Talk by Henk Zeevat
A Neoclassical Analysis of Belief Sentences
This paper gives an analysis of belief sentences
along the lines of the classical analysis of Hintikka, using possible
worlds and individual concepts, which avoids the problems associated
with the original account, both the ones associated with direct
reference and the ones associated with closure under logical
consequence and equivalence.
The problems are solved by adopting (i) the diagonal view of
information developed by Haas-Spohn, (ii) a dynamic account of the
set of individual concepts and (iii) the resolution mechanisms of an
extension of DRT and (iv) a different representation of existential
{\em de dicto} beliefs. The assumption that all natural language
sentences essentially correspond to existential formulas ---a view
found e.g. in versions of events semantics--- then avoids closure
under logical consequence.
Paul Dekker, November 2, 1995