Flourishing Among the Wilderness: Uncovering a Neo-Aristotelian Philosophy of Outdoor Education

The pursuit and procurement of a good life—known otherwise as “human flourishing” —is contingent upon the communities we inhabit and the relationship we form with the natural world. Yet contemporary theorists rarely acknowledge the formative role of outdoor experiences within this pursuit. By overlooking this connection, the field’s potential for educating youth and emerging adults—morally, technically, and ecologically—remains underdeveloped and unbecoming of one’s humanistic potential. This manuscript responds to that gap by advancing a neo-Aristotelian framework for understanding outdoor education. It examines the relevance of flourishing theory for practitioners, engages with critiques that challenge the cultivation of wise and characterful outdoorsmen and women, and positions a “pedagogy of flourishing” as a possible orientation for the field going forward. Altogether, this manuscript aspires to situate outdoor education as a pivotal, cultural space with profound educational implications for how societies nurture human goodness, individual thriving, and collective well-being.