Daniel Lemire argues that the traditional view of scientific progress—where breakthroughs stem from isolated intellectual efforts—fails to capture the messy, iterative nature of real advancement. He points out that significant discoveries often arise from a combination of tools and societal context. For example, the engineering feats of the ancient Greeks and Einstein's theories were both products of their time and technological capabilities. Fast ships and trains didn't just result from science; they fueled further scientific inquiry. Lemire advocates for a shift in how we approach scientific research. He believes that a rigid, bureaucratic structure stifles innovation. Instead, scientists should embrace flexibility, experimentation, and a readiness to confront established norms. He sees the rise of large language models as a recent example of how new tools can transform scientific exploration, suggesting that the scientific community needs to adopt a more agile mindset to foster breakthroughs.