“The Magic of the World” by Jostein Gaarder: How to Cultivate a Child’s Capacity for Success in Life

Abstract

The ability of an individual to cope with social challenges, experience joy in life, realize personal potential, 
and achieve goals constitutes the foundation of what is commonly referred to as life success. Life success is 
closely tied to one’s capacity for active learning and understanding of the world. Jostein Gaarder, through his use of philosophical inquiry and reflection, offers a range of insightful ideas for fostering life success via edu
cational methods, strategies, and didactic techniques.
 Learning is understood here as an active process of constructing knowledge, which stimulates reflection 
on cognitive methods and approaches used by participants in educational interaction. While adults tend to 
perceive the world through the lens of prior experience, children possess an open and inquisitive mindset. A 
belief in the magic and mystery of the world and of human beings nurtures and reinforces their natural thirst 
for knowledge. These qualities are especially relevant, as children have an innate capacity for philosophizing. 
Their ability to marvel at the ordinary, to remain open in thought and feeling, is often diminished under societal 
pressures.
 Gaarder proposes several conceptual approaches to cultivating life success through education. These in
clude the art of thinking (development of intelligence), the art of empathy (formation of the emotional and exis
tential sphere), and the art of living (development of the value-spiritual dimension). These educational strate
gies emphasize problem-based learning, exploration of worldview issues through unexpected or paradoxical 
situations, and encouraging learners to justify their decisions based on personal experience and knowledge. 
They also highlight the importance of listening to others, engaging in dialogue, and maintaining an openness 
to multiple perspectives.