ABSTRACT
Friluft sliv is a Norwegian word, loosely translated as “open air living,” which descibes a lifestyle that involves balance and harmony between people and their environment. Th e term, and the associated philosophy of living, has a long cultural tradition in Norway. By the 21st century, the concept of friluft sliv had become part of the philosophical foundation of the environmental education and ethics movement, and had also become an important concept in Norway’s philosophy of education. Th is chapter discusses the appropriate interpretation of friluft sliv and touches on the question of passive versus active interactions between people and nature, as exemplifi ed by the life and ideas of Fridtjof Nansen, famous Norwegian explorer, scientist, statesman, humanitarian, and sometimes educational philosopher.
