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Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds (bbc.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by dphile@lemm.ee to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

If there are an infinite number of trials (either infinite monkeys or infinite time), the outcome is truly random, and the desired text is finite, it must necessarily happen at some point. In fact, it'd happen an infinite number of times.

The original thought experiment clearly states infinite. As soon as you bound that in any way (such as not infinite monkeys, but 1 monkey for every atom in the universe) you're talking about another experiment entirely. Infinite means infinite, not really really big. Gotta use some critical thinking 👍

[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 2 points 3 weeks ago

If you have infinite time, you don't also need infinite monkeys.