 Parallel to these philosophical developments, a non-academic type of philosophy consistently prospered in Latin America from the sixteenth century to the present. It comprises philosophical positions expressed in essay format, a hybrid genre cultivated by political and religious leaders, scientists, and literary figures among others. Interested in the intersection of philosophy with literature, religion, and politics, non-academic philosophical thinkers made significant contributions to the intellectual history of Latin America. As may be expected, however, the line separating academic and non-academic philosophy is not always sharp. Although it’s clear that a work such as the Labyrinth of Solitude, by the Mexican writer and diplomat Octavio Paz   (1914–1998)[1]  falls within the latter, and Lógica viva (Living Logic), by Uruguayan philosopher Carlos Vaz Ferreira (1872–1958) falls within the former, there are many borderline cases. Consider Lascasianism: first developed by the Dominican friar and theologian Bartolomé de las Casas (Spanish-born, 1474–1566) in colonial times, the doctrine is still influential in the work of Peruvian Gustavo Guttiérrez and other contemporary liberation theologians. It advocates a perfectionist version of Roman Catholic ethics according to which the ways of life that should be promoted are those that make people more human—a thesis consistent with las Casas’ 1552 vindication of the humanity of Amerindians (i.e., their personhood). Since Lascasianism has philosophical grounds and implications but is a product of amateur philosophers, it stands out as a prime borderline case between academic and non-academic philosophy.