In this quote, Thorne conveys a sense of skepticism towards concepts that are often taken for granted, like self-esteem and photons. He implies that certain ideas we discuss are merely abstract notions rather than tangible entities that can be seen or touched. This perspective challenges the conventional understanding of emotions and scientific concepts as being concrete realities.

Thorne's rhetoric pushes us to examine how we interpret and value intangible attributes. By questioning the existence of self-esteem in physical terms, he highlights the difficulty in fully grasping the essence of such feelings in a literal sense. This thought encourages reflection on how we define and perceive abstract ideas in our everyday lives.