Editing Scholasticism (section)

== Scholastic instruction ==

Scholastic instruction consisted of several elements. The first was the ''lectio'': a teacher would read an authoritative text followed by a commentary, but no questions were permitted. This was followed by the ''meditatio'' ([[wikt:meditatio|meditation]] or reflection) in which students reflected on and appropriated the text. Finally, in the ''quaestio'' students could ask questions (''quaestiones'') that might have occurred to them during ''meditatio''. Eventually the discussion of ''questiones'' became a method of inquiry apart from the ''lectio'' and independent of authoritative texts. ''Disputationes'' were arranged to resolve controversial ''quaestiones''.{{sfn|van Asselt|2011|p=59}}

Questions to be disputed were ordinarily announced beforehand, but students could propose a question to the teacher unannounced – ''disputationes de quodlibet''. In this case, the teacher responded and the students rebutted; on the following day the teacher, having used notes taken during the disputation, summarised all arguments and presented his final position, riposting all rebuttals.<ref name=westintel />{{sfn|van Asselt|2011|p=60}}

The ''quaestio'' method of reasoning was initially used especially when two authoritative texts seemed to contradict one another. Two contradictory propositions would be considered in the form of an either/or question, and each part of the question would have to be approved (''sic'') or denied (''non''). Arguments for the position taken would be presented in turn, followed by arguments against the position, and finally the arguments against would be refuted. This method forced scholars to consider opposing viewpoints and defend their own arguments against them.{{sfn|van Asselt|2011|pp=61–62}}