Zürcher Disputationsthesen bis 1653: Facetten einer Druckschriftengattung

Abstract

In 1592, the Zurich church and the Academy adopted the debating of set theses as a form of instruction. Research into the history of ideas has recently repeatedly drawn on the printed sources generated by this pedagogic practice, generally known as "alte Dissertationen". This study is designed as a typological introduction. The material is classified according to the context in which the debate took place: church synod, examination, academic instruction (termed "Übungsdisputationen", practice disputations). Additional issues addressed include the quality and distribution of the extant material, the titles used, the sources’ usefulness for the study of specific individuals, and Greek loanwords. The final focus is on how the author is recorded in library catalogues, whether by thesis setter or thesis defender.