That's a popular view on the left but I've read good analysis that says very much otherwise. Thomas' judicial views are abhorrent to me, but he is very intelligent. What he has is a deep disdain for the theater of oral arguments. He believes that all the justices have pretty much made up their minds by the time they get to oral arguments (having read the briefs and other relevant materials before then) and that the oral argument is a bit of grandstanding that serves no purpose.

I won't assess that opinion as I am not qualified to do so -- even if he is correct, a public display is arguably good for the institution's relationship with the public and transparency as a concept.

But it cannot be said that Thomas does no work on the court -- he has no personal interest in showing his work for the public's benefit.