Universa Philosophia

When, then, he omits a proposition in this way, he must never return to deny that same proposition, because its truth or falsity is not at issue; rather, it is omitted as conceded so that the soundness of the consequence may be examined. When the third proposition is distinguished, he must not say, I distinguish the consequence, but I distinguish the consequent. Whenever he omits that proposition, he must not say, Let the consequence pass, or I omit the consequence, but Let it pass, or I omit the consequent. But when he grants or denies it, he must not say, I grant or I deny the consequent, but I grant or I deny the consequence. He also needs modesty and courtesy: he must not disparage an argument, call it empty, or say that it is repeated. That is the concern of the arbiter, or the President of the controversy. The President is the third participant in the disputation. It is his task to bring the Arguentes and the Sustentans together and to moderate them; he must not allow many people to speak, lest the lecture hall turn into a marketplace. Nor should he allow the surrounding audience to whisper among themselves. Rather, he must strive vigorously to make everyone pay attention, settle the controversy, and give the Sustentans room to shine; he himself will add whatever does not belong to the Sustentans's office.