Dynamic situations: accounting for Doqty's inertia notion using dynamic semantics

Abstract

In this paper Dowty’s notion of inertia is further reduced. This is done by seeing normality as operating within a limited context defined by the current conceptually salient vocabulary. Situations are defined as sets of possibilities indiscernible under the vocabulary. Then, using a partial order of eventiveness, normality is given as a test operator on the set of minimally eventive situations in the information state.