Quaestiones disputatae de veritate (English)

In the spring of 1256, Thomas was appointed in Paris to the highest medieval university position: magister in sacrae paginae — master in the study of the Scriptures, for the exegesis of which grammar, rhetoric, dialectics and philosophy were used. While he remained in office, until 1259, he composed numerous works, including these Quaestiones disputatae de veritate, a set of 29 disputed questions on aspects of faith and the human condition, prepared for the debates that he presided over during Lent and Advent.

Disputation was not only one of the usual techniques of university teaching (with lectio and praedicatio), but it became a mandatory method in the Order of Preachers. The quaestio began with a discussion, called a disputatio, for which the master chose one or more theses and assigned some students to the altercation. The main function of the dispute was to exercise students in formulating arguments, and the master controlled the exercise through interventions during the session. After the oral dispute, the master made the determination by repeating, reorganizing and, in certain cases, correcting the arguments for and against the thesis. Finally, he gave his own answer and solutions for each of the arguments.