Can monkeys really type Shakespeare's works?
- The infinite monkey theorem theorizes that given infinite time, monkeys could replicate any text.
- Calculations by Woodcock showed that the chance of a chimp typing coherent text is extremely low.
- The study concludes that while the theorem is interesting, it does not apply realistically to our finite universe.
In a study conducted by Stephen Woodcock, an associate professor of math and physical sciences, and his colleague, they aimed to examine the infinite monkey theorem's applicability in the real world. This theorem suggests that with infinite time, monkeys randomly typing could replicate Shakespeare's works. Woodcock's calculations revealed that for chimpanzees, closely related to humans, the chance of typing a specific word or sentence is minimal. For instance, the probability of a chimpanzee typing the word 'banana' within its 30-year lifetime is around 5%, and the chance of typing a particular phrase like 'I chimp, therefore I am' is exceedingly small, at 2 x 10^-20. The researchers concluded that while theoretically possible in an infinite scenario, it certainly does not hold in our finite universe. They also referenced a real-life simulation of this theorem, in which a computer experiment involving chimpanzees produced largely nonsensical output, ultimately illustrating the unlikelihood of the theorem's practical application. The experiment was more of a performance art piece than a serious scientific study, highlighting the disconnection between theoretical concepts and actual outcomes in the real world. Woodcock emphasized that although thought experiments can be fascinating, they do not always translate into practical reality because our universe has boundaries unlike the infinite scenarios they theorize.