He had already heard in some dim way about the Æther, though being more on the practical side of things, he couldn't see much use for it.
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"being more on the practical side of things"
At this point in Merle's life, when he's living in Connecticut, he's building machines for Heino Vanderjuice. Later he'll take up an interest in photography, possibly because he's interested in the physical aspects of the machine and how it works at first but later, he becomes quite invested in how many boobies he can see using it. What I mean to say is he's a man of the physical and of what can be seen. Theoretical concepts may as well be magical chants or religious rites. Maybe! I'm projecting and assuming here, I'm sure.
"he couldn't see much use for it"
I think this is a joke! At the time, Æther was supposedly what allowed light to get from one place to another. And without light, you can't see. So not being able to see much use for the thing that enables you to see would, to my mind, be a pretty good joke! Good one, Pynchon!
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