BONINI, ALESSANDRO da ALESSANDRIA. - Franciscan, born at Alessandria (Piemonte) around 1270, died in Rome on 5 October 1314. Having assumed the habit of the Minors, he was sent to Paris, where he studied and taught together with Duns Scoto. Having returned to Italy, he was lector of the Sacred Palace in Rome. Benedetto XI, by a bull of 29 November 1303, conferred upon him the privileges of a doctor of Paris. In 1308 he was again in Paris, where he took part in the trial against the Templars. He contributed to the condemnation of the Spirituals (Olivi). In 1313 he was elected minister of the Order by the general chapter of Barcelona, and he laboured greatly to restore peace and discipline within II. But his work was prematurely interrupted by death.
He wrote a Commentary on the Sentences; Commentaria in libros metaphysicae Aristotelis (published in Venice in 1572 under the name of Alessandro di Hales); an excellent commentary on De anima; Quodlibeta; Quaestiones de usura, commentaries on the Epistle to the Romans, the Fourth Gospel, and Ecclesiasticus.
His importance in the philosophical field lies in his attempt to reconcile the logical spirit of Aristotle with the ethical inspiration of Plato.