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Typing monkey would be unable to produce 'Hamlet' within the lifetime of the universe, study finds (phys.org)

submitted 5 days ago by VantaBrandon@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

198 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The question that everyone has been dying to know has been answered. Finally! What will scientists study next?

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[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 21 points 4 days ago (2 children)

The whole point of the thought experiment is that you have infinite monkeys.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I don't think so, because if you had infinite monkeys an infinite number of them would get it on the first try.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Exactly. That's the point.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I don't think it works honestly. You'd need a monkey with a lasting and dutiful commitment to true randomness to ever get anything but a finite number of button mashing variations. Monkeys like that don't come cheaply.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Within that finite set, one combination is the complete text of Hamlet.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world -1 points 4 days ago

I honestly don't think so, bestie. Monkey's not gonna press the keys randomly at all. Somewhere in the recesses of his monkey neurons he'll have made implicit connections between letters and letter combinations. This is the infinite typewriter monkey, not some two-bit organ grinder's bitch. This monkey has been places, probably been through hell getting to this position in life. Seen wars, been across the globe, and now he's the star of a famous thought experiment. He loves lowercase t because he's a devout Christian after having been rescued by that missionary, and being a monkey he doesn't quite grasp the distinction. Wanna see what he wrote? tttt hhdfyb my ik t tkkoptt aa aaaa Bernardo : Who's there? tt ttt eeertyuhjk t

You call that random?

[–] Zorque@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So... three monkeys?

[–] tb_@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

At least