining respectful family relationships with all these relatives through specific cultural protocols developed over generations.

c. Ceremonial Reality – You participate in ceremonies not as symbolic rituals but as real actions that maintain cosmic balance and renew vital relationships between humans and other-than-human persons. These ceremonies aren’t separate from “reality” but are essential, pragmatic ways of ensuring continuation of life and community wellbeing through specific practices passed down by ancestors.

d. Ancestral Continuity – You experience time as cyclical rather than linear, with ancestors remaining present and actively involved in current affairs rather than relegated to a distant past. Knowledge comes through dreams, visions, and direct communication with ancestral guides who continue to teach and protect the community. Listening to these voices is a practical skill developed through cultural guidance.

Unconventional Skeptic

Unlike those who either accept mainstream narratives or commit to specific alternative theories, Unconventional Skeptics question established explanations while remaining open to multiple possibilities, recognizing patterns of institutional deception without limiting inquiry to any single alternative framework.

Which aspect of alternative thinking best describes your approach?

a. Hidden History Researcher – You focus on investigating suppressed or alternative historical narratives, believing significant events or civilizations have been omitted from mainstream accounts.

b. Alternative Physics Explorer – You question fundamental scientific paradigms, suspecting that alternative energy technologies, gravity manipulation, or consciousness-based physical phenomena are possible but suppressed.

c. Conspiracy Analyst – You examine potential hidden power structures and deliberate manipulations of public information, looking for patterns that suggest coordinated deception across institutions.

d. Open Skeptic – You maintain a stance of questioning both mainstream and alternative explanations, rejecting dogma from all sources while remaining open to possibilities that challenge conventional understanding.

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Results

Based on your answers to the questions in both steps, you now have a refined understanding of your cosmological worldview relative to other possibilities. Your answers have led you to one of over 50 specific cosmological perspectives that capture the nuances of how you understand the nature of reality.

Your cosmology represents your fundamental assumptions about the universe—its origins, composition, purpose (if any), and your place within it. These beliefs, whether religious, scientific, philosophical, or a blend of traditions, shape how you interpret experiences and make meaning in your life.

Remember that many people hold elements of multiple cosmologies, and views often evolve throughout life. The categories presented here aren’t rigid boxes but useful frameworks for understanding different ways humans make sense of existence.

What’s most important isn’t which label fits you, but the ongoing journey of cosmological thinking itself—the human endeavor to comprehend our astonishing universe and our place within it.

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Share your thoughts

I’m curious to know if this questionnaire helped illuminate your cosmological perspective, or if it missed important nuances that you feel are significant. These worldviews aren’t mutually exclusive (many people blend elements of several), but if there’s a key element of your cosmology that should be more directly represented here, please share your thoughts!

To explore further:

Consider how your cosmological perspective influences your:

• Ethics and values
• Approach to seeking knowledge and truth
• Understanding of consciousness
• Relationship with nature
• Sense of meaning and purpose
• Views on death and what might lie beyond

You might also explore traditions or thinkers aligned with your results, or engage respectfully with those holding different cosmologies to broaden your understanding.