Quodlibetal disputes were formal university debates, held twice a year during Advent and Lent, in which questions on any topic could be brought forward by those in attendance; supporting and opposing arguments were discussed and then ultimately resolved by the presiding master. Thomas Aquinas presided over twelve quodlibetal disputes, which covered a range of topics, both speculative and practical; the Quodlibets here are considerably edited reports of these debates. Quodlibets VII–XI are from Aquinas's  first teaching period in Paris (1256–1259), and Quodlibets I–VI, XII are from his second teaching period in Paris (1269–1272).