The present account must also be distinguished from the view that a concept is a representation of a prototypical
instance. On the present account, the prototype is simply an instance that happens to maximally satisfy the cluster
conditions. This does not preclude concepts fro mbeing linked to standard instances (section 11.4)—it's just that this
creates distinct effects fro mthe cluster conditions.
Most of the arguments against cluster concepts are directed against this latter version of the prototype theory. For
instance, Fodor(1998)argues that thestandardpetfish(goldfish, guppy, etc.)cannotbederived fro mtheintersectionof
prototypicalpets(dog, cat, etc.)with prototypicalfish(trout,flounder, etc.).Quite right. This is because we know about
petfish:petfishis lexicalized and anchoredas a unittoitsownstandard examplessuchas goldfish. Ina similar casethat
isnotanchored to standard examples, as inpet marsupial, we are likely to imagine preciselythe prototypical marsupial, a
kangaroo. In terms of conditions, though,petfishcomes out about as one would expect: it's afish that people keep in
their house for amusement. I don't see any problem in principle here, as long as one distinguishes knowing standard
examples from knowing defeasible conditions. Both are potential parts of a concept.
11.7 The same abstract organization in man ysemantic elds
A foundational result in conceptualist semantics originates with Gruber (1965), who showed that many grammatical
patterns used to describe physical objects in space also appear in expressions that describe non-spatial domains.
The groups of sentences in (13) through (16) illustrate this result. Notice especially the parallels indicated by the
italicized words.
(13)
Spatial location and motion:
a. The messengeris inIstanbul. [Location]
b. The messengerwent fromParisto
Istanbul.[Change of location]c. The gangkeptthe messengerin
Istanbul.[Caused stasis](14)
Possession:
a. The moneyisFred's. [Possession]
b. The inheritancefinallywent toFred. [Change of possession]
c. Fredkeptthe money. [Caused stasis](15)
Ascription of properties:
a. The lightisred. [Simple property]
b. The lightwent/changed fromgreento
red.[Change of property]c. The copkeptthe light red. [Caused stasis]