Popular fiction often includes the notion that given enough time, a monkey with a typewriter could recreate the works of William Shakespeare. However, two Australian mathematicians have debunked this idea as unrealistic.
The infinite monkey theorem suggests that given infinite time, a monkey could randomly type out Shakespeare’s plays. This concept has been widely used in popular culture, from “The Simpsons” to “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
In a paper authored by two academics from the University of Technology Sydney, it was established that even if monkeys worked tirelessly to replicate Shakespeare’s works, the universe is more likely to end before they succeed. The study will appear in the December 2024 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Franklin Open.
Stephen Woodcock, an associate professor at the university and one of the paper’s authors, explained that the mathematical concept of infinity can lead to erroneous conclusions in the real world. They concluded that even under the most generous assumptions about monkeys’ typing speed, the likelihood of them reproducing Shakespeare’s works is nearly impossible within the lifespan of the universe.
The paper introduces a “heat death” theory as the end of the universe, which would occur before a monkey could realistically achieve the feat. However, critics argue that by imposing a time limit, the essence of the “infinite” theory is lost.
The study calculates that a monkey with a 30-letter keyboard has only a 5% chance of typing the word “banana” in its lifetime. This contrasts with Shakespeare’s 884,421-word complete works, of which “banana” is not included.
While some scholars believe the theorem is a common theoretical concept and have dismissed the need to debunk it, the authors expressed surprise at being the first to formally challenge it. The likelihood of a monkey typing even a short phrase like “I am a chimpanzee, therefore I exist” is extremely low, making the proposed theory highly improbable.
Ultimately, the study suggests that the notion of monkeys reproducing Shakespeare’s works is highly unlikely and may need to be reconsidered in light of mathematical and scientific principles.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
