The Seventh Generation Principle is a philosophy originating from the Iroquois Confederacy in the late 1800s that encourages people to consider the impact of their actions on the next seven generations, roughly 150 years into the future. The goal is to ensure a sustainable world by making decisions in the present that benefit future generations.

Connection to Educational Philosophy

Drawing on this principle, education theorist Steve Hargadon incorporates the Seventh Generation Principle into his framework for addressing what he terms "the Paradox of Education" and developing approaches to educational technology, particularly artificial intelligence. Hargadon identifies what he calls a "fascinating coincidence of language" between the principle and contemporary discussions of generative AI.

Relationship to Generativity

Hargadon connects the Seventh Generation Principle to the concept of generativity, originally coined by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson in 1950. Erikson used the term to denote "a concern for establishing and guiding the next generation" and defined it as the "ability to transcend personal interests to provide care and concern for younger and older generations." In Erikson's theory, generativity is contrasted with stagnation, where people contribute to the next generation through caring, teaching, and engaging in creative work that contributes to society.

This connection becomes particularly relevant in Hargadon's analysis of generative AI, where the term "generative" from "generative pre-trained transformer" (GPT) creates what he describes as a "happy coincidence of language and thought" with both Erikson's psychological concept and the Iroquois principle.

Application to Educational Technology

Hargadon uses the Seventh Generation Principle as part of his argument for what he calls "generative teaching"

• an approach to integrating AI in education that focuses on long-term benefit rather than short-term institutional needs. He advocates for "thinking generatively about the use of AI in education" by considering how to help students understand and use new technologies "in a way that lights the fires of their intellectual curiosity and growth, rather than just filling the pails through traditional instruction and assessment."

Framework for Future-Oriented Decision Making

Within Hargadon's broader educational philosophy, the Seventh Generation Principle serves as a counterpoint to what he sees as the short-sighted cycles of educational technology adoption. He describes how educational technologies repeatedly follow predictable cycles of excitement, commercialization, and eventual absorption into existing institutional structures, often losing their transformative potential.

The principle provides a framework for making decisions about educational technology that considers long-term consequences for learners and society, rather than immediate institutional or commercial needs. Hargadon argues that "we will need a framework of generative teaching so that the next generations are in partnership with us, working to understand these new and powerful changes in our world."

Broader Implications

Hargadon connects the principle to larger questions about human readiness for technological advancement, referencing concerns about whether humanity is prepared for the implications of artificial intelligence development. He suggests that the Seventh Generation Principle offers a way to approach these challenges by maintaining focus on the welfare of future generations rather than immediate power and profit motives.

The principle thus serves in Hargadon's framework as both a practical tool for educational decision-making and a philosophical foundation for approaching technological change with consideration for its long-term impact on human development and learning.