[mensetmanusman]

Are fields physical in your explanation?

[nkrisc]

Fields and their influence on matter can be detected and measured, and even perceived directly by humans. So, yes.

[danparsonson]

Fields are absolutely physical - physical contact is due to the interaction of electromagnetic fields, for example.

[mensetmanusman]

It’s interesting, because there are textbooks that say the magnetic field lines aren’t real, but are a good visual of what happens when a magnetic particle is there…

[danparsonson]

Yes field lines are just an indicator of where the field is - a bit like how maps have contours showing height above sea level; those contours aren't physical things but they describe the physical environment in a schematic way.