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Re: [ARSCLIST] Whacky Packia
From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad
Hello,
I have wondered about this illustration ever since I read about it in 'One,
two, infinity' by George Gamow. I am happy that someone did monitor the
monkeys, but I have always questioned the purpose of it all. Unless the
monitor knew Shakespeare already he could not determine that it was actually
by him. But then he did not need the monkeys to write it. And if he did not
know Shakespeare, how would he, determine that it was yet another piece by
him? Gamow mechanized the whole thing and used a very long wheel printer,
just counting up slowly. He got the same results as the monkeys, only in a
different and predictable order.
It reminds me of the man sorting spheres in a ball factory. He had a screen,
and those that stayed on top were too big, whereas those that fell through
the holes were too small. Even just before retirement he speculated what he
was to do the day that he found a ball of the right size.
Kind regards,
George
> At 10:50 AM 12/15/2005, you wrote:
> >"To be or not to be, that is the gzornenplatt."
>
> This was actually a skit of Bob Newhart - "The Button Down Mind of" - where he
> was the guy whose job it was to monitor the monkeys.
>
> Russ
>
>
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>
> Russ Hamm
> Ed Tech Specialist
> National School District (http://nsd.us)
> San Diego County, California
> tel. (619) 336-7752
> FAX (619) 336-7551