Metaphysical Nūr And Generation Alpha: Technology, Ontology, and the Crisis of Orientation

Abstract

Purpose - This study examines the Islamic metaphysical concept of Nūr (light) as an ontological and epistemic framework for understanding the technological condition of Generation Alpha. The purpose is to clarify the distinction between technological illumination—characterized by visibility, access, and informational abundance—and orienting illumination, understood as intelligibility, guidance, and meaning. By doing so, the paper seeks to address the growing crisis of orientation affecting younger generations in digitally saturated environments. Methods - The research adopts a qualitative, theoretical, and interdisciplinary methodology. It combines hermeneutic analysis of Qurʾānic texts and classical Islamic philosophy with conceptual analysis drawn from contemporary philosophy of technology, media theory, pedagogy, and AI ethics. Institutional statistical data from international organizations are used descriptively to contextualize the analysis, without serving as primary empirical evidence. Results - The study demonstrates that contemporary digital technologies generate unprecedented levels of illumination in the form of constant visibility and exposure yet lack intrinsic orientational capacity. This form of technological illumination differs structurally from Nūr, which functions as a principle uniting manifestation, intelligibility, and guidance. As a result, digital environments tend to amplify information while weakening meaning, discernment, and interior integration, particularly in the formative experiences of Generation Alpha. Conclusions - The paper concludes that Nūr, employed as a non-confessional metaphysical heuristic, provides a robust ontological criterion for distinguishing between exposure and guidance, correctness and wisdom. This framework offers significant pedagogical and ethical implications for education, writing, and the use of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to reorient technological practices toward discernment, interiority, and meaningful human understanding.