diff -r 7af470b0fa5e Lib/inspect.py
--- a/Lib/inspect.py	Fri Apr 08 13:39:59 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/inspect.py	Sat Apr 09 03:19:47 2011 +0200
@@ -1102,7 +1102,8 @@
         except KeyError:
             pass
         else:
-            if not (type(class_dict) is types.GetSetDescriptorType and
+            if not (type(class_dict) is types.MemberDescriptorType or
+                    type(class_dict) is types.GetSetDescriptorType and
                     class_dict.__name__ == "__dict__" and
                     class_dict.__objclass__ is entry):
                 return True
@@ -1151,6 +1152,66 @@
     raise AttributeError(attr)
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------- static version of dir
+def _static_getbases(cls):
+    return type.__dict__["__bases__"].__get__(cls)
+
+def _merge_class_dict(result, cls):
+    if not _shadowed_dict(type(cls)):
+        result.update(cls.__dict__)
+
+    # Recursively merge in the base types' dicts
+    for base in _static_getbases(cls):
+        _merge_class_dict(result, base)
+
+def _is_module(cls):
+    return (cls is types.ModuleType or
+            any(base is types.ModuleType for base in _static_getbases(cls)))
+
+def _dir_locals():
+    try:
+        frame = sys._getframe(2)
+    except AttributeError:
+        return {}
+    else:
+        return sorted(frame.f_locals)
+
+def _dir_module(mod):
+    if not _shadowed_dict(type(mod)):
+        return mod.__dict__
+    else:
+        return {}
+
+def dir_static(obj=_sentinel):
+    """Like the built-in `dir()` but without triggering any dynamic lookup."""
+    if obj is _sentinel:
+        # Special case -- dir without an argument returns the locals
+        return _dir_locals()
+
+    if not _is_type(obj):
+        cls = type(obj)
+    else:
+        cls = obj
+
+    result = {}
+    if _is_module(cls):
+        result = _dir_module(obj)
+    elif cls is obj:
+        _merge_class_dict(result, cls)
+    else:
+        # Get (a copy of) __dict__
+        if not _shadowed_dict(cls):
+            try:
+                result = obj.__dict__.copy()
+            except AttributeError:
+                pass
+
+        # Merge in attributes reachable from its class
+        _merge_class_dict(result, cls)
+
+    return sorted(result)
+
+
 GEN_CREATED = 'GEN_CREATED'
 GEN_RUNNING = 'GEN_RUNNING'
 GEN_SUSPENDED = 'GEN_SUSPENDED'
diff -r 7af470b0fa5e Lib/test/test_inspect.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_inspect.py	Fri Apr 08 13:39:59 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/test/test_inspect.py	Sat Apr 09 03:19:47 2011 +0200
@@ -987,6 +987,62 @@
         self.assertEqual(inspect.getattr_static(instance, "spam"), 42)
         self.assertFalse(Thing.executed)
 
+class TestDirStatic(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_locals(self):
+        local_name = 42
+        self.assertIn("local_name", inspect.dir_static())
+
+    def test_module(self):
+        self.assertIn("exit", inspect.dir_static(sys))
+
+    def test_module_shadowed_dict(self):
+        class Module(types.ModuleType):
+            executed = False
+
+            @property
+            def __dict__(self):
+                self.executed = True
+                return {"invalid": 42}
+
+        module = Module("test")
+        self.assertNotIn("invalid", inspect.dir_static(module))
+        self.assertFalse(module.executed)
+
+    def test_no_dict(self):
+        class Thing:
+            __slots__ = []
+
+        thing = Thing()
+        self.assertIn("__repr__", inspect.dir_static(thing))
+
+    def test_obj(self):
+        class Thing:
+            x = 1
+
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.y = 2
+
+        thing = Thing()
+        result = inspect.dir_static(thing)
+        self.assertIn("x", result)
+        self.assertIn("y", result)
+
+    def test_type(self):
+        self.assertIn("strip", inspect.dir_static(str))
+        self.assertNotIn("__mro__", inspect.dir_static(str))
+
+    def test_dir_method(self):
+        class Thing:
+            executed = False
+
+            def __dir__(self):
+                self.executed = True
+                return ["invalid_attribute"]
+
+        thing = Thing()
+        self.assertNotIn("invalid_attribute", inspect.dir_static(thing))
+        self.assertFalse(thing.executed)
+
 class TestGetGeneratorState(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -1046,7 +1102,7 @@
         TestInterpreterStack, TestClassesAndFunctions, TestPredicates,
         TestGetcallargsFunctions, TestGetcallargsMethods,
         TestGetcallargsUnboundMethods, TestGetattrStatic, TestGetGeneratorState,
-        TestNoEOL
+        TestNoEOL, TestDirStatic
     )
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":