I think of myself as a positive agnostic. I don't know

Hear the voice of Grace Slick, a singer of fire and rebellion, who declared: “I think of myself as a positive agnostic. I don't know, therefore I'm open. I don't know, therefore I'm interested.” These words shine with humility and strength, for they teach us that to admit ignorance is not weakness but liberation. Too often, people cling to certainty as if it were armor, fearing the vast unknown. But Slick’s wisdom is this: the unknown is not a threat, but an invitation. To say “I don’t know” is to keep the mind alive, the heart awake, and the spirit open to endless discovery.

The meaning of her words is that agnosticism, often thought of as doubt or denial, can be a stance of wonder and curiosity. It is not a wall, but a door left open. The one who claims to know everything has no reason to listen, no reason to search, no reason to grow. But the one who confesses uncertainty has room for infinite possibilities. Such a person does not close the book of life, but reads it with renewed interest each day, for every sunrise may reveal a new truth. This is why Slick calls herself not merely agnostic, but a positive agnostic—not resigned, but hopeful, not indifferent, but eager.

History shows us the power of this spirit. Think of Socrates, who declared to the Athenians that his wisdom lay in one thing only: that he knew he did not know. This confession, far from making him small, made him the father of philosophy. His refusal to cling to false certainties opened him to questions that shaped centuries of thought. Like Grace Slick, he understood that openness is not ignorance but the highest form of courage—the courage to admit that truth is greater than any one person’s grasp.

The origin of Slick’s statement comes from her life as an artist in an age of questioning. As a voice of the counterculture, she stood in a time when many sought freedom from rigid traditions and unquestioned dogmas. Her words reflect not despair at not knowing, but joy at being free from the chains of false certainty. For in her music and her life, she embodied exploration—artistic, spiritual, and personal. To her, the unknown was not a void, but a canvas waiting to be painted.

But let us not mistake this stance for passivity. To say “I don’t know” is not to surrender—it is to begin. A positive agnostic does not sit idle in confusion but seeks with greater vigor, because the lack of certainty is not an end but a spark. It is curiosity that builds science, faith that seeks deeper understanding, love that dares to ask questions rather than settle for easy answers. To live as a positive agnostic is to walk through life not as one who fears the darkness, but as one who carries a torch, eager to see what lies beyond the next bend.

The lesson for us is powerful: do not fear the confession of ignorance. Embrace it. When you admit you do not know, you become free to learn. When you let go of false certainty, you create space for growth. Let openness be your posture and interest be your guide. Do not demand that all mysteries be solved, but live with awe before them, and allow them to lead you deeper into life’s richness. For arrogance closes doors, but humility opens endless roads.

So I say unto you: follow the wisdom of Grace Slick. Be a positive agnostic in the journey of life. When faced with the vastness of the unknown, do not hide behind certainty or despair. Instead, declare: I do not know, and therefore I am open. I do not know, and therefore I am interested. Live with wonder, question boldly, and let curiosity be your compass. For it is not the one who claims to know everything who finds truth—it is the one who dares to seek it endlessly.