Scientist, absent-minded, departs for West (7)

I believe the answer is:

faraday

'scientist' is the definition.
(Michael Faraday)

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for faraday that I've seen before include "Scientist" , "Man of note" , "Michael -, nineteenth century English physicist and chemist" , "English physicist and chemist, d. 1867" , "unit" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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