1000 monkeys typing Shakespeare

[red]

ok. angels on the head of a pin vs. 1,000 monkeys. who types the first sonnet?

 

[MissCroft]

You guys are looking at the theroem too literally. It is a philosophic postulate.
It's a facetious arguement on the existence of God.

The existence of man (the complete works of Shakespeare) can occur by pure randomness (x number of monkeys on x number of keyboards) given infinite time.

Reminds me of the famous short story by Arthur C. Clarke, "The Nine Billion Names of God" http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/9billion_clarke.html

Not exactly the same argument of course and that was with monks instead of monkeys. They also sort of cheated by using a computer to find all possible combinations of nine letters. In the story it was estimated that if done by hand, it would take the monks 15,000 years (not sure how accurate that is - I think it would take a lot less time but hey, it's a fictional story).
Nine letters isn't quite the complete works of Shakespeare, LOL.

As another poster said, I think eventually all of the words would occur but likely not in the same order. Then again, infinity is infinity so anything could happen.

 

[red]

great story. i always liked the ending:

Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out.

 

[Anderson]

Reminds me of the famous short story by Arthur C. Clarke, "The Nine Billion Names of God" http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/9billion_clarke.html

Not exactly the same argument of course and that was with monks instead of monkeys. They also sort of cheated by using a computer to find all possible combinations of nine letters. In the story it was estimated that if done by hand, it would take the monks 15,000 years (not sure how accurate that is - I think it would take a lot less time but hey, it's a fictional story).
Nine letters isn't quite the complete works of Shakespeare, LOL.

As another poster said, I think eventually all of the words would occur but likely not in the same order. Then again, infinity is infinity so anything could happen.

Well Miss Croft ,

Not anything COULD happen, but anything WILL happen !

Excellent story, thx

 

[anon1]

Reminds me of the famous short story by Arthur C. Clarke, "The Nine Billion Names of God"

Damn, a totally hot woman who's into existentialism, sex and sci-fi!

Marry me!!!!!!!

 

[papasmerf]

moveon,org is proof of this thesis

 

[anon1]

ok. angels on the head of a pin vs. 1,000 monkeys. who types the first sonnet?

The Angels, they are a better ball team.

 

[seth gecko]

In an episode of the "Simpsons", Mr. Burns has a small army of monkeys working away at typrwriters. He pulls the paper out of one typewriter and reads what the monkey has typed..."it was the best of times, it was the blurst of times...."

Mr. Burns was not amused.