No Geologist worth anything is permanently bound to a desk or laboratory, but the charming notion that true science can only be based on unbiased observation of nature in the raw is mythology. Creative work, in geology and anywhere else, is interaction and synthesis: half-baked ideas from a bar room, rocks in the field, chains of thought from lonely walks, numbers squeezed from rocks in a laboratory, numbers from a calculator riveted to a desk, fancy equipment usually malfunctioning on expensive ships, cheap equipment in the human cranium, arguments before a road cut.

Summary

This quote suggests that geologists cannot solely rely on being constrained to a desk or laboratory to conduct their work effectively. While unbiased observation of nature is important, true science in geology involves a combination of various elements. It requires interaction and synthesis, incorporating half-formed ideas from various sources such as casual conversations, field observations, personal musings, laboratory experiments, and even technological glitches. This highlights that creativity and ingenuity are essential in the geologist's work, and they must be willing to engage in diverse experiences and viewpoints to arrive at comprehensive insights.

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