A scientist,

Gives information to the subject “he”

Therefore I think it’s not an absolute phrase but an appositive phrase since it does not add information to the entire sentence.

This article from ‘The Garden of Phrases at Grammar.ccc.’ How does an absolute phrase

get used

by the alphabet (also called a nominative absolute) of a subject? Absolute verbs don’t directly connect to any specific word in the rest of a sentence; instead, they modify the whole sentence, adding information. They are always treated as parenthetical elements and are set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma or a pair of commas (sometimes by a dash or pair of dashes). What is finite or absolute verb?

As New York Liberty, they retained their title by beating The Queen in the first semifinal.

In the end of season four Rebecca Lobo and Sophie Witherspoon were revealed as a pair of true leaders.

The two superstars signed autographs.

When the participle of an absolute phrase is a form of to be, such as being or having been, the participle is often left out but understood.

Before their season ended, people were mobbed by fans in Times square. I can’t believe they were walking over to show me anything. So it’s all happening.

been Stars all their adult lives, they seemed used to the attention.

Were ] a scientist, he always thinks about what is best for other people. slain, the Knight could rest.

Another kind of absolute phrase is found after a modified noun; it adds a focusing detail or point of focus to the idea of the main clause. How can an absolute phrase be based on a preposition verb?

If the house burned, now the old firefighter has failed his best efforts to stop the new blazes.

His subordinates, their faces sweat-streaked and smudged, leaped heavily upon the firetruck. Ultimately, the smoke is a permanent sign.

How can someone easily undo all their efforts?

If the absolute statement is the most important element of the sentence, then the information supplied in this element can override the information supplied in other parts of the sentence. In descriptive prose, the telling details will often be wrapped into a sentence in the form of an absolute phrase Oral Action:

Coach Nykesha strolled onto the court, her arms akimbo and a large silver whistle between her teeth.

The new recruits stood in one corner of the gym, their uniforms stiff and ill fitting, their faces betraying their anxiety.

A noun phrase can also exist as an absolute phrase.

Your best friends, where are they now, when you need them?

> What kind of girl was my best friend Sally… she is going through what she feels is an emotionally difficult time?

Can we disambiguate term ‘nominative absolute’ and term ‘absolute construction’? I’d see the latter term as a hypernym Constructions with free-standing adjectives/adjectivals:

Desperate to get to the car, he ran without an umbrella over his head.

What would happen if he gave up and gave up his life after 20 miles?

are in fact recognised quite well by many authorities.