The main difference between things that exist in objective reality and concepts, which can not be empirically verified, is that concepts can only have an indirect effect on physical reality while things that exist objectively can have both direct or indirect effects on physical reality.
For example, the concept of math doesn't directly make 2 pencils added to 2 pencils equal 4 pencils. It takes a human hand or something physical to move the objects together and a physical brain to evaluate the experience. The concept of math exists only in the brains capacity to generate a rule from the sense data coming from reality. The concept isn't even observable in the brain because the brain is made up of neurons and it is a combination of neurons that produce what we call math. For an alternative example, a rock exists in physical reality and can fall down a hill and smash into a tree that then falls on a car. It has a direct effect on the tree and an indirect effect on the car.
This example is easy to understand but I think the distinction I'm proposing might be helpful in understanding how specific concepts and thoughts can have effects on reality while they do not exist in objective reality.
Specific concepts are tools that only exist in conscious minds and in the language of consciousness. They are not empirically verifiable but they can effect how we choose to live our lives and how we view the world.
The concept of God has a huge effect on millions of people and I am sure some would point to this as some sort of proof of the existence of a God but just because people make decisions based on concepts doesn't mean an all powerful, all knowing and logically contradictory entity is pulling strings and saving souls. Our ability to generate concepts and communicate them is a product of evolutionary forces that have benefited humans in their ability to survive and procreate. Some concepts are so useful in these two purposes that they last for centuries. Belief in gods was a way for primitive humans to understand the mysteries of life and create life saving rules and engender social conformity. People rely on the tribe and communicating reasons for occurrences allows for learning and the development of better survival tools that can be passed on to subsequent generations.
Let's take the concept of love for instance. If you were to open up a human's brain and search it you would never be able to point to or pull out a thing that is, on its own, love. Love is a concept we attach to a series of behaviors brought on by different physical activities. Hormones, neurotransmitters, muscles, blood, and all sorts of other biological functions take place in the body and brain which produce different behaviors leading toward sexual arousal, mate selection, sexual activity and bonding. In no certain order. In time humans began to communicate and try to understand these behaviors and the subjective feelings that they experienced. The word "love" was invented and used to communicate the general concept related to these behaviors.
Now that the concept of love exists in minds people use this concept to inform their decision making and their behaviors are indirectly effected by their formulation of the concept and it's definition. The expectation that love is "blind " or that love is "unconditional" is based on the individual's formulation of the concept and has the ability to indirectly effect the person's behavior and thinking process in general. When a person defends an abusive partner and claims it is because they love them it is not love that is directly manipulating the interactions but the person's behaviors that has a direct effect on the situation. A person could acknowledge that they believe they love someone and that love means unconditional acceptance but still choose not to defend them when confronted due to another conflicting concept such as justice or self-protection.
If we were to take a person and study their brain activity and have them focus on the concept of love and all its general principles we would find a myriad of neural connections that fluctuate and fire based on differing thoughts related to the concept. Memories, smells, sights, sounds, frontal lope processing all might be witness by the observer examining the brain but at no point would a physical thing called "love" appear to the observer. The word love is just a word people use to communicate complex human behaviors and experiences. The word can be written down or represented in a multitude of physical mediums but can not be empirically validated as an objective physical entity. It is not matter and energy. While neurons directly cause physical changes in he mind and body could be scientifically examined concepts do not directly effect anything because they do not have matter or energy to effect things with matter and energy. The person making the decision to act or not act is responsible for the behavior and the repercussions are real.
Although concepts are indirect players on behavior they can still be powerful forces for both good and evil. Even the concepts of good and evil and the definitions thereof are relentlessly debated and their effects can not be denied. Even if you deny the existence of good and evil you would still be relying on a concept to communicate that idea which effects your behavior. Concepts such as communism, democracy or libertarianism are very instrumental in human societies and have lasting effects on the lives of billions on humans as well as the earth and possibly all the universe. Many people have claimed these concepts as justification for murder, torture, and all manner of cruelty or have tried to spread the concepts on compassion, responsibility and bravery as well.
It is in the scrutinizing, honing and rejecting of bad concepts that human societies make progress toward universal prosperity. While concepts might not fit into the category of things that exist in objective reality they might be the most important things that humans rely on for survival and might be the only thing that will allow humans to continue their actual existence. Concepts are a product of consciousness which is what separates humans from all other biological creatures. It is this difference that allows us to examine new ways of cooperating and understanding ourselves and each other. We rely on concepts every day and because they are not fixed in physical reality they are flexible and our ability to adjust and communicate ever better concepts can allow humans to succeed in the future where no other society has achieved.
