During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, ''quodlibeta'' were public disputations in which scholars debated questions "about anything" (''de quolibet'') posed by the audience. The practice originated in the theological faculty of the

University of Paris The University of Paris (french: link=no, Université de Paris), Metonymy, metonymically known as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, active from 1150 to 1970, with the exception between 1793 and 1806 under the French Revo ...

around 1230. Classes were suspended just before Christmas and Easter holidays so that the masters could hold public sessions taking questions from the audience. After 1270, the practice spread beyond Paris, but elsewhere was usually associated with the '' studia'' (schools) of the mendicant orders. The first to introduce the ''quodlibeta'' to an institution outside of Paris was John of Peckham at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in 1272–1275. Records of ''quodlibeta'' survive on

parchment Parchment is a writing material made from specially prepared untanned skins of animals—primarily sheep, calves, and goats. It has been used as a writing medium for over two millennia. Vellum is a finer quality parchment made from the skins o ...

from the 1230s to the 1330s, but thereafter written records are scarce. The practice, however, continued into the sixteenth century. A catalogue of quodlibetal questions and manuscripts was published by in two volumes between 1925 and 1932. Glorieux catalogued about 325 recorded ''quodlibeta'' by about 120 named authors and 30 anonymous ''quodlibeta''. This amounts to over 6,000 individual questions. About half of ''quodlibeta'' and a definite majority of questions and manuscripts are attributed to Dominican or

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

scholars. Some Dominicans produced responses to written ''quodlibeta'', imitating the form in what Russell Friedman calls "anti-''quodlibeta''", usually in defence of

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wi ...

. These writers include Robert of Orford,

Thomas of Sutton Thomas of Sutton (died after 1315) was an English Dominican theologian, an early Thomist. He was ordained as deacon in 1274 by Walter Giffard, and joined the Dominicans in the 1270s; he may have been a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford before that ...

, Bernard of Auvergne and

Hervaeus Natalis Hervaeus Natalis (c. 1260, Nédellec, diocese of Tréguier, Brittany-1323) was a Dominican theologian, the 14th Master of the Dominicans, and the author of a number of works on philosophy and theology. Among his many writings may be included the ...

Authors of ''quodlibeta''

The following list is from Glorieux, except as noted. * Albert of Cluny * Adenulf of Anagni * Adrian Florensz Dedal * * Alexander Achillini * Alexander of Alessandria *

Alexander of Hales Alexander of Hales (also Halensis, Alensis, Halesius, Alesius ; 21 August 1245), also called ''Doctor Irrefragibilis'' (by Pope Alexander IV in the ''Bull De Fontibus Paradisi'') and ''Theologorum Monarcha'', was a Franciscan friar, theologian ...

* Alexander of Sant'Elpidio * Amadeus de Castello * Andrew of Mont-Saint-Éloi * Annibaldo Annibaldi * * Aufredo Gonteri Brito * Augustine of Ancona * Bernard Lombardi *

Bernard of Trilia Bernard of Trilia (Bernard de la Treille, Bernardus de Trilia) (Nîmes, c. 1240 – 1292) was a French Dominican theologian and scholastic philosopher. He was an early supporter of the teaching of Thomas Aquinas. He lectured at Montpellier M ...

* Berthaud of Saint-Denis *

Bertrand de la Tour Bertrand de la Tour (c. 1262–1332), also known as Bertrand de Turre, was a French Franciscan theologian and Cardinal. De la Tour was born in Camboulit in the old province of Quercy, France. Serving as a provincial minister in Aquitaine from 1 ...

Durand of Saint-Pourçain Durand may refer to: Places United States * Durand Township, Winnebago County, Illinois * Durand, Illinois, a village ** Durand High School (Illinois), a public high school * Durand, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Durand, Kansas, an ...

* Eudes of Châteauroux * Eustace of Arras * Eustace of Grandcourt * *

Francesco Caracciolo Prince Francesco Caracciolo (18 January 1752 – 30 June 1799) was an Italian admiral and revolutionary. Early life and British service Caracciolo was born in Naples to a noble family. It is likely that he was named after St. Francis Caracci ...

Francis of Marchia Francis of Marchia (c. 1290 - after 1344) was an Italian Franciscan theologian and philosopher. He was an ally of William of Ockham and Michael of Cesena, and opponent of Pope John XXII, in the struggles of the Franciscan Spirituals, leading to h ...

* Francis of Meyronnes * *

Gerard of Abbeville Gerard of Abbeville (1220-1272) was a theologian from the University of Paris. He formally became a theologian in 1257 and from then was known as an opponent of the mendicant orders, particularly in the second stage of the conflict, taking part in ...

Gerard of Bologna Gerard of Bologna (died 1317) was an Italian Carmelite theologian and scholastic philosopher. A convinced Thomist, he took a doctorate in theology in 1295 at the University of Paris. Subsequently he was elected general of the Carmelite Order, i ...

* Gerard Odonis * Gerard of Saint-Victor *

Gerard of Siena Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this ca ...

Giles of Rome Giles of Rome O.S.A. ( Latin: ''Aegidius Romanus''; Italian: ''Egidio Colonna''; c. 1243 – 22 December 1316), was a Medieval philosopher and Scholastic theologian and a friar of the Order of St Augustine, who was also appointed to the ...

Godfrey of Fontaines Godfrey of Fontaines (born sometime before 1250, died 29 October 1306 or 1309), in Latin Godefridus de Fontibus, was a scholastic philosopher and theologian, designated by the title Doctor Venerandus. He made contributions to a diverse range of sub ...

* Gonsalvus of Spain * Gonterus * Gregory of Lucca * Guerric of Saint-Quentin * Guido Terrena * Guy de l'Aumône * Guy of Cluny * Henry Amandi * *

Henry of Ghent Henry of Ghent (c. 1217 – 29 June 1293) was a scholastic philosopher, known as '' Doctor Solemnis'' (the "Solemn Doctor"), and also as Henricus de Gandavo and Henricus Gandavensis. Life Henry was born in the district of Mude, near Ghent. He ...

* Henry of Harclay * Henry of Lübeck * Hermannus de Augusta *

* Ivo of Caen * Jacques Fournier * Jacques de Quesnoy * James of Aaleus * James of Ascoli * James of Pamiers * James of Thérines *

James of Viterbo James of Viterbo ( it, Giacomo da Viterbo; – ), born Giacomo Capocci (nicknamed ''Doctor speculativus''), was an Italian Roman Catholic Augustinian friar and Scholastic theologian, who later became Archbishop of Naples. Life James ...

Jan Hus Jan Hus (; ; 1370 – 6 July 1415), sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as ''Iohannes Hus'' or ''Johannes Huss'', was a Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and the insp ...

* Johannes Briard of Ath * * * John Baconthorpe * John of Châtillon *

John Duns Scotus John Duns Scotus ( – 8 November 1308), commonly called Duns Scotus ( ; ; "Duns the Scot"), was a Scottish Catholic priest and Franciscan friar, university professor, philosopher, and theologian. He is one of the four most important ...

* John Grafton * John of Lana * John Lesage * John of Maroeuil * John of Murro * John of Naples * John of Peckham * * John Quidort * John of Reading * John of Rodington * John du Val * John of Tongres * John of Waarde * Kykeley * Laurence of Dreux * Laurence of Nantes * Laurence of Poulangy * Martin of Abbeville *

Matthew of Aquasparta Matthew of Aquasparta ( it, Matteo di Aquasparta; 1240 – 29 October 1302) was an Italian Friar Minor and scholastic philosopher. He was elected Minister General of the Order. Life Born in Acquasparta, Umbria, he was a member of the Bentivengh ...

* Nicholas of Bar * Nicholas of Lyra * Nicholas du Pressoir * Nicholas Trivet * Nicholas of Vaux-Cernay * Oliver of Tréguier * Peter of Atarrabia *

Peter Auriol Petrus AureolusAlso known as: Petrus Aureoli, Peter Auriol, and Pierre Auriol; also Aureol, Aureole or Oriol. ( – 10 January 1322) was a scholastic philosopher and theologian. Little of his life before 1312 is known. After this time, he taugh ...

Peter of Auvergne Peter of Auvergne (died 1304) was a French philosopher and theologian. Life He was a canon of Paris; some biographers have thought that he was Bishop of Clermont, because a Bull of Boniface VIII of the year 1296 names as canon of Paris a certain P ...

* Peter of England * Peter of Falco *

Peter John Olivi Peter John Olivi, also Pierre de Jean Olivi or Petrus Joannis Olivi (1248 – 14 March 1298), was a French Franciscan theologian and philosopher who, although he died professing the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, remained a controversial figure ...

* Peter of Palude *

Peter de Rivo Peter de Rivo (Petrus) (c.1420 in Aalst – 1490 in Leuven) was a Flemish scholastic philosopher, teaching at the Old University of Leuven. His views on future contingents were controversial, being opposed by Henry of Zomeren, also at Leuven (Fre ...

* Peter Roger * Peter of Saint-Denis * Peter of Saint-Omer * Peter Sutton * Peter Swanington * Peter of Tarentaise * Peter Thomas * Peter of Trabibus * Prosper of Reggio Emilia * Rainier Marquette of Clairmarais * Ranulph of Homblières * Radulphus Brito * Raymond Bequini * Raymond Guilha * Raymond Rigaud * Remigio dei Girolami * Richard Knapwell * Richard of Menneville *

Robert Holcot Robert Holcot, OP (c. 1290 – 1349) was an English Dominican scholastic philosopher, theologian and influential Biblical scholar. Biography He was born in Holcot, Northamptonshire. A follower of William of Ockham, he was nicknamed the ''Docto ...

* Robert Walsingham *

Robert Winchelsey Robert Winchelsey (or Winchelsea; c. 1245 – 11 May 1313) was an English Catholic theologian and Archbishop of Canterbury. He studied at the universities of Paris and Oxford, and later taught at both. Influenced by Thomas Aquinas, he was a sc ...

Roger Marston Roger Marston (Rogerus de Marston) (died c. 1303) was an English Franciscan scholastic philosopher and theologian. He studied under John Pecham in Paris, in the years around 1270, and probably also at Oxford a few years later, during the time he wa ...

* Servais of Guez * * Simon of Corbie * Simon of Guiberville * Simon of Lens *

* Thomas de Bailly * Thomas Claxton *

* Thomas Wylton * Vital du Four *

Walter Burley Walter Burley (or Burleigh; 1275 – 1344/45) was an English scholastic philosopher and logician with at least 50 works attributed to him. He studied under Thomas WiltonHarjeet Singh Gill, ''Signification in language and culture'', Indian In ...

* Walter Chatton * William of Alnwick * William of Barlo * William Crathorn * William of Cremona * William Hothum *

William de la Mare William de La Mare (fl. 1272–1279) was an English Franciscan theologian. Biography William de la Mare's origins are unknown. He obtained a master's degree (Master Regent) in Paris in 1274/5. In Paris, he came under the influence of Bonaventur ...

William of Ockham William of Ockham, OFM (; also Occam, from la, Gulielmus Occamus; 1287 – 10 April 1347) was an English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, apologist, and Catholic theologian, who is believed to have been born in Ockham, a small vi ...

* William of Rubio *

William Woodford William Woodford (October 6, 1734 – November 13, 1780) was a Virginia planter and militia officer who distinguished himself in the French and Indian War, and later became general of the 2nd Virginia Regiment in the American Revolutionary War ...

Notes

Bibliography

English editions

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Secondary literature

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External links

Quodlibase: Base de données des Quodlibets théologiques (1230–1350)
Medieval European education Scholasticism