Peter Abelard was a medieval French philosopher, theologian, and logician. He is best known for his work in the field of logic and for his love affair with Héloïse, which has been the subject of much literary and artistic interpretation. Abelard's philosophical contributions include his development of the concept of universals and his influential work on ethics and theology. He was a controversial figure in his time, and his ideas continue to be studied and debated by scholars today.