The Ezra Klein Show This Question Can Change Your Life
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Jan 2, 2026 
Stephen Batchelor, a writer and secular Buddhist teacher, shares insights from his works on Buddhism and meditation. He explores the transformative power of the question 'What is this?' and how embracing doubt can lead to wonder and ethical living. Batchelor discusses the distinction between productive existential doubt and paralyzing skepticism, emphasizing their relevance in our inner and outer lives. He also delves into active acceptance, the importance of contemplating death, and how navigating uncertainty can foster empathy, enhancing our ethical responses.
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Decades Of Sitting With One Question
- Stephen Batchelor recounts sitting 10–12 hours a day facing a wall asking "What is this?" during Zen retreats.
- The practice moved him from conceptual study into embodied wonder and sustained curiosity.
Ask The Question From A Grounded Place
- Start the "What is this?" inquiry after the mind has stabilized through breath or sitting practice.
- Gently settle into the silence of the question and listen to bodily and situational responses without forcing answers.
Two Kinds Of Doubt
- Batchelor distinguishes inhibiting doubt from an existential doubt that makes life a question.
- That deeper doubt opens ethical curiosity and resists rigid certainties that he calls "stupid."
