So the researchers didn't refute the assumption "given an infinite amount of time," and instead chose to address the long finite-time case, which is fundamentally different.

Yeah, no, using a finite number to try and disprove a theory that is all specifically about infinite numbers isn't poking holes in anything..

The study found a finite number of monkeys in a finite amount of time would not write all the works of Shakespeare.

Wasn't the saying an infinite number of monkeys on an infinite number of typewriters? If so then they'd write Hamlet and indeed every other book written or ever will be written in however long it would conceivably take to type them out if you were copying them.

Trash "research" and trash journalism covering it. First they find that monkeys would write Shakespeare, it would just take on average longer than the entire existence of the universe. They then try to infer that how long it takes is relevant. It is not. The calculation is vaguely interesting as a curio but the shoehorned "discussion" and interpretation to get attention is crap and another example of bad science misleading people.

It's pointless and stupid - the thought experiment itself is that infinite monkeys typing would eventually type the whole of Shakespeare. Not how long it would take. The whole point of it is that in a truly random system all known patterns should eventually emerge somewhere within it. The length of time it takes for the pattern to emerge is irrelevant as the idea is based in infinity. So for example if there is a truly random infinite multiverse then in theory all imaginable possibilities would exist somewhere within it at some point.

"Extremely unlikely" != "never"

I think their research is empirically falsified already. If chimp = monkey, then "simian" is reasonable generalisation of "monkey" - also that reflects a lot of real english speakers usage of the words.

A less than infinite number of simians have already done it once.

Not to mention that I think they're assuming no evolution. Fucking chriatian fundamentalists.

A monkey already wrote Shakespeare. Anything it's possible.

CLICKBAIT the theory goes "if given an infinite amount of time, a monkey pressing keys on a typewriter would eventually write the complete works of William Shakespeare." and then they say that would take longer than the universe would exist. SEE THE ORIGINAL QUOTE... INFINITE TIME. Also that is if it went through every combination. Due to Random Chance it could happen the 3rd try of you doing it.

This is a nothing burger of a story about some mathematicians that crunched some of the numbers involved and didn't like what they saw.

Awww, Muffin.

I mean we've not had infinite monkeys yet one of us already wrote Shakespeare's works

Next they're going to tell us that a bird sharpening its beak every thousand years wouldn't wear out a mountain made of diamond.

Yes, a different cuestion usually has a different answer

FACT: 90% of typing monkeys quit right when they're about to write Shakespeare.

A stupid article akin to someone on Lemmy misunderstanding an idium and going "well actually...".

And that's coming from me, a person who likes knowing how insanely unlikely it is a guess ever longer and longer pass phrases. A computer trying to brute force Hamlet would also fail before the heat death of the universe (probably, anyway- do the math and you too can publish junk!).

Thats not the point of the thought experiment.

To quote the theme song of a science show on BBC radio:

If infinite monkeys type every day
They may accidentally write ‘Hamlet’ the play
But they'll probably shit on it and throw it away
In the Infinite Monkey Cage

Says descendant of monkey

Article about monkeys not being able to complete the works of Shakespeare has this line in it:

Despite its name, the so-called heat death would actually be slow and cold.

Science reporting is such a weird job.

Basic information theory.

This doesn't bode well for my typewriting monkey startup

Not with that attitude.