Martin Haiden (University of Vienna and Tilburg University) has posted his Ph.D. dissertation Theta Theory.

From the introduction:

From the very beginning of generative research, one question has been central. This question is whether, or how, aspects of meaning can influence the form of a sentence. The question was at the heart of the debate for and against Generative Semantics. Later, it re-emerged in a less embattled, but nonetheless crucial debate about the necessity or redundancy of subcategorization. Grimshaw (1990) for example argues that the syntactic projection-potential of predicates can be reduced to the semantic roles they select. Although repeatedly challenged by some, most notably Chomsky (1995, 2001), it does not seem wrong to assume that Grimshaw's position has now become a standard assumption, and with it, its presupposition: the existence of a theory that predicts syntactic argument structure from lexical meaning without circularity.

The first part (Chapters 1 and 2) of this dissertation focuses on the lexicon and evaluates the working hypothesis that s-selection can predict syntactic projection. The conclusion of part one is that this working hypothesis must be rejected. S-selection does not determine syntactic argument structure.

The second part (Chapters 3 and 4) focuses on syntax. Chapter 3 outlines a theory of autonomous syntactic projection and the principles governing the thematic interpretation of syntactic configurations. Chapter 4 applies this theory to infinitival and participial constructions in German. The conclusion of part two is that a theory of autonomous syntactic projection is not only desirable at a conceptual level. It is empirically superior in a core area of lexical semantics, the thematic constraints in the verbal passive, and beyond. The data discussed include theta-role absorption in the gerundive present participle and modal infinitives, thematic constraints on the distribution of the predicative present participle, and auxiliary selection.