> It is a joke based on Aquinas' style of answering questions. This wasn't particular to Aquinas, but fairly common among Scholastics: * https://english.stack

> It is a joke based on Aquinas' style of answering questions. This wasn't particular to Aquinas, but fairly common among Scholastics: * https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/41999/what-is-the-style-of-writing-used-in-the-summa-theologica-called https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/41999/what-is-th... In some ways you're trying to steel man (as opposed to straw man) the opposing arguments. It was a reflection of the oral debating style used in universities at the time.