A new study reveals it would take far longer than the lifespan of our universe for a typing monkey to randomly produce Shakespeare. So, while the Infinite Monkey Theorem is true, it is also somewhat misleading.

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

  • Ookami38@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    16·
    2 months ago

    I think the point is less about any kind of route to Hamlet, and more about the absurdity of infinite tries in a finite space(time). There are a finite (but extremely large) number of configurations of English characters in a work the length of Hamlet. If you have truly an infinite number of attempts (monkeys, time, or both are actually infinite) and the trials are all truly random (every character is guaranteed to have the same chance as every other) then you will necessarily arrive at that configuration eventually.

    As far as your process, of procedurally generating each letter one by one until you have the completed works, we actually have a monkey who more or less did that already. His name is William.

      • Klear@lemmy.worldEnglish
        31·
        2 months ago

        Humans are apes, apes are monkeys, paraphyletic groups are bullshit.

        • Ookami38@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          To be entirely fair, apes aren’t monkeys. I don’t think that particular distinction is really all that relevant to the discussion, but technically…

          • Klear@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            2 months ago

            From wikipedia:

            Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, constitute an incomplete paraphyletic grouping; however, in the broader sense based on cladistics, apes (Hominoidea) are also included, making the terms monkeys and simians synonyms in regard to their scope.

            • Ookami38@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              2·
              2 months ago

              Oh neat. This is all taxonomy that is well beyond me. My defense of calling humans monkeys is that everyone does it, and that’s how language works. Glad to know I’m correct too, technically lol

    • Lvxferre@mander.xyzEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      I think the point is less about any kind of route to Hamlet, and more about the absurdity of infinite tries in a finite space(time).

      I know. It’s just that creationists misuse that metaphor so often that I couldn’t help but share my brainfart here.