Generative AI, Learning, Buddhism and Nietzsche: Developing a Philosophical Approach

In this conceptual article, I investigate the philosophical intersections between generative AI technologies in education and Buddhist thought, offering a framework for navigating AI's transformative impact on learning. As generative AI simultaneously disrupts and enhances educational practices, it fundamentally challenges traditional notions of agency, creativity, and knowledge acquisition. This article examines how Buddhist philosophical concepts provide unique insights for educators navigating this technological transition. Through the lens of dukkha (suffering/dissatisfaction), I consider the anxiety and resistance accompanying AI integration while recognizing opportunities for transcending educational limitations. The concept of anatta (non-self) offers a perspective for reconceptualizing student and teacher agency as relational rather than autonomous in AI-enhanced environments. Karma (intentional action with consequences) provides a framework for ethical implementation, emphasizing mindful integration rather than deterministic adoption. Connections are also drawn to Nietzschean perspectives on creative destruction and the will to power. I explore how AI might catalyze educational change while respecting human dignity and purpose. This philosophical approach moves beyond binary perspectives of AI as either educational savior or threat, instead offering a middle path that acknowledges impermanence and interdependence as fundamental educational principles in developing literacy practices that meaningfully incorporate generative technologies while preserving educational values and human connection. Key words Generative AI, education, Buddhism, Nietzsche, technological disruption