Articles
A member’s story
You Are Not Furniture: What A Viral Post Got Wrong About Aphantasia
A viral post called people who can't visualize 'furniture.' I was one of the first 21 people ever documented with aphantasia. Here's what that post gets wrong.
Tom Ebeyer · March 2026
A member’s story
Vision Without Seeing (Part II): Did Ronald Reagan Have Aphantasia?
In Part 2 of her review, Hollis Robbins explores what Zeman's book means for those who imagine without images. Drawing on her own experiences with chess, psychedelics, and poetry, she argues that aphantasia is not a deficit but a different cognitive architecture—one that models the world through language. She then turns to presidential rhetoric to ask a provocative question: did Ronald Reagan have aphantasia? And what does it mean when the rhetorical patterns of 'the great communicator' look strikingly like those of an LLM?
Hollis Robbins · February 2026
A member’s story
Alexander of Aphrodisias: The Ancient Philosopher Who Mapped Mental Imagery
This piece explores recently published philosophical research on Alexander of Aphrodisias (c. 200 AD) and its relevance to understanding aphantasia. While ancient philosophers couldn't have known about cognitive diversity as we understand it today, their assumptions about universal mental processes help us appreciate how differently minds can work.
Tom Ebeyer · January 2026
A member’s story
Discovering Aphantasia in History
Many assume that everyone can picture scenes in the mind’s eye—but history reveals otherwise. This article explores nineteenth-century writers and scientists who recognized readers without mental imagery—what we now call aphantasia. From George du Maurier to Francis Galton, it traces the surprising origins of today’s understanding of aphantasic readers.
Julia Thomas · October 2025
News
The Shape of Things Unseen: A Review of Adam Zeman's Book (Part 1)
The neurologist who identified aphantasia shows how we construct reality through imagination in his new book. As someone with aphantasia, I, Hollis Robbins, found his insights both validating and illuminating. Blending neuroscience, poetry, and poignant case studies, Zeman shows that imagination—visual or not—is central to human experience. This thoughtful, timely book reveals why our capacity to imagine remains one of humanity’s most defining traits.
Hollis Robbins · August 2025
What the research says
Unconscious Imagery in Aphantasia: Understanding The Scientific Debate
Have you ever described a memory in vivid detail despite seeing nothing in your mind? It raises a fascinating question: could our brains be processing images... we just can't consciously access?
Tom Ebeyer · March 2025
A member’s story
Ekphrasis: The Ancient Art of Evoking Vivid Mental Images
Did the ancient Greeks know some people can’t create mental images? The forgotten history of ekphrasis challenges our assumptions about imagination and offers surprising insights into our image-saturated world.
Jennifer McDougall · August 2024
Something to try
The Power of Abstract Thinking in Aphantasia
The concept of 'tokens' and 'types' helped me understand how we think differently: visualizers use specific imagery, while aphantasics excel in abstract thinking.
Tom Ebeyer · February 2024
News
John Green Aphantasia Discovery: Shining a Light on the Mind's Eye
Best-selling author discovers aphantasia. Discover the buzz behind John Green aphantasia discovery and its significance in the community.
Aphantasia Network · October 2023
What the research says
The Visualizer’s Fallacy
Understanding the hidden assumptions that lead to biases against aphantasics’ cognitive abilities.
Christian Scholz · September 2023
News
World's First Aphantasia Awareness Day
The city of Rowlett, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, declares the world’s first Aphantasia Awareness Day on February 21, 2023.
Jennifer McDougall · February 2023
What the research says
Aphantasia Explained: Some People Can’t Form Mental Pictures
How do you draw from memory if you can't form mental pictures? Evidently, you don’t need to “see” with the mind’s eye to carry-out these tasks.
Dr Zoë Pounder · June 2021
What the research says
Extreme Imagination Update
Does aphantasia imply an absence of imagination? Dr. Adam Zeman answers three common questions in discussions of extreme imagination.
May 2021
What the research says
History of Aphantasia
Aphantasia, the inability to voluntarily form mental images, was first described by Francis Galton in 1880 but largely remained unstudied until 2015, when Professor Adam Zeman of the University of Exeter coined the term and began his research, bringing renewed scientific and public attention to this fascinating aspect of human cognition. The concept traces back to Aristotle's "phantasia" from 340 BC, establishing a rich historical foundation for understanding individual differences in mental imagery.
Tom Ebeyer · March 2020
Something to try
Learning with Aphantasia: Exploring the Potential Limitations and Opportunities for Aphantasic Learners
There's no right or wrong way to learn – just different approaches that work for different minds.
Aphantasia Network · November 2019
