Abelard was a lecturer at the University of Paris

In his youth Peter Abelard made a mark as lecturer in theology at the University of Paris. A romance with Heloise, the niece of a canon of Notre Dame, brought Abelard's career to an abrupt halt when the canon had Abelard castrated and forced him to retire to a monastery. Abelard and Heloise both spent the remainder of their lives in religious houses, although Abelard once briefly returned to Paris to teach. Abelard's most important contribution to the development of medieval theology was his widely read book, Yes and No. Here Abelard gathered quotations from authorities of the church speaking on both sides of disputed questions. Abelard's intent was not merely to discredit these authorities, but rather to prevent the mere citation of authorities from taking the place of theological inquiry. In suggesting that it was the task of theology to resolve disputed questions, Abelard encouraged the development of the dialectical method of later scholasticism which depended upon the posing and the resolution of questions through debate.