This book is an analytic and critical treatment of Paulo Freire's philosophy. Its two central theses are that Freire's thought is best understood as that of an educational practitioner and theorist and that the most fruitful interpretation of Freire comes from understanding him as a Catholic thinker. Chapter 1 situates Freire's lifelong work in Latin America and Africa. Chapter 2 presents a brief description of his now famous method of conscientization, the theoretical and practical center of his work. Chapter 3 explores the eclecticism of Freire's writings. Freire's philosophy of persons, society, knowledge, and political change are seen as closely related to his educational interests in the discussions presented in Chapters 4-7. Chapters 8 and 9 highlight his educational theories; the first details his criticisms of banking education (the view that knowledge is "deposited" in the minds of students by teachers); the other presents the constructive elements of his educational theory. The final chapter makes the case that Freire's work can rightly be considered as an integral part of the theology of liberation that prevails in many less developed nations. Appendixes include 65 references and indexes of names and subjects. (YLB)