Birth and death Quote by Stephen Batchelor
““To pose a question entails that you do not know something. To ask “Who is the abbot?” means that you do not know who the abbot is. To ask “What is this?” means that you do not know what this is. To cultivate doubt, therefore, is to value unknowing. To say “I don’t know” is not an admission of weakness or ignorance, but an act of truthfulness: an honest acceptance of the limits of the human condition when faced with “the great matter of birth and death.” This deep agnosticism is more than the refusal of conventional agnosticism to take a stand on whether God exists or whether the mind survives bodily death. It is the willingness to embrace the fundamental bewilderment of a finite, fallible creature as the basis for leading a life that no longer clings to the superficial consolations of certainty.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Embracing Uncertainty by Stephen Batchelor, 2015
Recognizing that not knowing is essential; honest doubt reveals our limits and guides a life beyond false certainty.
In simple terms: Admitting ignorance is honest and freeing.
Key Takeaway
Embrace doubt, avoid false certainty.
Themes
humility
philosophy
existentialism
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- spiritual practice
- ethical decision making
- learning new concepts
Key Concepts
agnosticism
epistemology
existential freedom
Questions to Reflect On
- How does admitting ignorance change your choices?
- When is certainty more helpful than doubt?
A Different Perspective
Doubt can lead to paralysis if not balanced with action.
![“This notion [skepticism] is more clearly understood by asking "What do I know?"” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/593/michel-de-montaigne-142_asking_this-notion-skepticism-is-more-clearly-u_479849.jpg)
![“[Mindfulness] is not concerned with anything transcendent or divine. It serves as an antidote to theism, a cure for sentimental piety, a scalpel for excising the tumor of metaphysical belief. (130)” quote by Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/04b/stephen-batchelor-5328_antidote_mindfulness-is-not-concerned-with-anythi_151409.jpg)
