As scholars, we all know that Wikipedia is neither omniscient nor infallible, yet there are few of us who do not give it a cursory glance, even when doing serious research.
Happily, being scholars, we can laugh at the occasional medieval error, if I may use that term in a derogatory manner for the sake of fun. Be wary you do not consider how many minds such brilliant observations as these are affecting, lest your laughter turn to tears.
A couple of entertaining passages caught my attention today:
"[Roger] Bacon studied and later became a Master at Oxford, lecturing on Aristotle. There is no evidence he was ever awarded a doctorate — the title Doctor Mirabilis was posthumous and figurative. Sometime between 1237 and 1245, he began to lecture at the university of Paris, then the center of intellectual life in Europe."
Explain to me how anyone could become a permanent lecturer at Paris, of all places, without first having received his licence to teach. It would appear that the author of the article is confusing the position of "Master" (magister) with the modern acquisition of a Master in Arts. A magister had to have received his licentia ubique legendi, disputandi, praedicandi et quoslibet actus exercendi theological facultate, his licence to read, dispute and teach at the university level, what we might refer to as a doctorate.
However, not all Wikipedic humour is unintentional—at least, I am very much hoping the author of the following passage intended its amusement:
"According to legend, Albertus Magnus is said to have discovered the philosopher's stone and passed it to his pupil Thomas Aquinas, shortly before his death. Magnus does not confirm he discovered the stone in his writings, but he did record that he witnessed the creation of gold by "transmutation."[4] Given that Thomas Aquinas died six years before Albertus Magnus' death, this legend as stated is unlikely."
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