Can Monkeys Really Type Shakespeare?

  • Thread starter jedishrfu
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In summary, news has been released that scientists have discovered monkeys have successfully reproduced the works of Shakespeare using a quantum entangled tribe of simians. However, there is a discrepancy over the spelling of the term "monkeys" and the remaining members of the band "The Monkees". The most amazing achievement of this research is the ability of the monkeys to type reels and be led by Dr. Frances Baykon.
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  • #2
Spelling somewhere needs to be adjusted. Title shows "Monkees" but posting shows "monkeys". These two things are not the same. (As best I understand, there are only two Monkees remaining. What have they done again, based on the topic title?)
 
  • #3
It was guaranteed to happen eventually.
 
  • #4
I'm a believer.
 
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  • #5
There are more things in Heaven and Earth, jedischrfu, that are dreamed of in your philosphy ...
 
  • #6
symbolipoint said:
...there are only two Monkees remaining...
There are still four, but only two of them still smell OK.

(Why do you think they're called "remains"? :woot:)
 
  • #7
There's only one surviving member of the group.
 
  • #8
From the article, this is the most amazing achievement:
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/scientists-discover-monkeys-have-started-to-type-shakespeare/ said:
Researchers checking the typed reels on 29th February this year
 
  • #9
"... Dr Frances Baykon, who led the research" :smile:
 
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  • #10
vela said:
There's only one surviving member of the group.
You're correct. I am now updated.
 
  • #11
But does he really smell okay?
 
  • #12
The Monkees? As in Peter..ahem...Torque? (This is PF after all)
 
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FAQ: Can Monkeys Really Type Shakespeare?

What is the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

The Infinite Monkey Theorem is a mathematical concept that suggests that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type any given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare. It highlights the concept of probability over an infinite timescale.

Has the Infinite Monkey Theorem been tested in real life?

There have been some attempts to test the theorem in a practical sense, often with humorous results. For example, in 2003, researchers at the University of Plymouth placed a computer in a monkey enclosure. The monkeys produced a few pages of text, mostly consisting of the letter "S" and some random characters, but nothing close to Shakespeare. These experiments typically demonstrate the impracticality of the theorem in a real-world scenario.

What does the theorem imply about randomness and probability?

The theorem underscores the concept that given infinite time and random input, all possible outcomes will eventually occur. It is more of a thought experiment to illustrate the ideas of probability and randomness rather than a practical expectation that monkeys could actually type coherent texts, let alone Shakespearean works.

Are there any practical applications of the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

While the theorem itself is more of a theoretical construct, it has implications in fields such as computer science, particularly in understanding algorithms, random number generation, and the concept of infinite loops. It also serves as a teaching tool to explain the nature of infinity and probability.

Could a computer simulate the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

Yes, a computer can simulate the Infinite Monkey Theorem by generating random sequences of characters. However, even with modern computational power, simulating the typing of a complete Shakespearean work would take an impractically long time. Instead, such simulations are often used to explore the concepts of randomness and probability in a more manageable scope.

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