BERNARD OF ALVERNIA (Bernardus de Alvernis, Bernardus Claromontanus, Bernardus de Claromonte). - Dominican philosopher and theologian of the 13th century. He obtained the bachelor's degree in theology at the University of Paris and later became bishop of Clermont (1304-1307). Alongside the defense of St. Thomas Aquinas, he wrote various *Improbationes* and *Impugnationes* against the critics and detractors of the Aquinate, including Godfrey of Fontaines, Henry of Ghent, and James of Viterbo.
From codex Vat. lat. 772, certain *Impugnationes* against Giles of Rome on a Trinitarian topic are attributed to him, though this attribution seems erroneous (published by G. Bruni in *Bibliotheca Augustana medii aevi* [ser. phil. et theol.], I, Rome 1942). His Thomistic defense particularly focused on psychological and metaphysical issues. For the history of ideas, it is noteworthy that he attributed to St. Thomas the doctrine of the real distinction between essence and existence. His polemical works were highly esteemed by another distinguished Thomist, Capreolus.