Author Topic: Something to think about on the toilet. (Read 1246 times)

Huzo · « **on:** October 17, 2021, 06:40:42 PM »

Neil De Grasse Tyson said the other night from an old quote..
“If you gave an infinite number of monkeys a typewriter each and an infinite amount of time, they would eventually tap on Beethoven’s 5 th...”

But really, if you gave ONE monkey a typewriter and an infinite amount of time you should get the same result.
Yes... ? (eventually)

Just sayin’...

nc43bsa · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2021, 06:46:26 PM »

I didn't know typewriters could form musical symbols.

<edit> BTW, Huzo, what time is it there?

pehayes · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2021, 06:47:56 PM »

One of my favorite quites from Tyson:

He was chatting with a reporter about the relative size of the solar system In order to emphasize what 'space' means he noted that at the speed of light, it takes 8 minutes for the light from the sun to reach the earth. What you are looking at took place 8 minutes ago.

The reporter asked if the sun totally exploded 7 minutes ago we still wouldn't know about it.

Tyson replied "Have a nice day!"

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Huzo · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2021, 06:57:48 PM »

Quote from: nc43bsa on October 17, 2021, 06:46:26 PM

I didn't know typewriters could form musical symbols.

<edit> BTW, Huzo, what time is it there?

11 am

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2021, 06:57:48 PM »

lucian · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2021, 07:22:48 PM »

I dunno, I took a typing class once with a bunch of other monkeys and well, it took me twenty minutes to type this

bad Chad · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2021, 07:48:30 PM »

I think, based on his premise, yes. But it Might take longer than you want to wait

ohiorider · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2021, 07:52:21 PM »

I recall Dave Letterman saying something similar. “If you put an infinite number of monkeys in a room with a typewriter each, and an infinite amount of time, the stench would be incredible."

guzziart · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2021, 08:22:49 PM »

Are the typewriters manual or electric?

ScepticalScotty · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2021, 06:24:39 AM »

This plays into discussions of Hilberts Hotel, and how it is obvious that some infinities are bigger than others.......

BTW one of the coolest books I have ever rear was Fermats Last Theorem by Simon Singh.

JJ · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2021, 08:17:46 AM »

QUOTE: RE: Something to think about on the toilet.

Frankly speaking, and at my age...when I am on the toilet, I am grateful I don't suffer from "chronic constipation!!"

larrys · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2021, 09:00:16 AM »

On the toilet, my thoughts are focusing on everything coming out okay. Just saying...
Larry

JJ · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2021, 09:02:42 AM »

Quote from: larrys on October 18, 2021, 09:00:16 AM

On the toilet, my thoughts are focusing on everything coming out okay. Just saying...
Larry

My point exactly!! (Now THAT'S funny!!)

:wink...("An active colon is a happy colon!!")

John A · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2021, 09:30:14 AM »

It comes to the variables in the thought processes. Intent seems the biggest part. I’m not on the crapper so I can’t figure it out, …

Tkelly · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2021, 01:59:34 PM »

Such an absurd proposition has to be a joke on anyone wasting time thinking about it.Critical thinking anyone?

tris · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2021, 02:41:38 PM »

Bob Newhart might be able to help https://youtu.be/YGdMTLgU4hE

SmithSwede · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2021, 08:16:20 PM »

Quote from: ScepticalScotty on October 18, 2021, 06:24:39 AM

This plays into discussions of Hilberts Hotel, and how it is obvious that some infinities are bigger than others

Yes indeed. And Cantor proved it. His diagonal argument is one of the few things that really blew my mind in my misspent academic youth. Gödel’s incompleteness theorem was another.

Few realize that there is a hierarchy of infinities. And the infinity that most are familiar with, ℵ null, the set of natural numbers, is actually a rather footling infinity as these things go.

I never know what might crop up in a WildGuzzi thread.

Huzo · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2021, 08:48:52 PM »

Quote from: Tkelly on October 18, 2021, 01:59:34 PM

Such an absurd proposition has to be a joke on anyone wasting time thinking about it.Critical thinking anyone?

It’s the same as the tree in the forest conundrum.
The answer is not important, it’s the coming to terms with the constraints we find ourselves dealing with, when trying to wrap our minds around an unimaginable concept.
The exercise as I see it is grappling with the idea, that the possible combinations of notes in a symphony are indeed finite.
So the concept of a finite set within an infinite space makes this thought experiment a possibility.

TN Mark · « **Reply #17 on:** October 18, 2021, 09:28:42 PM »

There's no such thing as an infinite number of monkeys, typewriters or days because you can always add more. Sometimes the more education someone gets the less they can think and reason. Whether on or off the toilet.

cliffrod · « **Reply #18 on:** October 18, 2021, 09:35:18 PM »

Any such metaphor for the efficacy of randomness as an explanation to complexity only works after the various components already exist under ideal circumstances in ideal amounts and only an ideal amount of randomness is actually allowed. That's not random at all.

It's lots easier to start in the middle....

Huzo · « **Reply #19 on:** October 18, 2021, 10:54:32 PM »

Quote from: TN Mark on October 18, 2021, 09:28:42 PM

There's no such thing as an infinite number of monkeys, typewriters or days because you can always add more. Sometimes the more education someone gets the less they can think and reason. Whether on or off the toilet.

That’s why I suggested that you only need one monkey if you make the time infinite.
A real world example would be, if you insert one black grain of sand into the dunes of the Sahara Desert and give a searcher an infinite amount of time, it is not possible he will find that grain...

It is certain...

Huzo · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2021, 10:57:51 PM »

Quote from: TN Mark on October 18, 2021, 09:28:42 PM

There's no such thing as an infinite number of monkeys, typewriters or days because you can always add more.

That...is the definition of infinity.

ScepticalScotty · « **Reply #21 on:** October 19, 2021, 06:07:43 AM »

Thinking about such concepts as the heirarchy of infinities, Fermats Last Theorem, is not at all a waste of time. Things are discovered, learned. Einstein called such things thought experiments. But in German.

SIR REAL ED · « **Reply #22 on:** October 19, 2021, 07:38:28 AM »

In theory, an infinite number of WG monkeys should be able to type out a coherent oil thread. They just wouldn't be able to agree on the content.

How long after completing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, would it take them to complete the Sixth?

Sye · « **Reply #23 on:** October 19, 2021, 07:53:01 AM »

From experience I can say that if you get any group of monkeys for any amount of time, half of them will be smoking poo.

Old Jock · « **Reply #24 on:** October 19, 2021, 07:58:22 AM »

Quote from: SIR REAL ED on October 19, 2021, 07:38:28 AM

In theory, an infinite number of WG monkeys should be able to type out a coherent oil thread.

Never happen, I'm working on a proof

dirtiegirtie · « **Reply #25 on:** October 19, 2021, 09:00:20 AM »

Quote from: Sye on October 19, 2021, 07:53:01 AM

From experience I can say that if you get any group of monkeys for any amount of time, half of them will be smoking poo.

Smoking poo? I think monkey's fling their poo, no?

And seriously... what is a "typewriter"? You old guys really confuse me sometimes.

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Author Topic: Something to think about on the toilet. (Read 1246 times)

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