The particulars of how a Tyronian et looked depending on how a particular scribe -- and later, typefounder -- decided to render it. There is no one correct form. Long ago, I once spent an entire afternoon finding samples to show a client, who felt the one we used was somehow "wrong" (I used one with a descender).

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tironian_et

As for using it in a philosophical journal in the context you suggest, yes, it would look weird. Not to mention causing the typesetter trouble...

I'm not certain that the form would be correct. Viz. is the standard abbreviation for videlicitur, "see also"; the word "and" isn't a part of the abbreviated word.

Well, I am the typesetter :-) But thanks anyway!

It is the abbreviation of "videlicet", which means roughly "namely"; and the final glyph is tironian shorthand for the final "et", as an ending, not meaning "and" here. Some of these shorthnds were regularly used in print as long as 16th or even 17th century.

Hopefully John Hudson (of Tiro Typeworks :-) will chime in soon...

There is no one correct form.

Coincidentally, just like for any other letter. :-)

hhp